Immigration & foreign manpower — Topics

9 Jan 2024

Number of Dependant's Pass Holders and Long-Term Visit Pass Holders who are Not Spouses or Children of Singapore Citizens

Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Home Affairs for the annual numbers since 2018 of Long-Term Visit Pass holders who are not spouses or children of Singapore Citizens and of Dependant's Pass holders.
From 2018 to 2023, there was an annual average of about 100,000 Long-Term Visit Pass holders who were not spouses or children of Singapore Citizens.
The same period saw an annual average of about 150,000 Dependant's Pass holders.
The Long-Term Visit Pass figure includes foreign parents of Singapore Citizens, and foreign spouses, children and parents of Permanent Residents and Work Pass holders.
The Minister’s response covered the data requested for each year from 2018 to 2023.

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9 Jan 2024

Effectiveness of Efforts to Attract More Singaporeans to Join Healthcare Industry

The Ministry uses a multi-pronged approach to attract Singaporeans to healthcare, including early student engagement, career conversion programmes, job redesign, and competitive remuneration, complemented by foreign workers.
The national healthcare workforce grew from about 100,000 to over 120,000 in the last five years, with clinical and patient-facing roles increasing from 85,000 to 98,000 and non-clinical roles from 19,000 to 22,000.
Approximately 80% of the healthcare workforce are Singapore residents, and about one in 20 students enrol in healthcare courses, indicating a fair share of local talent pool.
The Ministry will continue to build both local and foreign manpower pipelines to meet the growing demand for healthcare services in Singapore.

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9 Jan 2024

Number of Male Permanent Residents who Lost Residency Status for Not Serving Full-time National Service

Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Defence about the number of male Permanent Residents who lost their residency status to avoid full-time National Service and were later allowed to work or live in Singapore again.
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen stated that citizens and PRs liable for National Service must fulfil their duties or face penalties.
Over the past decade, no PR who evaded NS duties by losing their PR status after benefiting from it has been granted the right to work or live in Singapore again.
The response emphasizes that there are no reported cases of such individuals being re-admitted to Singapore for work or residence.
The debate highlights the government's strict stance on enforcing National Service obligations among PRs.

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9 Jan 2024

Back-up Immigration Procedures in Event of Power Outage at Checkpoints

The Minister outlined that the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority has business continuity plans to handle power outages, including activating backup power and uninterruptible power supplies.
In a power disruption, ICA may recall off-duty staff for manual clearance, advise travellers to arrive early or avoid non-essential travel, and prioritise clearance based on departure times at air and sea checkpoints.
ICA is collaborating with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency to pilot immigration clearance via mobile devices as an additional measure for managing power-related incidents.

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22 Nov 2023

Conveying Enhanced Heat Stress Management Measures to Foreign Outdoor Workers

The Ministry of Manpower and the Workplace Safety and Health Council use multiple channels like the FWMOMCare app, social media, and e-newsletters to directly communicate enhanced heat stress measures to foreign outdoor workers.
Information is provided in workers’ native languages, such as through the FWMOMCare app available in six languages and pictograms disseminated in May.
Employers are required to educate workers on preventive measures, complementing government efforts, and MOM will continue sending reminders ahead of hotter seasons.

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22 Nov 2023

Percentage of Dependant's Pass Holders Losing Passes Due to Unforeseen Circumstances

The Ministry of Manpower does not collect data on whether the cancellations of Dependant's Passes were due to divorce or death of the main pass holder.
Consequently, the percentage of Dependant's Pass holders who lost their passes due to these specific circumstances over the past five years cannot be provided.
The ministry also does not track the percentage of individuals who subsequently obtained Employment Passes or S-passes after losing their Dependant's Passes.

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22 Nov 2023

Breakdown of Dependant's Pass Holders Gaining Employment Since 1 May 2021

Since the policy change in May 2021 requiring Dependant's Pass holders to secure work passes, they consistently constitute about 1% of all work pass holders in Singapore as of September 2023.
The Minister's response did not provide a specific breakdown of how many Dependant's Pass holders have gained employment versus those who remain unemployed, focusing instead on the proportion among work pass holders.
This indicates that the overall employment impact on Dependant's Pass holders has remained minimal and stable since the policy implementation.

