Abstract
Migration policies in Singapore were formulated in a manner that assumes all skilled talent behave similarly. Previous research also followed this line in thought in examining skilled talent migration, where skilled talents were thought of as a collective. These policies and research fail to consider the decision-making process of an individual. Thus, it would be useful for policymakers in Singapore to find out the perception of foreign skilled talents (i.e., S-Pass (SP) and E-Pass holders (EP)), in what aspects attract and retain them in Singapore. To ascertain if SP and EP possesses different motivations when moving to and staying in Singapore, the researcher conducted surveys and interviews. The quantitative analysis concluded that SP and EP are two distinct groups, and a skilled talent’s desire to come to Singapore has nothing to do on whether they will remain in Singapore. The qualitative analysis delved into reasons why SP and EP were attracted to Singapore, and aspects Singapore could work on to retain these talents. SP were attracted to Singapore because they had ample career opportunities and will consider retaining if they obtained a higher salary to sustain their living costs, and to improve their living environment. EP were attracted to Singapore because of their high salaries and better standard of living. They will consider retaining if Singapore offers them more flexibility and transparency in policies. Finally, this paper discusses strategies the Singapore government can consider for a more targeted approach to SP and EP.