Immigration & foreign manpower — Topics

3 Mar 2020

Salaries of Work Permit Holders since 1990, 2000 and 2019

Minister Teo stated that the median monthly salary of work permit holders (excluding domestic workers) increased by 2.2% annually from 2005 to 2019 in nominal terms, noting pre-2005 data is not directly comparable due to inclusion of higher-skilled workers.
She explained that wages reflect labor market demand and supply and do not necessarily correlate with industry profitability, citing a decline in the Marine Shipyard sector’s net operating surplus of 3.2% annually from 2005 to 2018.
Conversely, the Construction sector saw its net operating surplus grow by 9.3% annually from 2005 to 2017, as both sectors heavily rely on work permit holders.

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3 Mar 2020

Government's Role in Senior Management Appointments at Local Mainstream Media Organisations

Leon Perera asked whether the Government influences senior management appointments at Mediacorp and Singapore Press Holdings.
The Senior Minister of State responded that media organisations are commercial entities where appointments are decided by their boards and management.
Legislative safeguards under the Broadcasting Act and Newspaper and Printing Presses Act require IMDA approval for certain key appointments and mandate Singapore citizenship for CEOs and directors to prevent foreign influence.

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2 Mar 2020

Rationale for Requiring Work Permit Holder to Seek Approval to Marry Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident

The requirement applies only to work permit holders (WPHs) because they are considered transient workers who are less likely to meet Singapore's long-term stay criteria compared to Employment or S Pass holders.
Marriage to a Singapore citizen or permanent resident does not automatically grant the right to stay, so the policy aims to prevent situations where approval might be futile by signaling early that not all marriages will be permitted.
In the last five years, about 80% of WPHs who applied have been granted approval to marry a Singapore citizen or permanent resident, showing the policy is not absolute.

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2 Mar 2020

Number of Work Permit Holders Not Issued with Key Employment Terms from 2016 to 2019

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked for the number of work permit holders not issued with Key Employment Terms (KETs) from 2016 to 2019 and whether the Ministry would collect such data.
Mrs Josephine Teo stated that employers are legally required to issue KETs within 14 days of employment, with penalties for non-compliance, and that a 2019 survey showed 98% of employees received written KETs.
She added that work permit holders’ salaries and statutory benefits are protected even without KETs, and enforcement mechanisms like the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management and Employment Claims Tribunals penalize non-compliant employers.
The Ministry continues to strengthen enforcement and education through mass media, WorkRight initiatives, and targeted outreach to ensure legislative compliance.

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2 Mar 2020

Requirement for Employers to Declare Reasons for Salary Reduction from Amount Stated in In-principle Approval Letter

Louis Ng asked if employers should declare reasons for salary reductions from the In-Principle Approval letter amount when notifying MOM and workers.
Josephine Teo stated that employers must prove they obtained the worker's written agreement and notified MOM, or face reinstatement of the original salary, repayment of any shortfall, and a fine up to $10,000 per worker.
She noted that workers can refuse consent and seek help from MOM and the Migrant Workers’ Centre if terminated for refusal.
Teo explained that requiring reason declaration is redundant and could mislead workers into thinking the reduction is valid without consent.
The current system focuses on ensuring agreement and accountability rather than adding a declaration requirement.

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28 Feb 2020

Committee of Supply – Head U (Prime Minister's Office)

Members debated Singapore’s comprehensive climate strategy, with Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean announcing enhanced 2030 emissions targets and a 2050 net-zero aspiration, focusing on industry transformation, new technologies, and regional cooperation, while also outlining $100 billion over 100 years for coastal protection.
The House discussed population and family policies, with Minister Josephine Teo detailing enhancements to support marriage and parenthood, such as improved housing and preschool subsidies, and stressed the need for a whole-of-society effort to address low fertility and integrate immigrants.
The debate covered Smart Nation and digital government initiatives, with Minister Vivian Balakrishnan highlighting benefits like the Moments of Life app and improved digital services, while also addressing data security and the need for inclusive design to support vulnerable citizens.

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26 Feb 2020

Update on Possibility of Disallowing Downward Revisions from Salary Indicated in In-principle Approval Letter of Foreign Workers

Louis Ng asked for an update on disallowing downward salary revisions from the IPA letter for foreign workers.
MOM retained flexibility for employers to renegotiate salaries after consultation with stakeholders, arguing that disallowing cuts could force termination or hinder cost-saving measures during downturns.
MOM enforces protections by penalizing employers who reduce salaries without worker consent, requiring them to cover salary shortfalls and imposing fines up to $10,000 per worker.

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26 Feb 2020

Efforts to Ensure Work Pass Holders are Aware of COVID-19 Measures

The Ministry of Manpower has disseminated COVID-19 measures in multiple languages, encouraged employer briefings, and used foreign worker ambassadors to ensure work pass holders are informed, while also requiring employers to obtain approval before workers return to Singapore.
Work pass holders who violate COVID-19 measures risk cancellation, but those reporting employer violations are investigated, and actions have been taken against errant employers, with some workers allowed to find alternative employment.
Concerns were raised about workers facing employment difficulties after warnings and about work pass revocations for not answering calls, with the Ministry emphasizing public health priorities and investigating each case for validity.
For medical certificates related to COVID-19, employers can treat them as part of sick leave or hospitalisation leave, with flexibility encouraged and financial support available for employers during Leave of Absence or Stay-Home Notice.
Responsibility for compliance with travel approval rules is shared between employers and workers, with investigations conducted to ensure no worker is unfairly punished if reporting employer coercion.

