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Good move to reduce FT flooding in and straining our infrastucture. But now we know the reason behind the surge in FTs for the past couple of years. $2800/mth can bring in parents, in-laws, spouse and children? [sINGAPORE] First, higher levies and stricter work pass conditions made it harder for foreigners to work here. Now, foreigners will also find it tougher to keep their families here, under a new rule announced on the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) website on Monday. For Singaporeans, this move might mean fewer foreigners competing for limited space in local schools, hospitals and trains. But the city-state might also be less attractive to some lower-earning skilled foreigners who will now have to work here without their spouses or children. From Sept 1, MOM said in a posting on its website, S Pass and Employment Pass (EP) holders need to earn at least $4,000 monthly before they can sponsor a Dependant's Pass for their spouses and children. The salary requirement is up from $2,800 previously. The Dependant's Pass is a privilege that allows foreigners to stay here for longer periods of time, and is tied to the duration of the sponsor's work pass. Dependants can also apply for Letters of Consent to work here, without having to apply for a work pass. For all EP holders, their parents-in-law are no longer allowed to stay here. Those earning more under the EP framework will face progressively fewer restrictions. P2 Pass holders, who earn at least $4,500, can bring their spouses and children, but will no longer be able to bring their parents or parents-in-law. P1 Pass holders, who earn at least $8,000, can still bring their parents in addition to their spouses and children - just not their parents-in-law. Meanwhile, P1 and P2 Pass holders can also still apply for long-term visit passes for other categories like common-law spouses, their children, and handicapped children and stepchildren aged above 21. Explaining the changes, MOM said: "The government is making this move as part of the overall direction to moderate growth of the non-resident population, including the foreign workforce inflow, in Singapore. "This will help ease the pressure on our social infrastructure," it said. MOM advised companies not to make a "knee- jerk reaction" to the tightening of dependant privileges, as MOM will continue to approve Dependant's Pass applications before Sept 1. Current dependants can also stay in Singapore as long as the main pass holder has a valid work pass and remains with the same employer. MOM's move is the latest in a series of moves by various ministries to sharpen the privileges of being Singaporean and restrict the influx of foreigners which has strained the city's infrastructure and caused locals considerable angst in the last few years. For example, qualifying salaries for EP holders were raised to $3,000 in January along with stricter educational requirements. Higher foreign worker levies and tighter foreign worker quotas kicked in earlier this month. MOM, however, stressed that Singapore "remains a global talent capital" and continues to welcome highly skilled foreign talent who want families to stay with them. Observers say that the latest change affects young graduates looking to work here who earn wages in the $2,800-$4,000 range. Teo Siong Seng, president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: "I don't understand the rationale. Do support and give priority to Singaporeans, but we must also open up to talented people. Those who are younger and just started work, just married, might be discouraged from coming to work here as it is harder to part from their spouses." Similarly, Annie Yap, managing director of recruiter AYP Associates, said that "quite a lot of foreigners earn in the $2,800- $4,000 range", so the move will deter some from continuing to work here. Others are divided on whether the move will have an impact on Singapore's attractiveness to talent. Singapore National Employers Federation executive director Koh Juan Kiat pointed out that other countries have similar restrictions for dependants. Lim Der Shing, chief executive of online recruitment portal JobsCentral, said that Singapore is such an expensive place to live in anyway that it is likely that only those earning $4,000 and above are bringing dependants in. "For my company, people on S Passes and EPs don't bring their dependants over unless both husband and wife are working," he added. Chan Chong Beng, president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, said the move is a good one. "Our infrastructure today is quite jammed and will need some time to be ready for more people. This will ease the pressure," he said. Ultimately, the move might be good in the short term but may have an unintended consequence in low-fertility Singapore, which is trying hard to solve its demographic problems, said sociologist Paulin Straughan, an associate professor at NUS. She said that the new rule will encourage a "guest-worker" mentality among foreign workers earning less than $4,000 a month. They will more likely be single and willing to work longer hours for lower wages, Prof Straughan said. "We're no longer going to be attractive to married individuals who can fill in the kind of jobs people in that salary range usually take - essentially service sector jobs. "This changes the nature of work. You will have foreigners come in who are single, and their only intention is to make as much money as they can and go home - as, obviously, they are not welcome here," Prof Straughan added. "That's a pity. Because when the entire family is here, the way the guest worker leads his or her family life will be very different. "They will be more like regular Singaporeans, keeping regular hours to have a good work-life balance."

