Singapore has long attracted numerous Malaysians for work — 900,000 were reportedly working here in 2022. Perhaps due to this, Johor Bahru (JB) hosted its first-ever Singapore Job Fair.
Held on Sunday (26 Nov), over 2,000 job seekers showed up at the venue to look for potential employment.
The job fair included eight different categories of work, including catering and office work.
Most of the job seekers saw the attractiveness of Singapore’s higher salaries as a main draw.
China Press reported on the ‘Singapore Job Fair 2023’, which took place on Sunday (26 Nov) at a hotel in JB from 8am to 9pm.
At least 2,000 people showed up by the morning, forming long queues that snaked across the lobby.
Source: China Press
At the fair, jobseekers could explore eight categories of work, ranging from catering and warehouse work to office jobs and employment in the beauty industry.
Many of the applicants highlighted the attractive salaries Singapore provided as a big draw.
Source: China Press
“My current salary is RM4,500 (around S$1,290),” one of the interviewed seekers said. “I’m looking for a start of S$3,000.”
A 22-year-old woman hoped to get a Singapore job while she was still young. She emphasised the rising costs in Malaysia and the 3.5 to 1 exchange rate between the two nations’ currencies.
According to China Press, salaries for service staff and truck drivers start from S$2,000. Others such as bartenders could have attractive starting pay of S$2,500 a month.
Despite the common perception, money isn’t the only reason why Malaysians are willing to cross the Causeway for work.
Source: China Press
A 39-year-old warehouse worker said his current salary was RM5,000 (S$1,433). He had worked at the small company for 12 years and sought to expand his horizons.
“Although there are many other jobseekers here, I’m confident in my working experience,” he said.
Of course, he noted that he sought at least S$3,000 in pay, which would be far higher than his current income.
Source: China Press
Meanwhile, a 21-year-old barista reportedly showed up to look at the vacancies in the Singapore job market but decided to get more experience locally before crossing borders.
In spite of the competition, he felt assured in his chances as the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry in Singapore holds many openings.
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Featured image adapted from China Press and China Press.
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