Employment & labour — Topics

13 Sep 2022

Hiring of More Dedicated Administrative and Support Care Staff to Assist Nurses

Louis Ng asked the Ministry of Health about plans, numbers, and timelines for hiring more administrative and support staff to assist nurses.
Ong Ye Kung stated that staffing decisions are handled by healthcare clusters, not the ministry, which focuses on role redesign and training.
The ministry works with clusters to ensure healthcare jobs are meaningful, dignified, and support career growth for all staff.

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13 Sep 2022

Staff Vacancies in Adult Disability Homes and Day Activity Centres

The Ministry has identified approximately 200 vacancies in Adult Disability Homes and Day Activity Centres, supported by increased funding of 25% and 20% respectively to hire more care staff.
Challenges in filling vacancies include concerns over career prospects, salaries, and working environment, with measures like salary guidelines and Career Conversion Programmes to attract talent.
Feedback from caregivers shows high satisfaction with Adult Disability Homes, with 92.3% rating services 3.5 out of 5 or above, while surveys for Day Activity Centres are planned.

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13 Sep 2022

Effect of Elevated PM2.5 Levels on Rail Workers' Health

Mr Melvin Yong questioned if elevated PM2.5 levels in underground train stations pose an occupational health hazard to rail workers and what mitigation plans exist.
Minister S Iswaran stated that while some stations exceed the 24-hour PM2.5 exposure limit during peak hours, the health risk to workers is low due to limited time spent on platforms.
The Ministry is upgrading air-conditioning systems and installing more efficient filters to trap finer particles like PM2.5, with completions targeted by 2025.

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13 Sep 2022

Extension of Childcare Leave Provisions for Parents with Children with Special Needs

Mariam Jaafar asked the Prime Minister to extend childcare leave provisions for parents of children with special needs until the child is 18 years old, highlighting the additional care required beyond age 12.
The Prime Minister’s response, delivered by Indranee Rajah, explained that current policy provides six days of paid childcare leave for children under seven and two days for children aged seven to 12, with any enhancement needing to balance parental needs against employer manpower considerations.
The government encourages employers to adopt flexible work arrangements and unpaid leave for unexpected care needs, noting existing tripartite standards and initiatives to support working parents.
Additional support measures include enhanced subsidies for special student care centres, tax relief for grandparents providing care, and ongoing efforts under the Enabling Masterplan 2030 to improve respite care options.
The government committed to continuing studies with relevant agencies to better support working parents of children with special needs.

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13 Sep 2022

Progress on Introduction of Common Salary Guideline for Asatizahs

MUIS is implementing a Common Salary Guideline for asatizahs through a holistic review, including job scope evaluation and salary benchmarking, with plans for phased implementation from 2023.
The new salary structure will be supported by a robust performance-based system and workshops for supervisors and HR personnel to ensure proper implementation.
MUIS will regularly monitor asatizah salaries to ensure they remain competitive with relevant sectors, including in response to pay increases in the civil service and teaching.

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13 Sep 2022

Assessing Success of Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass Scheme

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim raised questions about the benchmarking of the ONE Pass scheme's success, potential crowding out of local talent, dependants' work permissions, measurement of "meaningful" contributions, and legal codification of training and skills transfer requirements.
Minister Tan See Leng responded that these matters were previously addressed in a September 2022 Ministerial Statement and reiterated the Ministry of Manpower's commitment to keeping the work pass framework relevant for businesses while ensuring fair opportunities for locals.
The debate highlighted concerns over balancing foreign talent attraction with protection of local employment and the need for clear metrics and regulatory safeguards.

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13 Sep 2022

Years of Work Experience as Added Criterion in Complementarity Assessment Framework

Miss Rachel Ong proposed adding years of relevant industry experience as a criterion in the COMPASS framework to enhance competency-based assessment of Employment Pass applicants.
Minister Tan See Leng explained that years of experience were excluded due to risks of inaccuracies and fraud, especially for overseas work, and that verifying such claims would increase processing time and complexity.
The Ministry instead relies on salary as a proxy for experience, as it reflects market worth, and uses other COMPASS criteria like qualifications, the Shortage Occupation List, and firm-level attributes to assess complementarity holistically.
The framework balances effectiveness with administrative feasibility, avoiding an excessive number of criteria to maintain clarity and impact while supporting workforce diversity and a strong Singaporean core.

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13 Sep 2022

Salary Review of Polytechnic and ITE Educators

Wan Rizal asked if a salary review for Polytechnic and ITE educators would be conducted, considering the competitive job market and the salaries of adjunct lecturers and project staff.
Chan Chun Sing affirmed that Polytechnics and ITE regularly review salaries to keep them competitive with market benchmarks.
A study on the competitiveness of salary schemes for all academic and non-academic staff, including adjuncts, is currently ongoing and will be shared with staff upon completion.

