One way to finance your residency and studies in Singapore is by combining study with work. As a foreigner, you must obtain a permit to be able to work in Singapore. Here are three ways to combine work and study in Singapore.
Option 1: Singapore work holiday program
If your primary interest is short-term study, Work Holiday offers the most flexibility. The program allows you to apply for a 6-month transit pass through which you can freely apply for jobs in Singapore. There is no minimum income requirement, so you can choose to work full time or part-time and combine your work with study or sightseeing.
The Singapore Ministry of Manpower manages this program. You can apply for the work holiday program if you:
A full-time student enrolled at an accredited institution and residing in Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United Kingdom, and between the ages of 17 and 30
Option 2: Work as a registered student in Singapore
If you do not qualify for the work holiday program or wish to stay in Singapore for more than six months, you may choose to enrol as a full-time student at an accredited educational institute in Singapore. You will be allowed to work part-time during the semesters and full-time during school holidays.
Please note that the list of exempt institutions currently only includes the best universities in Singapore. Be sure to check if you have a license to operate before registering for a course – requirements change from time to time. Generally speaking, only graduate students are allowed to work.
Option 3: Find a job in Singapore and let your company apply for you
If you are not planning to study full-time, there is an option: find a full-time job in Singapore. Singaporean companies can apply for permission to employ foreigners. Employment permits are subject to approval by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), which will review your credentials. The most important condition is the salary you will receive. At the time of writing, the minimum wage to qualify for the S-Pass (lowest level) is S $ 1,800 per month.
You will hear a lot of disappointing comments about applying for a job in Singapore as a foreigner, but I know many people who have done it successfully, including myself.
As in any country, you have a specific flaw as a foreigner. If a company has more than one job applicant, and all of them except for Singapore citizens or permanent residents, why do you think they will hire you? They will only do this if you are better qualified than domestic applicants. Hence, this path is relatively easy to follow if you already have a few years of professional experience, good qualifications and a clear profile.
Work permits are usually issued for two years and are tied to an employer, and once you obtain a permit, you can live in Singapore for the long term. And take the course you want.
