Want to live and work in Singapore?

Singapore has around 6 million inhabitants, with approximately 30% being foreign residents or temporary workers. The main ethnic groups are Chinese (around 74% of citizens), Malay (around 13%), and Indian (around 9%), plus smaller groups. The government works to maintain coexistence between ethnic groups through housing policies.

The city is densely populated. Most people live in HDB (Housing and Development Board) apartments, built by the government and sold at subsidized prices to citizens. Foreigners generally rent private apartments, which are more expensive, in neighborhoods like Orchard, River Valley, East Coast, and Tanjong Pagar.

The country has four official languages: English (most used in work, school, and government), Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. Practically everyone speaks English with a local accent (Singlish). Foreigners without Mandarin or Malay get along fine in everyday life.

The Singaporean labor market is dominated by high-skill services. Finance is the central sector: global banks (HSBC, Standard Chartered, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Citi, UBS, Credit Suisse), regional banks (DBS, OCBC, UOB), private banking, and family offices have made the city one of the world's largest wealth management centers, especially for Asian clients. The local exchange is the SGX. Fintech, regtech, and blockchain benefit from proactive regulation by the MAS.

Technology is the second major force. Global companies (Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, ByteDance, TikTok) maintain regional hubs here. Local companies with global scale include Grab (super app), Sea (Shopee, Garena), Razer, Lazada, and Carousell. Logistics and shipping are major industries (Singapore's port is one of the world's largest by container volume; Changi Airport is a global reference). Biotechnology (Pfizer, GSK, Sanofi at Tuas Biomedical Park), semiconductors (GlobalFoundries, Micron), and oil refining (Shell, ExxonMobil on Jurong Island) round out the picture.

The Employment Pass requires a minimum monthly salary of SGD 5,000 (as of September 2023) or more depending on experience. The ONE Pass requires SGD 30,000 per month. There is no universal statutory minimum wage, but there are progressive minimum wages in sectors such as cleaning and security. Senior professionals in finance and tech earn from SGD 12,000 to SGD 40,000 per month. Progressive income tax, with a ceiling of 24%, is one of the lowest in the developed world.

The healthcare system combines public hospitals, private hospitals, and mandatory individual health savings accounts (Medisave), deducted from salaries. Citizens and permanent residents have subsidized access to public hospitals. Foreigners with an Employment Pass generally receive a private health plan through their employer.

Quality is considered excellent. Hospitals such as Mount Elizabeth, Raffles, and Gleneagles attract patients from Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, the Middle East, and even developed countries for elective treatments. Doctors are trained to British, American, and Australian standards.

The gross cost of services is high. A specialist consultation can cost between 150 and 300 Singapore dollars without coverage. Having a corporate plan or international insurance is therefore a fundamental part of financial planning when moving there.

The climate is tropical humid. Temperatures remain nearly stable throughout the year, around 26 to 32°C. Humidity is high (average above 80%), making it feel even hotter. There are no seasons in the traditional sense; what varies is the frequency and intensity of rainfall.

From November to January, the northwest monsoon brings heavier rains and afternoon storms. From June to September, the southwest monsoon is drier, though rain showers still occur. In any month, carrying an umbrella and having air conditioning at home, in offices, and on buses is standard practice.

Air quality can deteriorate in certain months due to forest fires in Indonesia (haze), typically between August and October. When this phenomenon occurs, it affects air quality across the entire city-state.

The financial sector is central. Singapore concentrates regional offices of global banks such as HSBC, Standard Chartered, Citi, JPMorgan, and DBS. It is one of the largest wealth management (private banking) centers in the world, especially for Asian clients. The local stock exchange is the SGX.

Logistics and international trade play a central role. The Port of Singapore is one of the largest in the world by container volume, and Changi Airport is a global reference. Multinationals like Maersk, DHL, and Schenker have regional hubs in the city.

The country has invested heavily in technology, biotech, semiconductors, and clean energy. Companies like Grab (super app), Sea (Shopee, Garena), and Razer originated there. There is also a strong presence of pharmaceutical manufacturing (Pfizer, GSK, Sanofi), oil refining (Shell, ExxonMobil), and advanced manufacturing.

Singapore has an intensive migration profile, with about 30% of the population made up of foreigners (Permanent Residents and Non-Residents). The largest communities come from Malaysia (a historic presence with a daily cross-border flow), mainland China (rising sharply over recent decades in finance, technology, and family offices), India (IT, finance, engineering), Indonesia and the Philippines (domestic work and hospitality), Bangladesh (construction), Myanmar, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, and France in skilled roles.

Expatriate life is distributed across the entire island. Orchard, River Valley, Tanjong Pagar, and Holland Village concentrate high-income Western expatriates. East Coast (Marine Parade, Katong) attracts international families. Little India and Mustafa Centre are the hub of the Indian and Bangladeshi community. Geylang Serai and Joo Chiat have a Malay and Indonesian presence. Sundays at Lucky Plaza become a gathering point for Filipino workers, and Peninsula Plaza for Burmese residents.

The entry pathway is the qualified work visa: Employment Pass (professionals with a statutory minimum monthly salary, around SGD 5,000), S Pass (technicians), ONE Pass (very high-income executives, SGD 30,000), EntrePass (entrepreneurs). Permanent residency comes after years of continuous stay, with selective criteria. Naturalization takes at least 2 years after obtaining PR. Singapore has a trade treaty with the United States, making citizens eligible for the E-2 visa.