The Singaporean viewpoint on this is interesting.
Let's add another dimension to it as I'm a foreigner so here's my
take..
Bringing in foreign talent doesn't guarantee they'll stay forever.
Foreign talent is borrowed talent, there just doesn't seem to be
enough depth for competent overseas people to take root. One of the
reason is that the world is bigger than the oyster the PAP has
created. I don't need to be a citizen of a country that spoonfeeds
& dictates my environment & political leanings. If you're
going to try & lock down foreigners they must be given
something better than just high salaries. Otherwise we'll come
& take up high-paying jobs & be off again in a couple of
years.
There must be something special about Singapore, like New York,
London or HK. The diversity actually seeps into the livelihood of
these cities. There's a creative chaos about them where
individualism is the true ideology, Singapore's a little too
well-planned & cosmopolitan for anything to take spark. You end
up merely emulating but never surpassing.
And hence as citizens you can see that us foreigners merely find
Singapore an employment destination. I turned down the permanent
residency when offered because I had to be back within the country
in 2-3 years to extend it.
Not because I don't like Singapore, it's fine, but I love being in
many different places as well. There's too much out there to see
& your island doesn't offer everything under the sun unlike
London or HK. It's incompatible with what I can get elsewhere. I
don't think I'll be adding myself to the population count any time
soon.