Ideally speaking, If elsewhere is cheaper, bigger, safer, everything better, on and on.. The opportunity to move overseas will be smooth as butter, job available etc. All you need to do is say yes or no, How many would move in a heartbeat? How many would still stay behind?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-21...e-low-2015.html http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/premium/ec...s-low-till-2015

http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/artic...umentid=5938017 Teo Chee Hean nothing much to say...

WHILE the media often reports on price rises in essential items and foodstuffs such as rice, wheat and coffee, subsequent falls in the prices of such items are reported less diligently, affecting the country's fight against inflation. For instance, in 2010, the media rushed to report on the doubling of onion and garlic prices owing to bad weather in China and India. Housewives hoarded onions and garlic and restaurants raised their dining prices. And around this time, coffee shops increased the prices for coffee and tea citing a hike in commodity prices. Today, garlic and onion prices have crashed to prices below those publicised in 2010 because of good weather, and the increased planting brought about by the earlier jump in prices. Prices for tea and robusta coffee, the kind normally used in our daily heartland cuppa, have fallen by up to 15 per cent. However, the media has been silent on such drops in prices, and restaurants and coffee shops have not reduced their menu prices despite the lower costs. It may interest readers to know that cocoa prices had fallen by 50 per cent between March and December last year. Yet, I doubt if we shall ever see Cadbury's 250g chocolate bar again, although the cocoa price spike was given as a reason for reducing the per bar weight from 250g to 200g, while the price per bar stayed the same. Rising raw material prices are often cited as the reason for increasing the prices of end-use products. This contributes to a higher rate of inflation in Singapore. Failing to publicise falling commodity prices is detrimental to consumers' welfare, as they are not kept informed of actual market conditions and prices, and suffer higher household expenses even when the reasons for the price increases have diminished or disappeared. Reporting on commodity price trends is difficult and speculative. But one-sided reporting of just price increases - without alerting the public when prices drop - will feed into increased expectations of businesses and the acceptance of higher food costs by consumers, to their own detriment, and fuel inflation. Lim Wei Jan http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/...ory_762838.html

Did this before, but thought we'd revisit it again, to focus our KPIs and going forward to the new year For me, started out learning stuff abt cars and made some great friends here. As time progressed, it turned out to be a cyber playground to share, chit chat as well as to share ideas! Made more friends and the old ones still remain! With a near life incident during my spate here, I have realised that life is indeed short and that one should treasure his/her time wisely Well, for the good and the bad here, MCF is here to stay, and looking forward to MORE GOOD YEARS IN MCF! (sorry, jus had to put that in)

Yahoo news report : Chinese firm rules out Scorpios, Virgos: report A Chinese firm has decided Scorpios and Virgos are too moody and critical, telling job seekers with those star signs they need not apply. Capricorns, Pisces and Libras, on the other hand, are welcome. The unusual requirements are part of a job ad posted at a university in the central city of Wuhuan by an English language training company, and have generated a storm of online controversy since they were uncovered this week. "We don't want Scorpios or Virgos, and Capricorns, Pisces and Libras will be prioritised," the job spec reads, according to the Chutian Metropolis Daily, a local newspaper in Wuhan. The report quoted a woman in charge at the unnamed firm as saying she had done research and found Scorpios had strong personalities and were moody, while Virgos were hugely critical and did not stay in one job for long. "I hired people with those two star signs before, and they either liked quarrelling with colleagues or they could not do the job for long," the woman, surnamed Xia, said. The report did not mention why the other three star signs were better for the positions advertised -- teachers and clerks -- but quoted another example of similar discrimination in the same city. A student called Qi Qin, whose star sign is Cancer, applied for a job with a wedding company two months ago, but was sacked because "Aquarius and Scorpios are more suited to the job," the report said. "Qi Qin pointed out that her star sign was not something she could decide," it added. The story has gone viral on the Internet, with commentators ridiculing what they say is blatant employment discrimination. "So now they look at your star sign when you apply for a job. I'm a Scorpio, so I'm doomed to go beg on the streets with a bag," one person said on Sina's popular Twitter-like weibo service. WTF .... like that also can ....

