Foreign Workers in ASEAN: Levy + Visa Fees = SGD 3K-10K Per Employee Per Year
Restaurant Bangkok hiring 3 foreign (Singapore) staff: Each costs SGD 7.5K/year levy (Thailand) + SGD 500 visa fees + SGD 1.5K work permit admin = SGD 9.5K/year fixed cost per expat. Total for 3: SGD 28.5K/year non-salary cost. Hire local staff instead (no levy): saves SGD 28.5K/year. But: expat brings expertise = worth SGD 5K-10K/year in productivity. Net: hire 1 expat manager (net worth it), hire 2 local staff (break-even on cost).
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