Debated in Parliament on 9 May 2022.
Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the number of new S Passes and Employment Passes (EPs) that have been issued since 1 January 2022; (b) whether the total number of S Passes and EPs issued to date is comparable to pre-COVID-19 times; and (c) what approach is the Ministry taking to screen foreign manpower entering the job market in view of the new eligibility criteria that will take effect in September 2022.
Based on preliminary MOM administrative records, there were around 23,900 new EPs and S Passes issued in Q1 2022. This is comparable to around 25,200 new EPs and S Passes issued in Q1 2019, pre-pandemic. Overall, the total number of EP and S Pass holders was 329,100 as at March 2022, remaining significantly below the pre-COVID-19 level of 393,700 in December 2019, as a result of border restrictions dampening the inflow of foreign manpower over the past two years.
All EP and S Pass applicants have to meet MOM's prevailing eligibility criteria before their passes can be issued. This includes the EP qualifying salary, as well as the S Pass qualifying salary, levies and quota. In September 2022, the EP qualifying salary and S Pass qualifying salary and levies will be raised. These moves are part of MOM's regular updates to ensure that our framework keeps pace with local wage growth, so that foreigners are not coming in just because they are cheaper than local PMETs. From September 2023 onwards, EP candidates must also earn sufficient points under the new Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) to qualify for an EP, to allow for a more holistic evaluation of complementarity.
MOM will not apply the new criteria ahead of these timelines. To do so would be unfair to businesses. The point of announcing these changes early and phasing them in gradually is to provide businesses with time to plan ahead and adjust. As businesses hire EP and S Pass workers ahead of the above timelines, they should also keep these upcoming changes in mind, so that their new hires will be able to meet the renewal criteria in the future.
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