SG finance professional in London slams double standards, says locals are ‘demoted’ when they return, while British expats are pampered with perks

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean finance professional based in London has expressed his frustration online, saying it feels unfair that companies in Singapore tend to “demote” returning locals like him, while British expats receive far better treatment with relocation packages and other benefits.

The man, who has spent the past six years working for a multinational firm in London, shared on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit that he recently attended an interview with a company in Singapore. During the session, the HR representative mentioned that the firm had a policy of demoting employees when they relocated to Singapore.

“They told me they do it for people coming in from the rest of SEA/India, etc., which makes sense since Singapore is a bigger, more robust market relative to these places, and people need time to adjust to the faster pace, amongst other things,” he explained.

“But moving from NYC or London, which are the two biggest financial centres in the world and also have more robust and developed markets? It just seems that this firm, and a bunch of others I’m sure, apply broad brushstrokes with no flexibility for individual candidate profiles,” he continued.

He admitted that HR might have been speaking in general terms before any formal offer was made but said the comment still left a bad impression. To him, it reflected how Singaporean professionals with valuable overseas experience were often dismissed instead of being viewed as assets who could contribute international perspectives and adaptability.

The professional went on to say that it was frustrating because the government often talks about wanting overseas Singaporeans to return, yet companies on the ground seem reluctant to give them a fair chance. 

He also pointed out the double standard in relocation benefits, saying that returning Singaporeans rarely received any form of relocation support, while expats were often given full packages. 

“Relocation packages don’t seem to be the norm for returning Singaporeans but are somehow offered to expats moving to Singapore. Background-wise, I studied in the UK for uni (Oxbridge) and started my career here, so I’m pretty much the same on paper as a British expat in Singapore.”

“For what it’s worth, people like me have deep international experience in a more complex environment than Singapore, and frankly, I think I can do a much better job communicating with both Asian and Western clients/colleagues than some Brit could ever. We know how to play the field in Singapore, and with our networks in the US and Europe,” he said.

Concluding his post, the man wrote, “Ironically, it feels easier to get another job in London AND get a work visa (I’m still on a work visa here) than it is to get the same job as a Singapore citizen in Singapore.”

“They lowball you because if you don’t take it, 100 other people will.”

In the discussion thread, one Singaporean Redditor wrote that he completely agreed with the man’s entire post, saying, “This is 1000% accurate. Firms in Singapore hate Singaporeans who have overseas experience. It is something I can never fathom. Also, piece of advice for you — stay in London and renounce your citizenship.”

Another shared, “I worked for 30 years in London and Europe but not in finance. I came back to Singapore due to family reasons and just couldn’t find similar role here. If I were to look for a job in London or USA, I could easily walk into a similar role.” 

“In Singapore, I don’t even get a reply, so I have decided to retire instead. Don’t even get me started on the bad state of banking apps in Singapore. Pay now is a joke.”

Some Redditors also shared their perspectives on why this seems to be happening. 

One explained that Singapore’s job market is already oversaturated with talent, which is why employers no longer feel the need to compete for skilled professionals or offer attractive packages to people like him.

“More people are willing to work at a lower rank just to get their foot in the door,” the user added. “They lowball you because if you don’t take it, 100 other people will.”

Another chimed in, “My theory is that SG firms don’t really have a shortage of talent. Sure, it’s not easy to hire, but it never is. But in reality, they can find enough talent to fill roles, so they are lazy about hiring and retaining. They don’t feel a need to really compete.”

A third wrote, “You are basically too expensive for these companies. Why hire you when your salary can be split 5 ways to hire 5 pax from a much cheaper source of labour?”

In other news, an employer recently revealed that she had sent her domestic helper back to Indonesia after the latter displayed a series of alarming behaviours, including neglecting her children’s safety, breaching their privacy, displaying poor hygiene, stealing, and performing her duties inadequately.

To warn other employers, she shared her experience in the Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper Facebook group on Monday (Oct 20).

Read more: Employer sends maid back to Indonesia after she endangered her children, stole from household, and shared private photos online