Immigration & foreign manpower — Topics

4 Jul 2023

FAS Review on Performance of Football Team at Southeast Asia Games 2023

The FAS review on the football team’s performance at the 2023 SEA Games is ongoing, with findings expected in July.
The government prioritizes developing local talent but is open to assessing and naturalising foreign players who demonstrate both sporting ability and commitment to integrating into Singapore.
Any naturalisation scheme will be carefully calibrated to align with broader sporting policies and the principles of granting citizenship.

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4 Jul 2023

Household Income of Applicants Granted Permanent Residency and Citizenship

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked for the average and median household income of applicants granted permanent residency and citizenship over the past five years.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated it does not have household income data for these applicants.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) only collects income information for the applicant and/or sponsor at the time of application, as household income includes others who may not be applicants or sponsors.

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4 Jul 2023

Update on Discussions with China on Bilateral Visa-free Travel Arrangement

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that discussions with China on reinstating a bilateral visa-free travel arrangement are still ongoing.
There is no fixed timeline provided for the reinstatement of the visa-free travel arrangement.
Member of Parliament Chua Kheng Wee Louis specifically inquired about an update on these discussions and the expected start date.

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4 Jul 2023

Mandating Increase in Accommodation Allowances for Foreign Healthcare Workers Given Recent Rental Rate Increase

Dennis Tan asked if the Ministry of Health will mandate or recommend higher accommodation allowances for foreign healthcare workers due to rising rental costs.
Ong Ye Kung responded that public healthcare and community care organisations provide housing allowances, but the ministry does not mandate specific amounts.
The Ministry of Health continues to monitor housing allowances as part of the salary package for foreign healthcare workers.
MOH Holdings is studying the feasibility of providing hostel-type accommodation for new foreign healthcare workers upon their arrival in Singapore.

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4 Jul 2023

Study on Adequacy of Ventilation in Migrant Workers' Dormitory Rooms

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked whether the Ministry has studied ventilation adequacy in migrant worker dormitories using CO2 readings and if so, what the results were, or if not, whether such studies would be conducted.
In 2021, the National Environment Agency and Ministry of Manpower conducted a study using CO2 measurements and found almost all readings in dormitory common areas were below 1,100 parts per million, indicating adequate ventilation.
Dormitory operators are required by law to ensure adequate ventilation, with the 1,100 ppm threshold based on Singapore and international standards for indoor air quality.

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4 Jul 2023

Food-handling Guidelines for Catered Food for Migrant Workers Living in Dormitories

Louis Ng asked whether catered food for migrant workers in dormitories must follow SFA’s guidelines, how MOM works with SFA to ensure compliance, and what alternative guidelines apply if not.
The Minister responded that SFA’s guidelines are voluntary but recommend using licensed caterers, and dormitory operators must source from such caterers and ensure food is stored and delivered safely.
MOM conducts regular inspections of dormitories to enforce food safety measures and refers caterer-specific issues to SFA, while taking enforcement action against non-compliant operators or employers.
Migrant workers can report food-related concerns to MOM’s support teams or via the FWMOMCare app.

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3 Jul 2023

Worker Accommodation Expenses as Percentage of Overall Cost of Employing Foreign Workers

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Ministry for Manpower about the proportion of overall employment costs attributed to foreign worker accommodation, the trend in accommodation costs over the past five years, and how the government plans to manage rising costs while ensuring affordability for projects and decent living conditions.
The Ministry of Manpower tracks only rental rates for commercial dormitories, not other accommodation types or broader business expenditure, with median monthly rents for new dormitory beds rising from about $280 in early 2019 to $420 in early 2023 due to inflation and strong post-pandemic demand.
Although the government has added nearly 17,000 dormitory beds since late 2022, the surge in foreign worker numbers—up 18% from pre-pandemic levels and 35% since early 2022—has outpaced supply, prompting calls for employers to adopt productivity measures or consider building their own dormitories to ease cost pressures.

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3 Jul 2023

Foreign Healthcare Employees Granted Singapore Permanent Residency

Dr Tan Wu Meng asked for data on foreign healthcare workers granted permanent residency over five years and whether those who served during COVID-19 could be prioritized.
Minister Ong Ye Kung replied that around 1,200 foreign healthcare workers received PR annually on average, with over 60% being nurses.
He added that more nurses were granted PR in the past year in recognition of their essential role during the pandemic and to support Singapore's healthcare needs.
The government remains prepared to grant PR status to foreign healthcare workers who are valued members of the community and demonstrate commitment to Singapore.

