Written by: Marissa Saini
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, despite being the most liveable destination in the world for Asian expats, it quickly became apparent that not all is rosy for the expat community in Singapore.
But this only reassured Sales and Operations Executive, Joyce Xu, that she made the right choice in calling Singapore home.
“Upon returning from China after Chinese New Year, I was worried that my landlord would not let me return to the room I rented as there were news stories of landlords evicting tenants. Thankfully, the Government promptly addressed this issue. This curbed my eviction and I was allowed to continue to stay at the house,” she said.
According to a joint statement by the Ministry of National Development, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Manpower, “Landlords found to have irresponsibly evicted their residents may face restrictions and even be barred from renting out their flats to foreign work pass holders in future”.
A precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19, a 14-day Leave of Absence (LOA) is mandatory for those who have travelled to mainland China for the past 14 days. Throughout serving the LOA, you ought to stay at home, minimise contact with other people and frequently monitor your health.
“I’m grateful that the Government has this regulation, otherwise I would be left with no choice but to sleep at a hotel,” she added.
Relocating to Singapore?
Experience a smooth transition with our Home Finding Service! We work closely alongside expats and their families to help them secure their dream home.