Singapore Immigration focus on Life in Singapore: Foreign media reports that while Singapore may hold the title of the "world's most expensive city," it remains the most preferred place for expatriates to live and work, according to the annual expat survey released by HSBC.
According to a report on the BBC website on September 23, expatriates praise the city-state for its attractive salaries, career development opportunities, and quality of life. Although the cost of daily life in Singapore can be daunting (transportation costs are three times those of New York), more than a quarter of expats living in Singapore who were surveyed in the "2015 Expat Explorer Survey" stated that their annual income exceeds $200,000 (while only 13% of expats globally reach this salary level).
The report states that HSBC's survey found that salary increases or career advancement opportunities are often a major motivation for moving abroad, although an increasing number of expats are moving to a new country for personal reasons rather than financial ones. Three-fifths of respondents said their income did not increase immediately, but more than half (53%) said their quality of life improved after moving abroad.
The report notes that the destinations where expats are most likely to move to improve their sense of well-being are New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal, while Sweden is the most attractive for expats with families due to the abundance of childcare options and the relative ease of school arrangements.
A total of 21,950 people from 39 countries were surveyed by HSBC. HSBC asked them to evaluate various aspects such as career development, financial status, and quality of life. In the ranking of ideal destinations for expats, in addition to Singapore, New Zealand, Sweden, Bahrain, and Germany were also in the top five, while Egypt, Italy, and Brazil ranked at the bottom.
Experts say that beyond income and quality of life, other factors influence the expat experience, such as the attitude of locals toward foreigners and the ease of integrating into the local society.
The report states that, in fact, although Singapore ranks first in the list of ideal destinations, only 54% of expats there said they felt happy immersing themselves in the local culture.