Immigration & foreign manpower

• Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Manpower for the percentage of foreign worker dormitories licensed under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act.
• Tan See Leng responded that as of June 2024, 78% of dormitories are licensed under the Act.
• The remaining 22% are smaller dormitories with six or fewer beds.
• These smaller dormitories account for less than 1% of the total foreign worker dormitory capacity.

• Pritam Singh queried the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on whether approvals have been granted for work permit holders and migrant domestic workers (MDWs) to work beyond age 60, the number of such approvals over the past five years, and the common reasons for extensions.
• MOM, through Minister Tan See Leng, confirmed that appeals to continue hiring work permit holders beyond 60 are approved based on factors like the workers' health, experience, and skills.
• From 2019 to 2023, MOM approved an average of 610 appeals annually for migrant workers and 350 appeals annually for migrant domestic workers.

• Mr Zhulkarnain asked about supervisory measures and oversight for Foreign Worker Management (FWM) patrol teams, following an Auxiliary Police Officer’s conviction for misappropriating seized drugs, and the roles and powers of these teams.
• The Police deploy FWM teams, comprising contracted Auxiliary Police and Security Officers, to manage law and order in high-foreign-worker areas, with duties including enforcement against offences like public urination, littering, and illegal drug sales.
• FWM teams follow strict protocols, such as photographing evidence before seizure, preparing incident reports, and not collecting cash summons payments, with evidence handed to relevant agencies for verification.
• Police oversee FWM teams through pre- and post-shift briefings, routine checks, surprise inspections, and the upcoming rollout of body-worn cameras by March 2025 to enhance accountability.
• Non-compliance with protocols leads to internal disciplinary action, and criminal offences result in prosecution, treating FWM officers the same as other offenders.

• The Shared Stay-in Senior Care Services sandbox was launched in September 2023 to enable seniors to age in the community and support families with caregiving, reducing the default reliance on institutional care.
• The sandbox offers work pass flexibilities for companies to test different manpower deployment models, with caregivers not required to be professional healthcare workers and training available through grants and community networks.
• Four companies have onboarded since the start of 2023, serving about 200 clients, and the scheme will be reviewed after one year to decide on future steps, including scalability and manpower needs.

• The Minister stated there is no standard protocol to consult receiving countries before deporting foreigners, as they are treated like other travellers and foreign states decide entry upon arrival.
• In the specific case of the money launderer deported to Cambodia, the Minister confirmed no consultation occurred with Cambodian authorities and emphasized the policy of not disclosing such operational discussions.
• The Minister clarified that offenders can choose their deportation destination as permitted by their passport, and considering their potential legal advantage in the chosen country is legally irrelevant for the government.

• Minister of State for Home Affairs Ms Sun Xueling clarified that foreigners can be deported to any country their passport allows, specifying that eight deported subjects chose Cambodia or Japan.
• The correction noted that the initial statement referenced ten subjects, but the accurate number involved in the specified deportation destinations was eight.
• The debate addressed the factors considered in deciding deportation destinations for foreigners after serving sentences in Singapore, as referenced in an official report.

• Mr Desmond Choo asked about the prevalence of migrant workers sleeping on roads and efforts to provide sufficient recreation areas.
• The Ministry of Manpower reports about one case per month of migrant workers found resting along roads.
• Large dormitories have designated areas for food and alcohol consumption, and nine recreation centres near dormitories offer socialising venues.
• Free shuttle services connect dormitories to recreation centres, and the Ministry plans to improve the variety and quality of offerings with NGOs and commercial partners.

• Edward Chia and Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Manpower about ensuring migrant worker safety and directing alcohol consumption to designated areas instead of roadsides.
• The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) acknowledged concerns about safety and public inconvenience, noting most workers drink within dormitories, but some socialize outside with friends.
• MOM is collaborating with dormitory operators, migrant worker leaders, and volunteers to patrol near dormitories and educate workers on road safety and considerate behavior.
• MOM disseminates advisories and reminders via social media and mobile apps on road safety and responsible drinking, with plans to strengthen these efforts.
• Nine recreation centres near dormitories provide socializing venues with free shuttle services, and MOM plans with NGOs and commercial partners to improve their offerings to attract more workers.

• Darryl David inquired about the systems, processes, and actions taken when adult Singaporeans are found to hold dual or multiple citizenships, as well as the number of such cases in the last five years.
• K Shanmugam stated that the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority uses undisclosed methods to detect multiple citizenships, and affected individuals must renounce foreign citizenships or risk losing Singapore citizenship.
• Between 2019 and 2023, an average of about 1,600 adult Singaporeans annually renounced or were deprived of their citizenship due to holding multiple citizenships.

