Wanting to change jobs to another school

Hi all_things_genius,

Sorry to hear of the unfortunate turn of events your side.

If at all, the only comfort is that you are not alone in your situation. This sort of thing happens quite often and to many expats across the spectrum - starting right from the very bottom and going up until the very top.

First thing is, you must find out is if your current employer would be willing to grant you the much needed and still mandatory NOC / release letter. Without one in hand, there is not much you, or your new employer (if you have found for yourself another job) can do.

As per the current labour laws, an expatriate employee is obliged to fulfill his / her commitment to the employer by serving the full duration of the contract period, which is two years. Breaking of the contract in between would therefore would be considered as a failure to fulfill the agreed obligations of the contract between the employer and the employee.

On November 20th, the amended labour laws as well as the latest updates regarding the NOC were supposed to be published by the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Labour. But nothing has been announced in the local dailies as of today.

I am assuming that perhaps because of the National Day fervour and celebrations, these things have been temporarily put on hold. May be after work resumes post the National Day holidays next week, or say by early December, we should be hearing of the amendments, revisions and changes done to the labour laws, from the concerned authorities.