A funding squeeze and uncertain growth prospects are making Singapore startups less than gung-ho about adding to the city’s 18,000-strong fintech workforce. However, it may not be a bad time to look for jobs in the Asian financial center. Rivals like Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi are hungry for qualified professionals. And that’s making Singapore's immigration hurdles less onerous than before.

In a 2021 Accenture survey, nearly two out of three firms blamed their talent gap on not being able to get work permits for foreigners. Nowadays, only 37% cite difficulty in securing employment passes as a hiring challenge. For this dramatic change, the employers and employees should thank Hong Kong.