Woman aged 29 years old only returns home at 6 pm. Then she arrives at her home in Malaysia around 10 pm. This has become a daily routine for the native residents of Johor Bahru for almost a decade. Gunavathi, who works at a labor agency, currently earns between US$1,837 (Rp29 million) to US$2,058 (Rp33 million) per month. This salary is the opposite in her home country. During an interview for a similar position in Malaysia, she received an offer of around US$628 (Rp10 million) per month.

According to Channel News Asia, the Malaysian Ringgit has been on a downward trend since 2023 and in February, it fell to its lowest level since the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s. The Ringgit slightly strengthened to 4.778 at 11.04 on April 15, and traded at 3.513 against the Singapore dollar. Malaysia also recorded an inflation rate of 1.8 percent (year on year) in February, up from 1.5 percent for three consecutive months since November last year.

Citizens of Malaysia who are looking for jobs in Singapore often search for jobs in sectors such as retail and food services, manufacturing, engineering, industry and technology, as well as healthcare services. Apart from currency fluctuations and the economy, recruiters say that Singapore is often the "first choice" for Malaysian citizens to work abroad, especially for those living in Johor Bahru. Due to the ease of cross-border travel, strong economy, higher salaries, job opportunities, and better working environments.