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What You Need To Know About Moving To Singapore

ByTazim Damji

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There comes a time in every dedicated traveller’s life when they start to think seriously about putting down roots in one of their favourite destinations. But this is not a step to be taken lightly. There’s a big difference between saying “wouldn’t it be great if we could live here one day?” and taking the steps you need to make it a reality. Singapore is one of the most popular destinations for ex-pats, and with good reason. There are so many businesses out here, as well as a wealth of opportunities for entrepreneurs and digital nomads.

But it can be a little tricky to know where the best place to start is if you have never lived in Singapore before, let alone if you have never even visited before. If you are seriously thinking about relocating, then you are going to have to do your preparation. Here are a few things that you need to know about moving to Singapore.

Get Ready For The Humidity

First things first: you need to be prepared for the weather. You may think that you know what hot and humid mean, but if you have never lived this close to the Equator, you may be about to learn that you do not know as much as you thought you did. For starters, you will be dealing with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius all through the year, and that’s not factoring in the humidity and thundery showers. It’s worth noting that most homes have air conditioning, however, as will offices, stores, restaurants and so on. It also helps that the city’s public transport is so good. The MRT will get you to most places you need to go without making you walk too far through the heat.

Remember That You Need To Prove Your Employment

One of the main things that anyone thinking about moving to Singapore needs to know is that the visa system can be very strict. That means that you cannot simply move here and then look for a job. You need to find employment before you apply for a visa, or at least have a company willing to offer you a job provided you clear the visa process, if you want to move here. Most big companies will be able to help you through the visa process so do not be afraid to ask them for assistance.

Find Local Expertise For Any Property You Are Interested In

Finding the right place to live is always one of the most stressful elements of any big move, and it can be intimidating. The best way you can make sure that the process goes smoothly is by finding a property team with plenty of local expertise as well as plenty of experience in helping ex-pats find their new home. For example, if you are thinking about buying a home instead of renting, you may be thinking about applying for an HBD loan. But there are several criteria that you will need to meet if you want to reach eligibility for HBD loan assistance. To find exactly what you need and browse local property options, visit PropertyGuru. They are the leading Singapore property website and have thousands of properties for you to browse.

Don’t Worry Too Much About Speaking The Language

While it is true that it always helps if you can speak some of the language of the country that you are moving to, no one wants to be racing against the clock to pick up the vocab if they are starting a job in the very near future. The good news if you are moving to Singapore is that you will find that most people speak English, especially in business settings. However, you will quickly start hearing and picking up Singlish, the unofficial dialect which is made up of English with elements of the other official languages (Tamil, Mandarin, and Malay). You will certainly be OK getting by for a while.

There are Lots To Do, But Travelling Is Also Very Easy

One of the main things to remember about Singapore is that it is a city-state, which means that you are not going to be doing a huge amount of travelling within its borders. However, it is certainly a beautiful place to live and has even been nicknamed The Garden City because of its commitment to green areas and trees. However, after you have been there for a couple of months, it may be time to start thinking about all the amazing places you could spend a weekend away. Singapore is very close to some amazing places to visit, including Vietnam, Thailand, Bali, Malaysia, and Indonesia. If you are a dedicated traveller, then moving to Singapore will absolutely set you up for plenty of amazing adventures throughout Asia. 

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Tazim Damji is a former interior designer and plant-based nutritionist from Vancouver, Canada who has been vegan for over 21 years. Tazim now works in the tourism industry and is a travel writer at Celebrate Life's Adventures.

Read more posts by Tazim. Visit her Canadian Travel and Slow Travel blog Celebrate Life's Adventures