S’pore Job Fair in JB Saw 2,500 M’sians Applying for 300 Job Openings in S’pore

Singapore Job Fair in Johor Attracts Thousands of Malaysian Job Seekers

With the sustained strengthening of 1 SGD to 3.4 MYR, Singaporeans are flocking to Johor Bahru (JB).

But with the same appreciation of SGD, Malaysians are also flocking in the other direction – to Singapore, for jobs. This is especially so when travelling to and fro JB and Singapore is no longer a difficult task.

On 26 Nov, the inaugural Singapore Job Fair took place at the Holiday Villa Johor Bahru City Centre from 8 am to 9 pm.

This event marked a unique opportunity for Malaysians to explore job prospects across the border, as 200 Singapore-based employers offered 300 job openings to aspiring candidates.

What stood out was the diverse mix of attendees, representing all three major ethnic groups in Malaysia – Malays, Chinese, and Indians.

They were united by a common goal: seeking better job opportunities or boosting their livelihood by working in Singapore.

Remarkably, the attendees didn’t just hail from Johor Bahru; they came from all corners of Malaysia, including places as far as Penang and Perak.

But of course, the allure of the strong SGD against the Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) was undeniable.

Within just a few hours, a staggering 2,500 individuals had eagerly filled out job applications, all vying for a shot at securing their dream job, according to Malaysian news outlet Oriental Daily.

Job Openings From Different Industry Sectors

The Singapore Job Fair offered a wide range of job openings across eight different industry sectors.

The catering industry featured prominently, encompassing positions in Chinese restaurants, breakfast shops, cafes, bars, vegetarian restaurants, Japanese and Korean restaurants.

Job roles included chefs, kitchen helpers, butchers, pastry chefs, bakers, milk tea brewers, cafe supervisors, and waiters, among others.

Additionally, opportunities extended to office work, warehouse positions, factory jobs, sales assistant roles, beauty and nail services, technician positions, hotel employment, and various clerical roles.

The reported starting monthly wage for service sector positions began at $2,000 (approximately 7,000 MYR). While the highest monthly wages for more specialised roles weren’t disclosed, they were certainly attractive.

Even for blue-collar roles like factory workers, the minimum wage started at $800-$900, and with overtime, it could soar to $1,800 (about 6,300 MYR), effectively doubling the minimum wage.

Front desk clerks, lorry drivers, bartenders, and latte art artists had their own respective minimum wage standards, demonstrating the range of opportunities available.

Chua Jian Boon, Deputy Chief of the Kulai Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) service bureau, highlighted the significance of the job fair as a testament to MCA’s commitment to promoting fair opportunities and employment platforms.

He emphasised that the state government’s role was to empower individuals to freely choose their careers, a vision MCA remained dedicated to advancing, just as evident in the job fair’s success.

The positive impact of such initiatives was underscored by statistics indicating a 2.4% decrease in unemployment in Johor Bahru, as reported by the Department of Statistics.

Out of a population of 4.1 million, 1.88 million were gainfully employed in the second half of the year, reflecting an increase of 30,000 employed individuals compared to the previous year’s figures.

In recognition of this achievement, Chua Jian Boon extended his congratulations to the Lucas Chua and his partners from MCA Youth League for orchestrating a job fair that yielded unprecedented results on Facebook.

This event not only offered hope and opportunities but also demonstrated the power of collaboration and dedication in shaping a brighter future for job seekers in the region.

In the meantime, you can watch this video to find out more about the new perk for those who need to cross the JB checkpoint: