Nurses from India prefer working in Singapore because the pay is better, English is the lingua franca and the healthcare system is advanced.
The environment is safe, weather is good and the country offers a better quality of life, said nurses who spoke to tabla!
“Foreign nurses receive a housing allowance of up to $500 a month, gratuity and joining bonuses,” said a nurse from India who works at a local hospital and did not want to be named.
“We also get a bonus every six months and are eligible for scholarships for higher studies. Many nurses from India stay on, marry and become PRs. But some also see Singapore as a learning and experience base and later seek better opportunities in Europe, the US, Australia, Japan and other countries.”
For nurses from the small towns and rural areas in India, getting work in Singapore is a “godsend”.
In India, they typically earn about Rs20,000 ($325) a month even if they work at a big city hospital. In Singapore, they can expect to earn anywhere from $1,800 to $2,500 a month to begin with.
Newspapers in India recently reported that thousands of nurses across the country are keen to come to Singapore and have sought recruiters’ help to get jobs here.
The demand for more nurses in Singapore is due to a high rate of attrition in recent years amid a growing global demand for such professionals.
“Naturally, with Singapore looking to add about 4,000 new nurses to the workforce by the year-end, many Indian nurses from the smaller cities and particularly the north-east are looking to come here,” said an Indian nurse who has been working here for 12 years.
“Many of them face financial difficulties and can boost their household incomes by working here.”
According to the Singapore Nursing Board (SNB), nurses from India constituted 1.3 per cent of the total workforce here in 2022. The majority were from the Philippines (13 per cent), followed by Malaysia (5.7 per cent), Myanmar (2.4 per cent) and China (1.27).
Many nurses from India, like other foreigners, found the working conditions difficult during Covid-19 and returned home once borders reopened as the pandemic waned.
To make up for the shortfall after Covid-19, 5,600 nurses were hired in the public healthcare system in 2023, according to the Ministry of Health.
According to recent reports, Singapore is looking to add about 4,000 new nurses to the workforce by year-end, with two-thirds of them from overseas.
Nurses from India, even with experience, have to pass the SNB licence exam. They then have to secure a job in Singapore, get the board’s registration and apply for a work permit.
Indian media reported that Japan and Australia are also wooing Indian nurses because they are considered among the best in the world.
Kerala has long been a global source for nurses. But these days, most nurses from the state prefer to go to the US, Europe or Australia. So, it is from the north-eastern states and places like Delhi that nurses are looking to work in Singapore.
“Nurses from India know the basics but they also have to adapt to the Singapore culture, especially Singlish,” said a nurse from India who works at a private clinic at Mount Elizabeth. “In India, family members of the patient also help out at the hospital. But here they have to do everything on their own.
“It can be tiring because the hours are long and we have to stand most of the time. The break is also short during an eight- or 11-hour shift. There is often a lack of manpower and the conditions can get tough.”
Screaming patients and short-tempered relatives are other concerns, while job promotions aren’t as frequent and fast as they are in other professions.
“It is sometimes difficult to deal with (difficult patients and their relatives) as they want everything in a hurry, but that’s not always possible,” said an Indian nurse who works at a local hospital.
“Initially, some nurses get overwhelmed and stressed, but once they get the hang of it, they settle down and it becomes routine for them. Some cannot take it and want to leave, but they can’t because their contract is usually for two or five years.
“It is very tiring physically and mentally, but for many, nursing isn’t just a profession but a passion. We get used to handling the difficulties over time.”
