An exploratory study on ‘skilled’ transmigrant Filipinos in Singapore

Abstract

The focus of this research is to provide an exploratory study on Filipinos as ‘foreign talents’ and their lived experiences in Singapore society. Particularly, how they perceive their social position in society which is mediated not only by state classification as ‘skilled’, but also as foreigners, as Filipinos as well as other markers of identity such as job, citizenship, race, marital status, which can affect their everyday lives. In addition, as transmigrants who maintain multiple connections with several locations, in this case, between the Philippines and Singapore, I attempt to find out the extent to which they perceive as well as are allowed to belong. Thus, I am interested in boundaries that they experience in their everyday lives. In turn, looking at transmigrants as reflexive subjects, I also attempt to find out how the negotiate and strategize around these boundaries, that is, how they do boundary work.