Immigration & foreign manpower — Topics

4 Oct 2022

Minimum Experience and Qualification for Experienced Tech Professionals Applying for Five-Year Employment Pass

Hazel Poa inquired whether minimum experience or educational qualifications would be required for experienced tech professionals applying for the five-year Employment Pass.
Tan See Leng stated that the Ministry of Manpower is still reviewing which occupations will be eligible for the five-year Employment Pass.
Eligible applicants must meet a minimum monthly salary of $10,500 to reflect mid-level experience.
The Ministry will conduct specific occupation-based checks and verification to ensure applicants have the required skills and relevant qualifications for their roles.

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4 Oct 2022

Encouraging Transition Towards Household Services Scheme for Families with Foreign Domestic Worker

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked if the Ministry of Manpower is studying ways to encourage more families to transition from foreign domestic workers to the Household Services Scheme.
The Household Services Scheme has seen significant growth since becoming permanent in September 2021, with over 20,000 households served, including about 27% who previously employed migrant domestic workers.
The Ministry plans to broaden the scheme’s scope to include basic child-minding and elder-minding services to further encourage households with lighter needs to consider HSS over hiring full-time domestic workers.
The Ministry will provide more details on the expanded services in the coming months.

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4 Oct 2022

Ease of Application for Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass Compared with that for Personalised Employment Pass

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked if the Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass (ONE Pass) is easier to apply for than the Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) and whether fast-track PR or citizenship is intended for such pass holders.
Minister Tan See Leng clarified that the ONE Pass criteria are set higher and harder to meet than the PEP, with additional checks on factors like company market capitalization and revenue for overseas candidates.
He also stated that the ONE Pass does not fast-track permanent residency or citizenship, as these are assessed independently by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.

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4 Oct 2022

Amount Owed for Medical Services Provided to Foreigners

The amount owed by foreigners on Long-Term Visit Passes (LTVP) is not specifically tracked, but overall arrears from all foreigners at public healthcare institutions were less than 0.1% of total bills from 2017 to 2021.
LTVP holders are not eligible for government healthcare subsidies, but their sponsors may use employee medical benefits or private insurance, and Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents can use MediSave for their immediate family members, including LTVP holders.
Medical social workers at public healthcare institutions can assist LTVP holders facing financial difficulties with payment plans or charity funds based on assessment.

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4 Oct 2022

Foreign Students who Receive Tuition Fee Grants or Scholarships and Subsequently Become Singapore Citizens

Leong Mun Wai asked the Ministry of Education for data on how many foreign students who received tuition fee grants or scholarships later became Singapore citizens and performed full-time National Service.
Chan Chun Sing stated that among university graduates from 2014 to 2016, about 75% of scholarship holders and 60% of tuition grant recipients became Permanent Residents within five years, with 10% to 15% converting to Singapore citizenship in the same period.
He noted that National Service eligibility follows national policies and that the Ministry of Education does not track whether these individuals perform National Service.

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3 Oct 2022

Definition of "Discrimination" under Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices

TAFEP investigates all reports of workplace discrimination based on the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, which require hiring, promotion, and rewards to be based on merit and job-relevant factors.
Breaches include hiring foreigners without considering similarly qualified locals or shortlisting candidates for reasons unrelated to job requirements, such as age or race, leading to referrals to MOM for enforcement.
Employers found in breach may face actions like suspension of work pass privileges, and future workplace fairness legislation will define discrimination more clearly and enable a wider range of enforcement actions.

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3 Oct 2022

Repatriation Costs for Work Permit Holders and Migrant Domestic Workers Terminating Employment on Own Accord Within First Month

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) informs employers upfront in writing and online that they are responsible for repatriation costs regardless of contract termination circumstances.
MOM has introduced a service fee refund policy requiring agencies to refund at least 50% of fees if a migrant domestic worker’s employment ends within the first six months.
Employers can transfer migrant domestic workers to new employers through participating agencies, which then bear upkeep and repatriation costs if the transfer fails.
The debate focused on whether to share repatriation cost information more visibly and to reconsider cost-sharing when migrant domestic workers leave within the first month.

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3 Oct 2022

English Language Qualification Requirement for Employment Pass Applicants

Leong Mun Wai asked whether there are English language qualification requirements for Employment Pass applicants and the reasons for not imposing them if none exist.
Tan See Leng stated that no such English language requirements are imposed by the Ministry of Manpower for Employment Pass applicants.
The Ministry believes employers are better positioned to specify English proficiency levels based on business needs and job-specific requirements.
Consequently, the Ministry does not mandate English language qualifications for Employment Pass applications.