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13 Sep 2022

Encouraging Government Agencies to Hire More Qualified Persons with Disabilities

Leon Perera asked the Prime Minister about the percentage of public officers with disabilities, plans to encourage more hiring of qualified persons with disabilities, and specific measures to promote diversity and equality.
Chan Chun Sing responded that as of end-2021, about one in 430 public officers are persons with disabilities, and the Public Service is committed to supporting their employment in meaningful roles.
The Public Service Division has partnered with SG Enable to advertise suitable job opportunities on SG Enable’s job portal and, since 2019, regularly introduces potential job seekers with disabilities to HR teams across the Public Service to encourage active consideration for job placement.

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13 Sep 2022

Set-up and Sustainability Plans for Enabling Business Hubs

The first Enabling Business Hub (EBH) pilot is expected to be operational next year in the West region, with plans to set up a few more EBHs across Singapore after gaining experience from the pilot.
Each EBH will hire persons with disabilities directly and train others for employment, contributing to the target of a 40% employment rate for persons with disabilities by 2030.
Staff at EBHs will be trained in areas such as understanding disability types, disability etiquette, communication, and job interviews through providers like the Enabling Academy and NCSS’ Social Service Institute.
The total capacity and exact number of EBHs in the scaled-up phase will depend on the pilot outcomes, but the focus is on expanding support for persons with disabilities needing customized work support.
MSF and SG Enable will collaborate with service providers having the necessary expertise to train and place persons with disabilities in employment.

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13 Sep 2022

Further Measures to Address Labour Crunch and Reduce Dependence on Foreign Labour

The Minister outlined that Singapore’s resident Labour Force Participation Rate has steadily increased, with more women and seniors joining the workforce, and noted that flexible work arrangements, improved preschool access, and increased retirement and re-employment ages are key strategies to further boost participation.
To support senior workers, the government provides wage offsets and part-time re-employment grants, while Workforce Singapore offers mid-career pathways and career conversion programmes to promote local employment.
Businesses are encouraged to transform and increase productivity through Industry Transformation Maps, Job Redesign, and reskilling programmes, supported by grants to enhance manpower efficiency and reduce reliance on foreign labour.

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13 Sep 2022

Business Costs in Singapore and Measures to Help Businesses Remain Competitive

Business costs in Singapore have risen sharply due to global factors like higher energy prices and supply disruptions, as well as domestic labour market tightness, with unit business costs increasing for both manufacturing and services sectors compared to the past five years, though businesses have remained profitable with gross profits rising.
The government is providing targeted short-term support through measures such as the Small Business Recovery Grant, Energy Efficiency Grant, Enterprise Financing Scheme, Progressive Wage Credit Scheme, and extended Jobs Growth Incentive to help businesses cope with rising costs.
Long-term strategies focus on enhancing productivity and competitiveness via schemes like the Enterprise Development Grant and Productivity Solutions Grant, with support levels increased for sectors like retail and food services.
The government emphasises a whole-of-government approach, closely monitoring feedback and refining initiatives such as increased financing limits and energy efficiency grants to ensure businesses can navigate both immediate and future challenges.
The response highlights that despite cost pressures, businesses are expected to remain profitable and are embracing digitalisation, which is seen as key to sustaining competitiveness and mitigating labour constraints.

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13 Sep 2022

Benefits and Challenges of Four-day Work Week

The Ministry of Manpower is not aware of any ongoing third-party studies on a four-day work week in Singapore but has noted mixed results from pilots in other countries, with concerns about productivity, costs, and employee well-being.
The Ministry emphasizes that a four-day work week is one of many flexible work arrangements and encourages employers and employees to adopt arrangements that suit their unique needs, rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all approach.
In response to a suggestion for a trial within the public sector, the Ministry stated that different sectors and roles have diverse needs and that it will not specify or impose any rigid trial formula on the public sector.

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13 Sep 2022

Development and Retention of Special Education School Teachers

The Ministry of Education (MOE) collaborates with Social Service Agencies and has implemented initiatives like the Journeys of Excellence Package to improve career progression and salaries for the 1,600 SPED teachers, while funding pre-service and in-service training, but has not committed to enrolling all SPED teachers under MOE, preferring to explore new models based on five key criteria.
The Minister emphasized that any future model for SPED must better support children, families, professional development, community engagement, and care continuity, while acknowledging the emotional demands of the sector and the need for more Singaporean educators, though planning is complex due to varying student needs.
Parliament members raised concerns about attracting and retaining talent, the inclusion of allied professionals in compensation discussions, and potential operational disconnects between MOE and MSF, with the Minister assuring close inter-ministry collaboration and a focus on the post-school care continuum.