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3 Jul 2023

Assistance Extended to Schools Facing Difficulty with School Bus Contracts

The Ministry of Education is working with school bus associations to address industry challenges such as driver shortages, rising costs, and the point-to-point service model, which threaten the affordability and sustainability of school bus services.
Measures include a time-limited increase in Foreign Worker quotas for school bus drivers to achieve economies of scale, with the first batch of applications processed and more expected as school bus tenders for the next year are awarded.
The Land Transport Authority will ensure sufficient training capacity and facilitate applications for the Bus Driver's Vocational Licence to help those keen to become school bus drivers obtain their licences quickly.
MOE will evolve school bus contracts to provide operators with more flexibility, such as offering common pick-up/drop-off points and discontinuing services with insufficient demand, to aid cost management and better utilize scarce manpower.
The majority of Primary 1 students are posted to schools of their choice or within two kilometres of their homes, and many older students use public transport instead of school buses, indicating that school bus services are used by a minority of primary school students.

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10 May 2023

Food Safety and Hygiene for Migrant Workers Staying in Dormitories

Miss Rachel Ong asked about plans to monitor food safety and hygiene for migrant workers in dormitories regulated under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act.
MOM officers regularly inspect dormitories to ensure clean cooking areas, food from licensed sources, and proper storage to prevent contamination.
Dormitory operators must rectify lapses immediately, and MOM takes enforcement actions against errant operators.
Residents can report food issues via MOM’s FAST officers or the FWMOMCare mobile app.

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10 May 2023

Criteria Used for Occupations Placed on Non-Traditional Sources Occupation List

The Non-Traditional Sources Occupation List includes seven occupations selected based on the number of S Pass holders affected by upcoming policy changes, local employment numbers, and local employment outcomes.
The Ministry of Manpower reviews the list every three years with sector agencies and tripartite partners, with flexibility for more regular reviews to support lower-wage workers and industry transformation.
Sharael Taha highlighted that the aerospace industry’s recovery is hindered by a lack of support roles like machinists and fitters, and requested these be added to the NTS list.
The Minister agreed to consider adding specific aerospace support roles, balancing industry needs with long-term productivity goals, and suggested engaging the Economic Development Board and the M-SEP scheme for manpower flexibility.

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9 May 2023

Data of Non-residents by Age, Employment Status, Profession and Income

Leong Mun Wai requested a yearly breakdown since 2000 of Singapore's non-residents by age, employment status, profession, and income.
Indranee Rajah, for the Prime Minister, stated that from 2000 to 2022, 92% of non-residents were aged 15–64, 5% were 0–14, and 3% were 65+, with 80% employed and 20% dependents or students.
The proportion of professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMETs) among employed non-residents rose from 15% in 2002 to 27% in 2022, mirroring trends in the resident workforce.
Median salaries for work pass holders (EP, S Pass, Work Permit) increased over the years, reflecting efforts to improve foreign workforce complementarity, with S Pass data unavailable before its 2004 introduction.

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9 May 2023

Payment Rates for Work Permit Holders Asked to Work on Rest Days

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not track the number of Work Permit holders asked to work on rest days or the payment rates they receive, but compensation rules require one day’s basic pay if the worker requests the work and two days’ if the employer requests it.
From 2020 to 2022, the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management handled about 535 annual claims from Work Permit holders regarding rest day pay issues, with 95% resolved through mediation and the rest referred to the Employment Claims Tribunals.
MOM investigated an average of 68 complaints per year about rest day pay, mainly due to administrative errors or financial difficulties, and took an educational approach for most cases, with stern enforcement in about 7% of cases involving severe breaches.

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9 May 2023

Cases of Migrant Worker Dormitory Operators Falling Short of Expectations for Food Storage and Drop-off

Louis Ng asked the Ministry of Manpower about the number of dormitory operators found with inadequate food storage and drop-off points over the past five years.
The Ministry reported that in the past two years, nine operators were found not protecting food from contamination until collection.
All operators complied immediately with MOM's instructions to improve, such as providing sheltered drop-off points, and no enforcement action was needed.
Dormitory residents can report food issues to MOM via the Forward Assurance and Support Team or the FWMOMCare app, and MOM will follow up with operators or employers.
MOM noted that in serious or recalcitrant cases, it has and will take appropriate enforcement action.