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22 Nov 2023

Data on Feedback or Requests Received Through FWMOMCare Mobile Application

Louis Ng asked for a yearly breakdown of feedback or requests on five specific issues received through the FWMOMCare app over the past five years.
Tan See Leng directed him to a prior written reply with average annual substantiated cases across all channels, noting that channel-specific breakdowns are not meaningful.
The Minister emphasized that migrant workers can contact MOM through multiple channels, and isolating data for one app may not reflect overall trends.

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22 Nov 2023

Number and Profile of Skilled Tradesmen Working in Singapore and Future Demand

The Ministry for Manpower provided data on skilled tradesmen in Singapore, including the total number of residents (53,000) and non-residents (133,000) employed as craftsmen and related trades workers, along with their median and average salaries, ages, and breakdowns by residency status.
Demand for skilled trades workers varies by trade, with essential services like plumbing and electrical work always in demand, while the nature of jobs will evolve with technology; various training programmes exist to develop a local pipeline for these trades.
The government is collaborating with industry partners and educational institutions to professionalize skilled trades, offering clearer career progression paths, and will announce new initiatives as part of Forward Singapore to attract and develop local talent.

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22 Nov 2023

Employers with Insufficient Insurance Coverage for Migrant Domestic Workers' Medical and Hospitalisation Bills

Employers of migrant domestic workers must purchase medical insurance, with recent enhancements raising the annual claim limit to $60,000 to cover nearly all hospitalisation bills, and those facing financial difficulties are advised to seek assistance from medical social workers at public healthcare institutions.
A parliamentary question raised concerns about insufficient insurance coverage and financial support for employers, with the Minister of State noting that about 95% of bills were covered under the previous $15,000 limit and the new higher limit covers about 99% of bills.
An MP suggested allowing employers to use MediSave for their domestic workers' medical bills and including financial counselling in orientation programmes, but the Minister clarified that MediSave is reserved for Singaporeans and permanent residents, and the current orientation focuses on core responsibilities without expanding to financial planning.

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7 Nov 2023

Code of Practice Governing Acceptable Advertisements for Maid Agencies

Melvin Yong asked the Ministry of Manpower to consider legislating or issuing a code of practice for maid agency advertisements to ensure sensitivity toward foreign domestic helpers and prevent consumer confusion.
The Ministry of Manpower stated it takes a serious view of insensitive advertisements by employment agencies and has existing guidelines and advisories on acceptable advertising practices for migrant domestic workers.
The Ministry indicated it will investigate all cases of insensitive advertising and may take enforcement action against non-compliant employment agencies.

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7 Nov 2023

Employment of Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) and LTVP+ Holders with Letter of Consent

Gerald Giam Yean Song inquired whether LTVP/LTVP+ holders with Letter of Consent are subject to dependency ratio ceilings in companies and whether the Ministry would educate employers on this to facilitate their employment.
Tan See Leng clarified that such holders are not subject to foreign worker quotas, noting that this information is publicly available on the Ministry of Manpower's website.
The response emphasized that no active education campaign is planned as the details are already accessible to employers.

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7 Nov 2023

Checks on Foreigners Working Illegally as Food Delivery Riders

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked about routine checks, penalties for platforms, stricter penalties for abettors, and the number of cases of illegal food delivery by foreigners apprehended to date.
Minister Tan See Leng stated that the Ministry of Manpower relies mainly on complaints to detect illegal foreign food delivery riders, with 163 complaints received from 2018 to 18 October 2023, leading to enforcement actions against 10 foreigners.
Platforms or parties that abet illegal employment face penalties including a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both, under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

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7 Nov 2023

Adequacy of Dormitories for Number of Migrant Workers in Construction Sector

Gan Thiam Poh questioned if the current dormitory supply is sufficient for migrant workers in the construction sector.
Tan See Leng noted strong dormitory demand due to increased hiring post-COVID, with CMP sector workers at 120% of 2019 levels.
The government is working to increase dormitory beds and using temporary quarters for large projects.
Employers are urged to adopt productivity measures and secure housing before bringing workers into Singapore.
Since September 2023, employers in CMP sectors must provide proof of accommodation before importing workers.

