South East Asia
Relocation Guide
Relocation Process COREcruitment has a great presence in South East Asia with many of our clients being some of the biggest names in the area. COREcruitment has been working with these clients for many years now and all candidates we’ve sent over have been extremely happy with our process. COREcruitment prides itself in keeping in touch with all our candidates throughout the process as well as after their appointment.
GENERAL FACTS Singapore
Hong Kong
China
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Population of over 5 million
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Population of over 8 million
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Population of about 1.35 billion
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The main language spoken is
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The three main languages spoken
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The main language is Chinese
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English however, Malay, Chinese
are; Cantonese, English and
Mandarin however, this has many
Mandarin and Tamil is also spoken.
Chinese Mandarin
different dialects
Major religions are Buddhism and Christianity
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Religions presents are mostly secular, but Buddhism and Taoism
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Religions practiced are usually Buddhism and Taoism
have significantly present
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Working Lifestyle The economy China
Singapore Singapore’s economy is known as one of the least corrupt, with low tax rates and has a really high per-capita GDP. The taxation system in Singapore is generally consistent with tax systems in other developed nations. There are taxes on income (individual and corporate), on dividends, on goods and services, and on property. Unlike many western nations, there is no tax on capital gains, a policy meant to encourage investment by citizens and foreigners alike. The personal income of residents in Singapore is subject to income tax calculated on a sliding scale ranging from 2 percent on the first SGD$5,000 to 28 percent on income greater than SGD$400,000.
China has had a personal income tax system since 1980, although the incomes of many Chinese continue to fall below the taxable amount. There are uniform rates for Chinese nationals and for foreigners, but expatriates who live in China for less than a year are only required to pay tax on the income they earn within the country, any income from elsewhere is tax free. Expatriates who are resident in China for more than a year, but no more than five years, have to pay tax on any income that is generated in, or remitted to China, while expatriates who live in China for more than five years have to pay tax on all their income, whether generated in China or elsewhere.
Hong Kong
Different tax rates are levied on various categories of personal income, including wages, salaries, returns on investment, business profits and proceeds from
Hong Kong is known as a leading financial hub and their economy is always stable and like Singapore, Hong Kong has a high per- capita GDP with low tax. Income tax is as low as 2 percent on the first HKD 40,000, moving up to 7 percent on the next HKD 40,000.
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property disposal. Progressive tax rates on income start from 5% for monthly income not exceeding RMB500, to 45% for income exceeding RMB100,000 per month. Current Exchange Rates as of June 2014: 1 GBP = 2.10 SGD 1 EUR = 1.70 SGD 1 USD = 1.25 SGD 1 GBP = 13.03 HKD 1 EUR = 10.56 HKD 1 USD = 7.75 HKD 1 GBP = 10.46 CNY 1 EUR = 8.43 CNY 1 USD = 6.23 CNY
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HEALTHCARE Singapore
Hong Kong
China
Reflecting the country’s commitment to leadership in technology and providing quality of life for its citizens and visitors, Singapore is today the preeminent provider of medical treatment and healthcare services in the region. The country boasts over 2,000 healthcare establishments, 28 hospitals and specialty centres– of which 7 are government-run hospitals, 5 are national specialist centres, 18 are polyclinics (outpatient services) and 3 are specialty institutes. There are more than 80 healthcare companies operating in Singapore.
The healthcare in Hong Kong has been known as ‘world class’ ever since 1990 when the Hong Kong Hospital Authority took of administration of all public hospitals. The public and private hospitals are kitted out with all the latest technology and highly trained doctors. Majority of doctors speak English and were trained in Western Universities.
Health care is widely available in China with clinics being found in every village, factory and school, but in many areas the facilities are very basic and not generally used by expatriates. Rural clinics may even refuse to accept responsibility for treating foreigners. China no longer offers free medical care for all urban residents, as people are now being encouraged to buy health insurance.
Residents and visitors are free to select from among government or private providers and they are permitted to walk in for a consultation at any private clinic or government polyclinic. For emergencies, there are ambulance services and 24-hour emergency departments located in the government hospitals.
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For most expats, health care in covered in your contract- however, this will depend on your employer. For those who don’t get their health care covered, health care is reasonably priced. Most expats ten to go for private health care, this is only because it’s not much more expensive and the waiting times are less.
