Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Retirement - Canada vs Singapore

Thursday, October 06, 2011

Retirement - Canada vs Singapore

Wing Lee Cheong, a Singaporean who has migrated to Canada, share this story about retirement in Canada, compared to Singapore. He said that retirement is not scary - it can be fun! He wants Singaporeans to be able to enjoy life!

5 comments:

yujuan said...: Cheong's story is very seductive, although we agree Canada has a better standard of living than Singapore, but he is wrong to say Singaporeans live by keeping up with the Joneses all their lives, and the constant desire to keep up one's image.
Many ordinary Singaporeans work to keep up with the ever increasing cost of living, particularly the high medical costs. Most households are forced to employ maids to look after the kids and elderly parents, and to free the married woman to work outside, most households need dual incomes to survive.
Still we like Canada, almost a Paradise for retirement. We are tempted.; October 06, 2011 10:59 PM
financialray said...: There are many things not in detail for us to make an apple to apple comparison. For instance, at age 60 and above, chance of hospitalisation increases and the cost of hospitalisation is not mentioned. Free medical care?
If we have that in Singapore too, rest assured our PRs and many foreigners will become Singaporeans as free loaders. Then who is paying for all these free medical care?
Simple. Raise income tax lor.
Do we Singaporeans want to do that ? Raise income tax to subsidise more foreigners to become Singaporeans to enjoy free medical health care ?
Maybe we see how Canade performs in the long term first la.; October 07, 2011 10:10 AM
Anonymous said...: The Canadians also want to live up to the Tans and Wangs.

They too compare wealth and social status.It is not as rosy as you think.

They peep behind curtains and complain to their councils about you not clearing up leaves from your garden.
There is a law that you must clear the snow on the pavement outside your home.

Taxes are very high, almost 45% of income. Yes, medical care is free for Canadians. Their diagnostic equipment is also not very up to date.

You get taxed also on your return from holidays, if you buy too much.

There is always 2 sides to a coin.; October 07, 2011 12:59 PM
Anonymous said...: We have relatives staying in Canada after their retirement and we are arranging their return after about 15 years of stay.

Reasons?

Upon older age where more dedicated medical care is required, our relatives are unable to wait for the free medical attention as the queue is much longer.

My relatives have never appllied for any social benefit as they deemed it not right to rely on others. They have children working in Canada and contributing to the economy however it is definitely not the right mentality when you cannot take from Asia, you migrate to take advantage of the overseas system.

Canada is a great place and so is Singapore! My relatives have enjoyed the stay in Canada for the great space, weather and better living standard. It is definitely because they have made a more conscious effort to work hard and plan for their retirement which made their old age more bearable.; October 09, 2011 2:13 AM
Sureesh said...: Someone once said the murder rate in canada is 4 times that of singapore. Is that true?; October 10, 2011 12:50 PM