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7 Nov 2023

State of Mental Health as Consideration when Granting Work Passes to Foreigners

Ms He Ting Ru asked if mental health considerations should influence work pass approvals for foreign professionals who lack quota or salary qualifications but can offer mental health services in Singapore.
The Ministry of Manpower noted it already provides flexible work passes for sectors with urgent needs like healthcare, requiring foreign professionals to meet Singapore’s practice standards.
Beyond hiring, efforts are underway to strengthen community mental health support through frontline personnel, volunteers, and enhanced competencies of existing providers.
A Tiered Care Model has been introduced under the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy to organize services across health and social sectors based on severity of needs.
These measures aim to lay the foundation for strategic enhancements to Singapore’s mental health ecosystem and improve access to care.

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7 Nov 2023

Manpower Crunch for Critical Healthcare Roles Such As Radiographers and Pharmacists

Melvin Yong asked if there is a manpower crunch for critical healthcare roles like radiographers and pharmacists, the reasons for it, and how the Ministry plans to address it.
Ong Ye Kung confirmed a healthcare capacity crunch, including manpower shortages for pharmacists and allied health professionals, driven by an ageing population and higher post-COVID patient load.
The Ministry is tackling the shortage through multiple measures such as expanding local training, offering recruitment incentives, keeping pay competitive, creating upgrading pathways, and using foreign manpower.
Additional steps include redesigning healthcare roles to be more meaningful and improving staff well-being with a zero-tolerance policy on harassment.

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6 Nov 2023

Feedback or Requests Received by Forward Assurance and Support Team Officers

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower for data over the past five years on substantiated cases of illegal employment, criminal kickbacks, false salary declarations, failure to refund agency fees, and illegal deployment reported to Forward Assurance and Support Team officers.
From 2020 to 2022, substantiated cases averaged about 180 per year for illegal employment, 60 for kickbacks, 65 for false salary declarations, 35 for illegal deployment, and three for failing to refund agency fees.
The number of substantiated cases across all five categories has been declining since 2020.

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6 Nov 2023

Profile of Each Major Group Outlined in Singapore Standard Occupational Classification 2020

Patrick Tay requested detailed demographic and employment statistics for each major occupational group in the manufacturing sector, including age, education, local/foreign worker proportions, salary, and vacancies over five years.
The Minister for Manpower stated that data on occupation numbers, percentages, age distribution, and vacancies are available in annual Labour Force and quarterly Labour Market reports on MOM's website.
Additional requested data on education levels, worker proportions, and salary ranges were provided in tables appended to the response.

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6 Nov 2023

Prevention of Failed Biometric Clearance Due to Eye Disorders or Physical Fading of Fingerprints

Miss Rachel Ong inquired about the incidence of biometric clearance failures among seniors due to eye disorders or fading fingerprints, and the support measures for the upcoming passport-free system.
The Minister for Home Affairs stated that the ICA does not track specific data on travellers facing biometric issues.
The Multi-Modal Biometrics System (MMBS) uses facial and iris images as the primary biometrics to assist seniors with fingerprint problems, with fingerprints as a fallback option.
In rare cases where all biometrics fail, manual counters and ICA officers are available to assist travellers.
These measures aim to ensure inclusive and efficient biometric clearance at Changi Airport moving forward.

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6 Nov 2023

Regulation for Dormitory Operators on Shuttle Transport Waiting Times and Adequacy of Service

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not currently require dormitory operators to monitor shuttle waiting times or service adequacy, as these services are often provided voluntarily and fall outside the mandatory provisions of the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act (FEDA).
Under FEDA, dormitory operators are only obligated to ensure dedicated transport to workplaces if workers do not walk, cycle, or use employer-provided transport, while non-work travel typically relies on public transport.
Residents can report transport issues via FAST or FWMOMCare, after which MOM collaborates with the Land Transport Authority and operators to address gaps in service.

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