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9 May 2023

Use of Mattresses in Migrant Worker Dormitories

The Ministry of Manpower clarified that it does not prohibit the use of mattresses in migrant worker dormitories and requires operators to provide beds with a bed frame and mattress or bed board.
The ministry conducted 19 proactive investigations between 2018 and 2022 on mattress-related issues but found no cases of prohibition, with issues mainly due to workers’ personal preferences or unoccupied beds.
A member of parliament highlighted that some dormitories he visited lacked mattresses and reported a misconception among workers that MOM prohibits them, prompting a call for clearer awareness.
The ministry advised workers to contact Assurance, Care and Engagement officers or use the FWMOMCare app to report any prohibitions and ensure their rights are upheld.

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8 May 2023

Data on Average Recruitment Fees Paid by Low-wage Migrant Workers

Leon Perera asked the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) whether it collects data on the average recruitment fees paid by low-wage migrant workers, and if so, to provide the average fees from Bangladesh, India, China, and the Philippines, as well as a comparison with fees in other major migrant-receiving countries.
MOM replied that it does not track average recruitment fees because most fees are incurred in the workers' home countries and are difficult to ascertain.
Based on ad hoc interviews in 2019, MOM noted that migrant workers typically pay between S$2,000 and S$10,000 in fees to work in Singapore, varying with home country economic conditions and intermediary involvement.
MOM stated it does not collect data on recruitment fees paid by migrant workers in other countries.
The debate highlighted that while some fee ranges are known, systematic data collection is limited due to the decentralized nature of recruitment processes.

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8 May 2023

Plans to Mitigate Effects of Shortage Occupation List on Reliance on Foreign Labour

Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Manpower how the ministry plans to prevent the Shortage Occupation List from entrenching reliance on foreign labour or depressing wages for Singaporeans, and for how long such occupations are expected to remain on the list.
The Minister for Manpower explained that the Shortage Occupation List aims to complement local talent development by allowing companies to access foreign professionals for shortage occupations, with criteria including industry plans to train locals.
He stated that salaries for these occupations are competitive and will not depress wages for Singaporeans, as foreign professionals must meet the Employment Pass qualifying salary benchmarked against the top one-third of local professionals.
The Shortage Occupation List will be reviewed every three years to reassess shortages and whether commitments to develop the local pipeline have been achieved.

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8 May 2023

Permanent Residency Granted, Funds Invested and Jobs Created under Global Investor Programme

Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Trade and Industry for data on permanent residencies, investments, and funds under the Global Investor Programme (GIP) since 2004, including returns on GIP funds.
He also requested estimates of jobs and business spending created by Options A and B of the GIP since 2004.
The Minister responded that details on permanent residencies, investments, and job creation under GIP were previously shared in Parliament in February 2023, but the ministry does not track investment returns of individual GIP funds.

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8 May 2023

Extending Reach of Drug Consumption Offence to Include Other Singapore Residents

The debate questioned why Section 8A of the Misuse of Drugs Act applies extraterritorial jurisdiction only to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents.
The Minister explained that the law was introduced to deter permanent residents from circumventing local drug laws by consuming drugs overseas to avoid downstream criminal and social problems.
The Ministry currently sees no need to extend this extraterritorial reach to other residents like Long-Term Visit Pass holders, as their stay is more transient and they can be deported if found abusing drugs.
The rationale is to focus on those with permanent ties to Singapore while relying on immigration controls for more temporary residents.

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8 May 2023

Plans to Ensure Sufficient Singaporean Bus Drivers for All Categories of Passengers

The Government acknowledges that the reopening of the economy has increased demand for bus drivers, leading to manpower tightness for some operators.
Initiatives such as wage increases, flexible work arrangements, and sign-on bonuses are being implemented to attract and retain local bus drivers.
The Government is complementing local drivers with foreign drivers and providing targeted support, including additional foreign worker quotas on a time-limited basis for public and school bus operators.

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