Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Manpower for annual data from 2005 to 2020 on nationals from China, India, USA, and Australia entering Singapore via intra-corporate transferee, professional visas, and dependant passes under specific Free Trade Agreements.
Leong Mun Wai further inquired about the number of nationals from these countries currently working in companies with fewer than 10 employees on Employment Passes or S Passes.
Hazel Poa requested data on dependant passes and Long Term Visit Passes issued from 2005 to 2020 to relatives of nationals from these countries holding Employment Passes or S Passes.
The Minister for Manpower sought permission to address these questions, along with other written questions, through ministerial statements on July 6, 2021, which was approved by the Speaker.

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11 May 2021

Legislation to Require Companies Hiring Workers in Gig Economy to Recognise Them as Employees

Mr Gan Thiam Poh proposed legislation to classify gig economy workers as employees to ensure they receive benefits like retirement protection, coverage under the Progressive Wage Model, and health insurance.
Minister Josephine Teo noted that gig workers are primarily self-employed and prefer their status, with overseas examples showing mixed results; the government is reviewing how to balance protections with work opportunities and CPF contributions.
The government will work with tripartite partners to assess the feasibility of extending the Progressive Wage Model to gig workers while ensuring they can access existing support schemes like Workfare Income Supplement.

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11 May 2021

Consent for Spouses on Dependant Passes to Work Part-time and Temporary Jobs

Christopher de Souza proposed allowing spouses on Dependant's Passes to work part-time or temporarily under a letter of consent instead of requiring a work pass.
Josephine Teo clarified that from May 2021, all Dependant's Pass holders must obtain a relevant work pass to work, with applicable salary and levy criteria.
Existing Dependant's Pass holders working on Letters of Consent can continue until their LOC expires, and most will qualify for a work pass.
Foreign spouses and children on Long-Term Visit Passes or LTVP-Plus are unaffected and may still use LOCs for employment.

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11 May 2021

Ms Tin Pei Ling inquired about the number of disputes between employers and foreign domestic workers reported in the past five years, the number that went to trial, and key observations from the reports.
The Ministry of Manpower reported an average of 2,600 complaints annually involving migrant domestic workers, with salary and rest time being common issues, most resolved through advice or mediation.
A small proportion of complaints indicated legal breaches by employers, leading to 83 prosecutions over five years for offenses like non-payment of salary and illegal deployment.

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11 May 2021

The Ministry of Manpower is exploring how employment agencies can check in on foreign domestic workers to complement existing welfare touchpoints like house visits and one-to-one interviews.
Agencies must offer a service fee refund of at least 50% if a maid’s contract ends prematurely within six months to encourage better matching and support, with implementation by year-end.
All agency personnel must obtain a certificate that covers employment laws and practices, including initial check-ins with employers and workers, and additional courses are available to improve communication and distress identification skills.

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11 May 2021

The Ministry of Manpower is reviewing measures to better safeguard the well-being of migrant domestic workers (MDWs), with further details to be provided later.
By the end of the year, the Centre for Domestic Employees will interview every new MDW within three to six months of starting work, typically in-person and in their native language, in a private room without the employer present to encourage honest sharing.
If in-person interviews are not possible due to COVID-19, video calls will be used, with employers required to ensure privacy; interviews will be stopped if the MDW appears uneasy or the employer refuses cooperation.
The ministry is also exploring other protective measures, such as working with healthcare providers to identify signs of abuse and involving employment agencies in checking on first-time MDWs.

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11 May 2021

Singapore attracted $17.2 billion in Fixed Asset Investments in 2020 and $2.8 billion in the first quarter of 2021.
Of the $62.1 billion in investments attracted over the last five years, $43.3 billion (70%) was realized in the past three years.
The investments are expected to create an estimated 112,100 new jobs when fully implemented.

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11 May 2021

Gerald Giam asked whether the Employment Assistance Package (EAP) under the Retirement and Re-employment Act could be based on an employee’s last drawn salary instead of the current fixed cap of $5,500 to $13,000.
Minister Josephine Teo explained that the EAP is a last-resort measure to support seniors seeking alternative employment after re-employment options are exhausted, with principles including reasonable months of salary, a minimum amount to protect lower-wage workers, and a maximum cap to moderate employers’ financial burden.
The EAP was last reviewed in 2019 and remains aligned with these principles, which have contributed to high re-employment rates and raised the average effective retirement age beyond OECD averages.

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11 May 2021

Between 2019 and 2020, about 5% of applications to hire migrant domestic workers were rejected.
Rejections were mainly due to employers lacking or having unstable income, or being unable to meet the criteria for hiring a second MDW.
In 2020, enhanced border controls and daily entry limits to manage COVID-19 also led to more rejections.
From October 2020, entry approvals for new MDWs increased as Singapore's COVID-19 situation improved.
The Manpower Ministry provides these figures and reasons in response to parliamentary questions.

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