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3 Oct 2022

Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass for Healthcare Professionals

Dr Tan Yia Swam proposed a personalized pass for healthcare professionals to attract top talent and asked for expedited dependant passes for their families.
The Minister confirmed the existing Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass already includes healthcare professionals earning at least $30,000 monthly.
Dependant pass applications for healthcare workers are typically processed within three weeks, meeting service standards.
Applicants are advised to submit dependant pass applications early to account for processing time.
The Ministry appreciates the need for speed and certainty in processing work and dependant passes for healthcare talent.

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3 Oct 2022

Limit on Number of Dependants an Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass Holder Can Bring In

Patrick Tay asked the Manpower Ministry if it will limit the number of dependants, beyond spouses, that Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass holders can bring to Singapore.
The Ministry responded that these pass holders can bring in unmarried children under 21 and parents with no cap on the total number of eligible dependants.
The Ministry noted that fewer than half of Employment Pass holders sponsor dependants, and those who do typically bring in an average of two dependants.

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3 Oct 2022

Average Number of New Citizens and PRs Enlisted for Full-time National Service

Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Defence about the average number of new citizens and permanent residents enlisted for full-time National Service.
The Minister for Defence, Ng Eng Hen, responded that in 2021, approximately 2,500 new citizens and 2,000 PRs enlisted.
The question noted that new citizens and PRs make up about 20% of enlisted National Servicemen.

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3 Oct 2022

Data on Employment Pass Applications by Family Offices in Singapore

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng stated that Employment Pass applications from Single Family Offices are processed like other applications and rejected for similar reasons, such as failing to meet salary criteria or verification checks, with no specific data on rejections for family office applicants or their immediate family members.
The new Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass scheme is open to top talent across sectors, requiring a fixed monthly salary of at least S$30,000 and proof of work with an established company overseas or in Singapore, with family office applicants eligible if they meet these criteria.
As of end-2021, there were about 700 Single Family Offices in Singapore, and applicants who do not qualify for the ONE Pass can continue applying for other work passes.

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3 Oct 2022

Training for Work Pass, Long-term Visit Pass and Dependant Pass Holders

Ms Hazel Poa asked about government-subsidised training schemes for work pass, long-term visit pass, and dependant pass holders, including details and subsidies spent over the past three years.
Minister Chan Chun Sing stated that training subsidies are primarily for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents to support local workforce upskilling and meet industry skills demand.
Long-Term Visit Pass Plus (LTVP+) holders, who are eligible foreign spouses of Singapore Citizens, are extended some training subsidies, but they account for less than 0.02% of total subsidies since October 2021.
The government’s focus is on local workforce development, with limited subsidy provisions for specific foreign pass holders like LTVP+ holders.
No specific subsidies for work pass or dependant pass holders were mentioned, indicating these groups do not receive similar training support.

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3 Oct 2022

Efforts to Grow Manpower Talent for Key Sectors and to Groom Local Pipeline

The Ministry of Manpower outlined a three-pronged strategy to grow local talent while ensuring foreign workforce complementarity, emphasizing that a balanced approach supports job growth and wage increases for Singaporeans without quotas on Employment Passes.
Oversight mechanisms like the Fair Consideration Framework and COMPASS are being strengthened to promote fair hiring, with data analytics used to detect discrimination and enforcement actions taken against non-compliant companies.
Initiatives such as the Singapore Global Network and sector-specific programmes aim to attract overseas Singaporean talent back home, with support for relocation and career transition, though detailed data on leadership roles is not yet available.
The Ministry is reviewing the COMPASS framework and considering feedback on fixed-term Employment Passes, but maintains that current policies strike the right balance between business needs and local workforce development.

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13 Sep 2022

Criteria for Admission to Preschools Supported by Anchor or Partner Operator Schemes

The Ministry requires preschools under the Anchor Operator and Partner Operator Schemes to give priority to Singapore Citizens during enrollment.
Enrollment decisions by these preschools consider additional factors such as whether siblings are already enrolled and the proximity of the child’s home to the centre.
The Ministry has not specifically required prioritizing Singapore Citizens living within one kilometre of the preschool, though proximity is already a consideration.

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13 Sep 2022

Statistics on New Male Citizens who Do Not Serve National Service

Mr Leong Mun Wai requested statistics on new male citizens who did not serve National Service (NS) from 2000 to 2021, broken down by age groups and their participation in the SAF Volunteer Corps (SAFVC).
Minister Ng Eng Hen explained that most new male citizens below 30 are enlisted for NS if they stayed in Singapore young, while those in their 30s and 40s are typically not enlisted due to age and prior benefits.
The SAFVC, established in 2014, sees about 250 new male citizens and Permanent Residents applying annually, though specific numbers of non-NS participants were not provided in the response.

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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

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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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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