JOHOR BARU: Three years ago, Nisha Maniam, 21, earned a basic salary of RM600 as a housekeeper at a hotel here.
Though she earned an extra RM1,500 a month from a service point allowance, it wasn't enough after statutory deductions and repaying her car loan.
Nisha had wanted to work in Singapore ever since she finished her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), but hotels there were looking for candidates with at least one year of experience.
Her friends suggested that she work and gain experience in Johor before trying her luck across the Causeway again.
After a year as a housekeeper at a hotel in Johor, Nisha applied for a job at a hotel in Singapore and got it almost immediately.
Today, she earns around RM6,000 after conversion.
"I know it's not fair to the hotel which incurred costs to train me.
"I would have loved to continue working in Batu Pahat and be closer to my family, but they (hotels in Johor) would not be able to offer the salary I am earning now," she said.
Rafiq Rizal, 18, took a similar route to Singapore.
He and several friends worked as housekeepers at a hotel here after their SPM examinations.
"We saw the housekeeping role as a good, free training ground to gain experience.
"We resigned a year later and have now landed jobs at a hotel in Singapore.
"I'm grateful for the chance to work and learn, but my goal was always to work in Singapore.
"I can make almost three times the salary for the same type of work," he said.
Rafiq added that some hotels in Singapore also provided accommodation and meals, which was another reason to relocate.