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13 Sep 2022

Review of Salary, Workload and Progression Pathways for Early Childhood Educators

The Minister for Social and Family Development announced that the salary review for early childhood educators is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022, with implementation to follow from 2023, aiming to ensure salaries are competitive and commensurate with educators' contributions.
The review will also consider workload management through digitalisation initiatives and expanded career pathways, such as Lead Early Years Educator and Curriculum Specialist, to support professional development and retention.
Minister Masagos Zulkifli highlighted ongoing efforts to address educators' well-being, including ergonomic improvements like providing proper seating and workstations to mitigate physical strain.
Dr Wan Rizal inquired about further support for digitalisation and ergonomic issues, with the Minister responding that preschools are adopting digital tools for administrative tasks and ensuring a better work environment.
NCMP Leong Mun Wai asked for a comparison of early childhood educators' pay with school teachers, but the Minister indicated that specific figures were not available and that maintaining balanced relativity across job families is key.

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12 Sep 2022

Data on Average Monthly Salary Drawn by Employment Pass Holders

Mr. Chua Kheng Wee Louis requested from the Minister for Manpower the average monthly salary and number of Employment Pass holders by deciles for each year over the last ten years.
The Minister responded that the Ministry regularly reviews the Employment Pass qualifying salary to ensure holders are of good calibre and not cheaper alternatives to locals, leading to increased salaries across all deciles.
Median monthly salary for Employment Pass holders rose from $4,700 in December 2011 to $9,000 in December 2021.
The number of Employment Pass holders increased to 19,200 in December 2016 but fell to 16,200 in December 2021, partly due to COVID-19 disruptions.
The Minister provided a table summarizing key data for December 2011, 2016, and 2021 to illustrate the trends.

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12 Sep 2022

Action Against Migrant Domestic Workers Borrowing Money from Illegal Loan Sharks

Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked about the actions taken against migrant domestic workers (MDWs) who borrow from illegal loan sharks and whether they will be banned from returning to Singapore.
The Minister for Manpower, Tan See Leng, stated that MDWs found borrowing from unlicensed moneylenders face work permit revocation and a ban from future employment in Singapore.
To prevent such issues, the Ministry of Manpower educates MDWs on money management through the mandatory Settling-In-Programme and newsletters from the Singapore Police Force and MOM.

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12 Sep 2022

Singaporeans Employed by Multiple Companies at Less than $1,500 at Each Company for Headcount

Leong Mun Wai asked about the number of Singaporean workers employed by two or more companies with monthly pay under $1,500 at each company, where such headcount is used for foreign worker quotas.
Tan See Leng replied that about 53,200 locals work in two or more jobs, with roughly half earning under $1,500 on average per job, including part-time workers.
The system allows locals to count toward foreign worker quotas for up to two companies, with full credit if paid at least the Local Qualifying Salary of $1,400 and half credit if paid at least $700.
This approach prevents firms from hiring locals on token salaries solely to boost quotas, and the Progressive Wage Model from September 2022 further requires all full-time local workers to earn at least the LQS for firms to hire foreign workers.

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12 Sep 2022

Employers Prosecuted for Inflating Foreign Worker Quota by Employing Singaporean Phantom Workers

From 2010 to 2012, about six employers per year were prosecuted for inflating foreign worker quotas using phantom Singaporean workers, with penalties including imprisonment up to one year 10 months and fines up to $35,000.
In November 2012, the law was amended to treat this as an administrative infringement, allowing the Ministry of Manpower to impose financial penalties instead of criminal prosecution.
From 2013 to 2021, about nine employers per year faced administrative financial penalties up to $200,000 for the same offence.

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12 Sep 2022

Sectors Facing Severe Lack of Workers and Measures to Support Manpower Needs

Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked about the sectors with the most severe worker shortages, support measures for essential services, potential adjustments to the dependency ratio ceiling, and allowing more migrant workers from non-traditional sources.
Minister Tan See Leng noted that some firms face manpower tightness due to catch-up work and training, but total employment has nearly rebounded to pre-COVID levels, with non-resident employment expected to recover further.
Focused support, including additional foreign worker quotas and access to workers from non-traditional sources, has been provided to sectors like aviation, tourism, healthcare, and public housing cleaning, rather than broad dependency ratio adjustments.
A scheme to allow hiring of Work Permit Holders from non-traditional sources in select Services and Manufacturing occupations will start in September 2023.

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