Say I buy live prawns from NTUC or Sheng Siong. How long can they stay alive in the water bag? How can I tell if they are fresh-water or sea-water prawns? For fresh-water prawns, is it an offence to release them into a lake or reservoir? (Lakes are those found in parks.) For sea-water prawns, I read they can't adapt to the local seawater (if put in directly) and will die. Is that right?

anyone staying there need info like management fees, residents demographic and anyone staying at block 9 . thank you for info, please pm me

wanna see where most sg pple stay in SG. pls state the area u are staying? thanks I stay in Tebrau City/Mount Austin

Maybe age is catching up, i am falling asleep after lunch between 2 to 4pm. Any idea how to keep myself awake? 1. surfing mcf doesn't help much, worst on a slow (mcf) day 2. going to kopi break, munching junk food, can only get you fat... 3. no choi bu in my office, so that is out! 4. i have an iphone but dun like iphone games... 5. no listening to music or youtube

im moving to bukit indah in august.. wonder any bro and sis can share exp?

Today a bit frustrated. After pumped full tank at SPC Siglap, expected to be given additional $4 discount for the $90 petrol like last week, but was not given. Then found out that the discount only valid in SPC Bedok beside Bedok Stadium! Wasted $4. So if you pump SPC and stay in Bedok area, do pump at SPC Bedok to enjoy the $2 discount for every $40 petrol. Valid till end of April only.

Bought 4 vouchers at www.atcrazy.com, used 1 (last Sat/Sun) and left 3 for sales at only S$128 ! (my cost S$174) http://www.hotelsericosta.com/home.htm ITEM QTY TOTAL Self-drive into Malacca! ENJOY 45% off on 2D1N Hotel Seri Costa Malacca, at S$ 58 (USD 45) nett per room per night inclusive Breakfast for 2 Persons instead of up to S$ 104 (USD 80) applicable for Weekends stay! 4 SGD 232.00 Conditions:- 1. Redemption by 30/6/2011 (I will have to redempt for you) 2. Used by 31/10/2011 3. Applicable for both weekday & weekend 4. 2 Simple Breakfast included SPECIAL NOTES: This is only a 2-3 'Star' hotel with basic facilities and a Spa Cleanliness of the place to me is 2.5/5 5-8 Mins walk to Jonker Place, Makota Parade, Perlawan Mall, etc. Parking is Free only for the period you stay. If interested SMS to Lee at 96192273

if you hit the lottery. Do you have one? Atlantis The Palm, Dubai

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1115542/1/.html just a thought if man are getting paid for serving NS, can mother be paid the same amount of allowance example 1 year for each child up to 2 children (since the target is 2.1)? what will be the pros and cons? dun bomb me as i already did my part

[laugh] how about our 70km/h in KPE? [sleeping] Alonso blasts Spanish speed limit reduction Double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso has hit out at a move by the Spanish government to cut the speed limit on motorways in the country, arguing that there are better ways to save fuel consumption and the environment and claiming that

Hope your salary increase is at least keeping pace with inflation. http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNew...208-262367.html

Adorable and calm 5 yr old gal.... Stay Calm

Hi all, I have a friend, who likes to eat a very hearty breakfast but usually skip lunch. He told me eating lunch makes him feel sleepy. Quite true in a way, usually feel sleepy after lunch. How do you guys stay awake after lunch? Regards,

I been told for countless times that I am a bad son.....because I don't fetch my mum to stay with me (she's alone after my eldest sis passed away and my dad is working overseas). My wife can't get along with my mum. I been told I am a bad husband for suggesting to fetch my mum to stay with me. I been told I am a bad husband and bad son for deciding that since I can't please everyone, I am just going to choose the option that is best for my kid...and hopefully they do turn out to be the best for my kid. Hehe my white hairs getting a lot nowadays...(I like it though)... Anyone here choose not to allow parents to stay with him cos wifey couldnt get along with your parents?

Singapore a top migration choice for young and educated: poll By Faris

Anyone can help? My new 3 room flat is coming to complete and I will be getting my key soon. I heard govt. say got more subsidy on PUB bill, and other bills for those staying in 3 room flat. Is it still on or is it true ? please give comment