Fair Consideration Framework Watchlist Companies by Sector and Triple-Weak Sector Measures, Annually, from 2015 to 2025

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Manpower for each year from 2015 to 2025, (a) what is the total number of companies on the Fair Consideration Framework watchlist; (b) what is the breakdown of the sectors that these companies belong to; (c) whether there are sector-level measures for the top triple-weak sectors, such as through working with their respective unions.

The Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) watchlist was introduced in 2016 to identify companies with high single-nationality concentrations and a heavy reliance on foreign professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). From 2016 to 2023, close to 1,000 firms were placed on the FCF watchlist. The majority of these firms were from the information and communications technology, professional services and construction sectors.

With the implementation of the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) in 2023, the FCF watchlist criteria has been built into COMPASS and there is no longer a need to manually scrutinise applications from companies with weak workforce profiles. Therefore, we have discontinued the FCF watchlist in 2023.

We work with the labour movement to support firms with weak workforce profiles to improve local workforce hiring and development. For example, firms can partner the National Trades Unions Congress to form Company Training Committees to strengthen local workforce development. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices also conduct workshops to help companies review and improve their hiring practices and workforce profiles.