Work Passes for Those who can Work in Singapore during Non-peak Hours and Return to Homes in Johor Bahru or Batam in the Day

Mr Don Wee asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider an increase in the number of work passes for some specific job types like production line operators, packers and truck drivers, which can be performed during non-peak night hours and will allow such workers to return to their homes in Johor Bahru and Batam in the day.

The suggestion to grant additional foreign worker quota for firms to hire non-peak night hour workers is effectively a loosening of the Dependency Ratio Ceilings (DRCs). The DRCs help to regulate the size of our foreign workforce and ensure that businesses do not become over-reliant on foreign workers, which could leave businesses vulnerable to various disruptions, as seen during COVID-19. At the same time, introducing concessions for this category of workers would entail ensuring that they do, indeed, return home on a daily basis instead of staying in Singapore so as to avoid straining Singapore’s infrastructure. Enforcing such a rule would be impractical and resource-intensive.

Nonetheless, we understand that some businesses may require additional foreign manpower on a transitional basis for reasons, such as business expansion. For such employers, they can tap on existing schemes, such as the Manpower for Strategic Economic Priorities (M-SEP) scheme. The M-SEP scheme provides temporary flexibilities for businesses that contribute to Singapore’s strategic economic priorities. Businesses that participate in specified programmes or activities relating to investments, innovation or internationalisation, and commit to hiring or training locals, can hire S Pass and Work Permit holders above the prevailing DRC for two years.