• The Minister of State for Home Affairs confirmed that three individuals referenced by Ms Sylvia Lim do not hold Cambodian passports but possess valid travel documents that satisfy Cambodia's admission requirements.
• The Ministry's primary objective is to ensure the swift and effective deportation of foreigners after they have completed their sentences in Singapore.
• The assessment of admissibility into the destination country is a critical factor in the deportation process.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that deported foreigners are sent to any country their passport or travel document allows, with no default guideline to send them only to their country of nationality, especially for those holding multiple passports.
• In the recent money laundering case, offenders were deported to Cambodia or Japan based on their travel documents and admissibility, with the Ministry assessing which country they are most likely to be accepted into, though it could not immediately confirm passport details for some individuals deported to Cambodia.
• The decision to deport was not influenced by extradition treaties, such as between China and Cambodia, and while offenders can indicate a preference, the final destination is determined by the Ministry's assessment of admissibility.

Leong Mun Wai asked about the number of second-generation permanent residents (PRs) who renounced their PR status before serving National Service (NS) and the number of new citizens or PRs who renounced or declined citizenship after completing NS since 2014. Ng Eng Hen reported an average of 450 male second-generation PRs renounced their status annually before NS, while about 1,900 enlisted each year. Those who renounce PR without completing NS face consequences for future immigration applications. Additionally, around 140 new citizens who completed NS renounced their citizenship each year, with 96% doing so at age 40 or older.

Yip Hon Weng raised concerns about strategies to retain locally trained doctors in the public healthcare system and ensure adequate staffing in essential medical specialties, while also addressing the need for more overseas specialists due to an ageing population. Ong Ye Kung responded that the public sector's mission and opportunities for learning have helped maintain a low attrition rate of 3% to 5%. The Ministry has a sufficient pipeline of specialists, but is increasing training for key specialties in response to the ageing population. Efforts are ongoing to expand local medical school intakes and attract Singaporeans trained abroad, alongside the appropriate integration of foreign doctors.

• Don Wee inquired about the demolition timeline for three semi-permanent Quick Build Dormitories at Choa Chu Kang Grove, built to curb COVID-19 among migrant workers.
• Tan See Leng confirmed the dormitories are slated for demolition when their leases expire in 2025.
• A temporary lease extension may be considered if dormitory bed shortages persist in 2025.

• The Shared Stay-in Senior Care Services sandbox provides foreign manpower concessions including additional foreign worker quota and source relaxations to support testing alternative senior care options.
• Similar foreign manpower flexibilities are offered under the pilot Household Services Scheme for part-time elder-minding and childminding services.
• The Ministry of Manpower will continue to calibrate such concessions for sectors with important societal needs and limited automation or localisation options.

• Hazel Poa asked for the annual number of Employment Pass applications for jobs first posted on the MyCareersFuture portal and the number rejected due to employers not giving fair consideration to Singaporeans over the past five years.
• Tan See Leng replied that an average of 29,200 approved new Employment Pass applications annually were subject to the Fair Consideration Framework and initially posted on MyCareersFuture.
• About 2% of all new Employment Pass applications were rejected over the past five years for incorrectly claiming exemption from the job advertising requirements.
• Over 600 Employment Pass applications were withdrawn or rejected after investigations identified potential discriminatory hiring practices, with errant employers facing sanctions like being barred from hiring foreign workers.
• The Ministry of Manpower emphasized its robust checks, proactive data analytics, and serious action against discriminatory hiring to ensure fair consideration of local applicants.

• Leong Mun Wai asked whether foreign workers with wrongful dismissal claims could stay in Singapore after work pass cancellation to ensure fair treatment.
• Tan See Leng clarified that such workers are allowed to remain in Singapore pending claim resolution.
• The Ministry of Manpower issues special passes to these workers until mediation or adjudication by the Employment Claims Tribunals is complete.

• Leong Mun Wai requested a wage breakdown for local and foreign PMETs by industry from 2020 to 2023, and if not available, the reasons why.
• Tan See Leng provided salary data for non-resident Employment Pass and S Pass holders by industry, noting these groups constitute the majority of foreign PMETs and are pegged to top resident PMET wages.
• For resident wage statistics, the Minister directed the Member to the Ministry of Manpower's statistics webpage, indicating no direct breakdown was provided in the response.

• The debate addressed employers' concerns about foreign workers potentially being more flexible and cost-effective than locals under flexible work arrangement guidelines.
• Measures to support employers were discussed, including tripartite guidelines and government support for fair consideration of flexi-work requests.
• The government emphasized convincing employers of the benefits of hiring locals, such as productivity and long-term workforce stability.
• The Ministry for Manpower confirmed studying the impact of flexible work guidelines on Singaporean employability, with findings referenced in prior parliamentary records.
• The reply directed members to official transcripts for detailed information on the measures and impacts discussed.

• Christopher de Souza asked how the Ministry of Manpower regulates employment agencies for migrant domestic workers to prevent undue influence against employers.
• The Ministry imposes guidelines requiring agencies to act professionally, honestly, and with integrity, avoiding misleading information or pressure on clients.
• Investigations are conducted for guideline breaches, and agencies may receive demerit points that could lead to suspension or revocation of their license.