Infrastructure Opportunities in Singapore

If you’ve ever searched for construction jobs abroad, have you considered Singapore as a potential location? This independent city-state at the tip of Malaysia has seen strong growth over the last decade, with construction playing a key role thanks to the steady pipeline of large infrastructure projects in Singapore. 

Because of this recent increase in both public and private sector construction works, construction jobs in Singapore are plentiful, as are interesting and challenging high-profile projects for a variety of disciplines. Whether you are looking for a QS job in Singapore or any other role, there’s something that’s bound to pique your interest and keep you busy for several years. Here are some of the biggest infrastructure projects in Singapore currently.

Transit and Rail Projects in Singapore

Transport projects in Singapore – and particularly light rapid transit and rail projects – are numerous as the country tries to tackle congestion by providing alternative routes for commuters. The Singaporean Land Transport Authority (LTA) are planning to expand the rail network by 360km by 2030, providing excellent opportunities for rail engineers, commercial managers and QS in Singapore. Some of the larger projects include:

Thomson-East Coast Line – This fully automatic, driverless, and underground rapid transit line is 26.7mi (43km) in length and will be adding 31 new stations. The project is in five phases, the first of which is planned to open at end of Jan 2020 with the rest scheduled for completion between 2020-2024.

Jurong Region Line – A fully elevated mass rapid transit line which will have 24 stations along the 14.9mi (24km) route. Construction contracts for the several of the stations were recently awarded in September and December 2019, with construction set to commence in 2021. The new line is planned to open in three phases, with the first reaching completion in 2026 and the second commencing construction in 2027. 

Cross Island Line – A new 50km (31 mile) mass rapid transit line that runs east to west across the island. The first of three stages is expected to commence construction this year (award pending) with completion by 2029. The remaining two phases are currently undergoing design, making this a great project for civil engineers, quantity surveyors, commercial managers and construction managers with rail experience looking to see a project through from the outset.  

Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail Project – A new high-speed rail line that will link Malaysia and Singapore by 2031. While currently on hold, a decision about whether to proceed is due in May 2020. If it gets the green light, expect to see demand skyrocket for rail systems engineers, quantity surveyors, project managers and commercial managers with rail experience. 

Highway Projects in Singapore

While Singapore is focussed on providing more public transport options, roads are still very much a part of their transport vision. If you’re a highway engineer, QS or commercial manager looking for a highway job in Singapore, there are a number of projects to choose from.

North-South Corridor – This 13.4mi (21.5km) integrated transport corridor will merge road, public transport and cycling routes together and is planned to be largely underground. The project commenced in 2019 and completion is expected in 2026. 

Also currently in progress are the new interchange at Senja/KJE (completion 2022), the new replacement viaduct at TPE/PIE/Upper Changi Road East (completion 2022), and the Seletar Link/Tampines Expressway (completion mid-2021). 

Airport Projects in Singapore

The gargantuan Changi Airport Terminal 5 is designed to accommodate 150 million passengers per annum, providing nearly double the current capacity of the existing airport. The structure of the terminal will be larger than all the other airport terminals combined and built on reclaimed land to the east of existing terminals. This mammoth airport project is not expected to be completed until the end of the 2030s, meaning that QS, commercial managers, civil engineers, construction managers and project managers with aviation experience can look forward to good prospects in Singapore for some time. 

Working in Singapore

With plenty of high-profile projects to chose from, engineering and construction professionals are spoilt for choice when looking for construction jobs in Singapore. If you’re interested in finding out more about upcoming opportunities in Singapore, please get in touch to discuss your requirements or send us your CV. In the meantime, take a look at our guide to working in Singapore. 

About the Author

Richard Poulter
Construction Recruitment Director, Hong Kong
I am responsible for the recruitment business in Hong Kong, Asia, and the Middle East. I was a civil engineer and project manager for 15 years before becoming a construction industry recruitment consultant in 2004. I am based in the Hong Kong office and specialise in placing professionals in engineering, project management, planning, HSEQ and risk.
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Email: richard@maximrecruitment.com