Tourist who fell in love with Singapore says he wants to work here — but locals respond: ‘Our grads can’t even find jobs’

SINGAPORE: A foreigner who recently expressed his wish to settle down in Singapore after being captivated by the country received a decidedly unwelcoming response from local netizens.

Posting on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Saturday (Sept 13), the tourist shared that it was his first time visiting Singapore, and he was struck by how much he liked the place.

“I’m a tourist from a corrupt country, and it’s my first time going here in Singapore,” he wrote. “Now the thing is, I fell in love [with] the place. I wanna have a job here and be a [migrant worker].”

The man, a fresh IT graduate, then asked how he could secure employment, writing: “Can you guys help me make that possible, and does Singapore offer jobs for a foreigner like me? I really want to stay here and have a job. Thank you.”

“Our grads can’t find jobs. You’ll just be making the situation worse.”

His post, however, was quickly met with firm and frustrated replies from Singaporeans who pointed out the harsh realities of the local job market.

“You’re a fresh grad with no experience. And you’re a foreigner who needs a work visa. You’re not gonna find a job in Singapore. End of story. Even our local graduates here in Singapore are finding it hard to find a job in IT,” one user wrote.

Another highlighted the struggles locals themselves face: “As a local, I am doing food delivery at all times since I graduated with a local degree. Please feel free to apply for whatever jobs are available here.”

A third user commented, “No thanks. Our grads can’t find jobs… you’ll just be making the situation worse.” 

A fourth added, “Fresh? Non-local? Hard now. Read the news.”

In other news, a domestic helper took to social media on Thursday (Sept 11) to reveal that she has been sleeping on a mouldy mattress.

Sharing her experience on the Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper Facebook group, the helper uploaded two photos of her mattress.

In the images, black mould spots could be seen clustered around the centre, while the fabric showed signs of light staining and discolouration from the dampness on the floor.

Though not completely ruined, the condition of the mattress suggested it had been left in an unhealthy state for some time.

Read more: Maid reveals she has been sleeping on a ‘mouldy mattress’ in a ‘very humid room’