Most expatriates have private health insurance which includes evacuation to specialized hospitals in Hong Kong if needed. It should be noted that many Chinese hospitals do not accept medical insurance from overseas, and some health insurance issued by Chinese companies may not cover foreign nationals for serious long-term illness. Many companies employing large numbers of expatriates have their own medical facilities for employees and their dependents. There are also a number of foreign healthcare providers operating medical and dental clinics and evacuation services, catering primarily for expatriates and visitors.
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THE CULTURE Singapore The cultural shock in Singapore is failry minimal compared to other Asian countries. Singapore is a beautiful, clean country and the official language is English. Singapore’s efficient infrastructure and general way of life means the expat transition is relatively easy.
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Hong Kong Moving to any new country is daunting and somewhere like Hong Kong with a population of over 7 million people can seem even scarier! However, Hong Kong used to be a colony of Britain and as a result; the locals’ English standards are really high.
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China Being one of the largest countries in the world, most expats don’t know what to expect when moving to China and the language barrier can be the biggest obstacle. The official language in China is Chinese Mandarin however this has quite a few dialects. The older generation cannot speak English and although, English is taught in school, the education system doesn’t give them many opportunities to use it. Therefore, most will understand some phrases but can be shy when it comes to conversational speaking.
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ACCOMMODATION Singapore Foreigners wishing to rent property in Singapore have two main options, public or private housing. By far the most economical option is that of public housing.
Public Housing To facilitate affordable, quality housing ownership by its residents, an agency of the Singapore government, the Housing and Development Board (HDB), built government-subsidized flats in clusters in many housing estates found throughout the island. Each neighbourhood in Singapore can be made up of several HDB housing estates. Each neighbourhood is designed to be a self-contained neighborhood, with amenities such as supermarkets and wet markets, food centres, clinics, schools, libraries, banks, post offices and so on. For an introduction to the neighbourhoods in Singapore, refer to the section on Accommodation and Property in the Expat Focus City Guide on Singapore.
Private Housing For those who prefer private housing, there is a selection of apartments, condominium units and houses available. Private apartments and condominiums in Singapore are usually within gated compounds, and come with some premium facilities, such as swimming pools and private car parks. Most private condominiums employ private security guards. Newer condominiums come with beautifully landscaped gardens, outdoor barbecue facilities, gymnasiums and fitness centres, saunas, mini-golf, tennis courts and the like. These facilities usually mean that the conservancy fees can be high (usually in the range of SGD$200 or more per month), depending on the range of premium facilities available. It is useful to keep this in mind and clarify with your landlord as to whether conservancy fees are part of the rent.
Hong Kong Renting in Hong Kong can be expensive and this is payable monthly with leases valid for 12-24 months. Once again, depending on your employer accommodation may be covered within your salary. If this is not the case, most companies would help with initial set up and offer you accommodation on a short term basis.
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Most accommodation in Hong Kong is within an apartment block and the rooms may seem fairly small compared to what you may be used to. However, this is standard for Hong Kong and it is rare to find a larger room.
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China The vast majority of expatriates working in China rent their housing, as they are usually living in China for a relatively short time. In many cases, housing will be provided as part of the employment contract. Within the cities, there are particular residential areas which are popular with expats. It is very expensive to rent good quality accommodation in China’s cities. Houses and apartments tend to be cramped by western standards, and although they often come furnished, the furnishings and equipment provided are likely to be quite basic. The private rental market is very new in China, and it has been reported that many landlords have only a rudimentary understanding of the concept of service and of market value. However, the real estate market in China’s main cities has seen rapid growth over the past few years and there is increasingly more choice of rental properties, while landlords are now being forced to maintain and renovate their properties in order to attract tenants. Housing availability is still quite limited, however, and good properties are quickly snapped up.
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LIFESTYLE Singapore
Hong Kong
Most say it is quite easy to live a luxurious lifestyle in Singapore and all expats rave about the shopping. You will find all the designer brands in Singapore as well as the indoor street markets that offer a great variety of affordable clothing and accessories. However, it should be noted that some western stores will mark up their prices and most items can be found cheaper in the UK or USA.
Hong Kong is known as quite fast paced and this is the same for the lifestyle. For a night out in Hong Kong there is no shortage of trendy bars and clubs. The central district boasts more than 100 bars in the area and they are filled every night of the week.
The nightlife in Singapore isn’t short of impressive. Singapore has many areas packed with bars including roof top bars which are extremely popular.
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Shopping is great in Hong Kong as everything is tax-free (excluding alcohol and tobacco). The shopping environment is very competitive which is extremely beneficial for shoppers who are guaranteed a great price on all items.
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