Singapore witnesses growing interest from Indian nurses

The development came as Singapore looks to add about 4,000 new nurses to the workforce by year-end

Singapore: Singapore is seeing a growing interest from nurses in India to work in the city-state as it grapples to combat the issue of manpower crisis in the nursing industry, according to a media report on Tuesday.

The development came as Singapore looks to add about 4,000 new nurses to the workforce by year-end, with two-thirds of them from overseas, the Channel News Asia reported.

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At least one recruitment agency, Dynamic Health Staff, has seen four times more foreign candidates, mostly from India, who are keen to work here in July compared to January, the report said.

Better pay packages, perks and a good healthcare system are among the reasons why Singapore is witnessing more Indian nurses interested in moving there. This interest is also matched by rising demand from Singapore.

“I would love to set up there with my family in the future because Singapore also gives a much better salary in comparison to India,” said Sana Shahid, a Delhi-based registered nurse who is hopeful of landing a job in Singapore.

Her fellow nurses seeking opportunities in Singapore said that the country’s appeal includes its reputation for being safe. They also said that the advanced medical technology and better quality of life are attractive, the report said.

Nurses who choose to relocate to Singapore will receive a housing allowance of up to SGD 500 (Rs 30,805 approx) a month, gratuity, and joining bonuses from the institutions they join, Dynamic Health Staff director Arun Kumar Ojha said.

There is also “a lot of demand” from the private and public sectors in Singapore, said Ojha, adding that the Ministry of Health Holdings in particular admitted a large number of foreign candidates to the pre-registration process. The process means that nurses are exempted from the Singapore Nursing Board exam.

There is demand from healthcare institutions like National Kidney Foundation and nursing homes, Ojha said.

However, even as Singapore ramps up foreign recruitment of nurses, the “large majority” of its nursing workforce will continue to comprise locals from nursing school intakes and mid-career training programmes, Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung had said.