Foreign Talent

From what I can see, the general consensus about having foreign talent in Singapore is negative. Well, I really can’t help but go out on a limb here and honestly state that I think that foreign talent should definitely be welcomed here.

Let’s face it – Singapore is a small country with little to no natural resources. Left alone, we just wouldn’t have a work force of sufficient size or quality. In addition, we still have to gear up to take on an increasingly ageing population in the near future. Even ignoring these general statements, I can honestly think of many other reasons supporting the existence of foreign talent in Singapore. Here are a few:

Firstly, let’s consider all those blue-collar jobs that have to be completed. If we’re really honest, there just isn’t that many Singaporeans who would be willing to take on any form of work considered to be “degrading”. For example, just consider work like construction or cleaning. How many Singaporeans do you see actually taking on such manual labor jobs? The salary alone wouldn’t be satisfying enough for us, and the thought of anything even threatening to hurt our pride has us running for the hills. So what more can we ask for than somebody else who might not only be willing to do the dirty work but would be actually happy to?

Secondly, let’s look at our white-collared jobs, where most of the discrimination has taken root. Lots of locals have been complaining about these foreign talents swooping in and “snatching” their jobs. Or maybe these locals are simply anticipating or believing that that will happen in the future. Well, I believe that maybe it would be more practical to take a different look at things. How about reflecting first upon one’s self before taking into account any other external factor? Could it be worth considering that maybe these foreigners coming in are only a catalyst for the inevitable? Look at what value one actually contributes to his or her job, and then think about why one is able to be replaced so easily. Could it really be said that you are performing at your highest productivity level?

That really links me to another point – have you ever thought about how competition has so positively contributed to productivity? Quite frankly, I believe that without this new form of competition, we’d simply become complacent. We wouldn’t work as long and as hard, and who else but the economy would eventually have to pay for it? I mean, look at headlines now. Singapore is considered to be one of the best countries in the world – whether you’re talking health or general affluence. How did we get here? Simply by working the hardest we could. And by embracing the change that came to us – albeit not exactly with open arms. Which might be considered ironic, seeing as we are reportedly known for living in “multi-racial harmony”.

Besides this increased competition, foreign talent injects just that - “talent”. It’s inevitable that there will be some bad eggs with the lot, but just think about what the others has contributed to this economy. Of course, I’m not saying that we locals haven’t contributed enough. Sometimes we just need new ideas and people with different experiences to pitch in. However, I’m not saying there aren’t any downsides to this. Competition is always good, and it’s granted that there will always be an unfortunate case or one that’s just downright miserable. However, looking at the bigger scheme of things, these things are necessary. And they are going to happen, the question is whether or not you can be capable of weathering it.

A few locals might argue that maybe we don’t need change – we can just stay as a tiny country that nobody knows about. We locals can just live happily ever after in our little bubble of ignorance. Really, is this truly something plausible, or even remotely desirable? Foreigners coming in isn’t “ruining” Singapore or our “local flavor”, as some have put it. They are merely helping us to perform beyond what we’d usually be incapable of alone.

Quite honestly, I believe that change is coming whether we like it or not. If one is unable to get over his or her archaic traditions, then it would be hard to come up with a good conclusion where everything will work out just dandy. However, instead of complaining and wishing that all these changes melt away, maybe it would be best to simply take action and be in control of this movement. The choice is entirely up to us.

Like it or not, I believe that foreign talent is here to stay. And, quite frankly, we need them now more than ever. Everybody deserves a place here if they put in enough effort to deserve it. And, well, I hope that if you aren’t able to accept what I have to say, then you can at least agree to disagree peacefully. I am aware that there may be many different views on this matter, and I only want to get my own out there J.

I hope that I haven’t offended anyone. This is simply my own personal opinion on the subject.

Thank you so much for reading and please comment to let me know your own thoughts!

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