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18 Feb 2020

Number of In-principle Approval Letters Issued for Foreign Domestic Workers with Zero Rest Days Declared

Mrs Josephine Teo explained that employers must provide weekly rest days or compensation in lieu if FDWs agree to work on them.
MOM data shows about 20% of FDWs agreed to compensation for all rest days at the point of work permit application over the past four years.
Rest day arrangements often change during employment based on mutual agreement, with surveys indicating 96–98% of FDWs have at least one rest day per month.

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18 Feb 2020

Reduction of Salary of Work Permit Holders to Below Amount Stated on In-principle Approval Letter

Louis Ng asked for the median absolute amount and percentage of salary reductions for work permit holders below the initial IPA letter amount over the past three years.
MOM reported that less than 2% of non-domestic work permit holders were affected annually, with median reductions ranging from $100 to $170 in absolute terms and 17% to 22% in percentage terms.
Employers must obtain written agreement and notify MOM before reducing salaries, and workers can report violations to MOM or TADM for resolution and possible transfer to a new employer.

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18 Feb 2020

Complaints of Excessive Number of Foreigners Working in Financial Institutions

Over the past three years, MOM and TAFEP received 65 complaints about the excessive hiring of foreigners in financial institutions, though many lacked specific details for follow-up.
Investigations into substantiated cases led to actions such as withholding work pass privileges, and locals consistently hold over 80% of high-paying jobs in the sector.
MOM has increased penalties for discrimination and uses data analytics to detect unfair hiring, urging the public to report specific instances confidentially.

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4 Feb 2020

Plans to Study Effectiveness of Pilot Household Services Scheme

Mr. Louis Ng asked whether the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will study the effectiveness of the pilot Household Services Scheme, what factors will be used to assess it, and how long the pilot will run before a decision on formalization.
MOM confirmed that the Household Services Scheme was piloted in 2017 to allow eligible companies to hire more foreign workers for part-time domestic services and that it has been monitoring demand and studying the Scheme’s effectiveness since then.
The Ministry expanded the number of HSS companies from 15 in 2017 to 50 in 2019 and is assessing how well the Scheme meets household needs, the risks of workers being diverted to non-domestic work, and has extended the pilot until August 2020 for evaluation.

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4 Feb 2020

Breakdown of Number of Families Consisting of Singaporean Citizens Married to Non-resident Spouses with Citizen and Non-resident Children

Ms Anthea Ong asked for the number of families with a Singaporean citizen married to a non-resident spouse and specific child compositions over the last five years.
The government responded that the latest estimate from the 2015 General Household Survey showed 18,700 such couples, with 1,200 having at least one non-resident child and 7,000 having at least one citizen child.
Data on couples with both citizen and non-resident children is unavailable, but the upcoming 2020 Census of Population will assess if this can be obtained.

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4 Feb 2020

Government Strategy for Growing Economy and Good Jobs without Over-reliance on Foreign Manpower

The Minister explained that Singapore’s strategy requires a balance of local and foreign talent to grow the economy and create high-quality jobs, using a Lego model to show how foreign complement allows Singaporeans to move into higher-paying roles over time.
He argued that a zero-foreign workforce growth policy is impractical due to Singapore’s near-full employment and peak local labour force, as it would prevent economic upgrading and risk losing investments and future job opportunities.
The government emphasized continuous upskilling of Singaporeans, managing foreign manpower levels to balance economic needs with social acceptance, and enforcing fair treatment through the Fair Consideration Framework.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked why Singapore cannot aim for zero-foreign manpower growth, while Mr Pritam Singh raised a clarification on the Workers’ Party’s 2013 position and called for a future debate on population policy.
The Minister and officials highlighted that immigration and workforce growth are complex, with societal and economic trade-offs, and stressed the need for shared understanding and careful navigation in the coming decade.

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4 Feb 2020

Written Contracts for Workers Covered under Employment of Foreign Manpower Act

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked why written contracts are not mandatory for foreign workers under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and if there are plans to make them mandatory, citing concerns over power imbalances and enforceability.
The Minister of State for Manpower explained that existing requirements for key employment terms (KETs) and In-Principle Approval (IPA) letters already provide written clarity, and making contracts mandatory could risk leaving workers without legal protection if no contract is issued.
The Minister highlighted high compliance rates, with 98% of foreign workers having IPAs before arrival and programs like the Settling-In Programme to educate workers on their rights, though concerns remain about the 2% without IPAs and potential salary reductions.
Members raised ongoing issues about salary reductions after IPA issuance and the need for stronger safeguards, with the Minister noting current checks and NGO involvement in training to address these concerns.
The debate concluded with an acknowledgment of progress but a commitment to further improvements, particularly for vulnerable sectors like construction and manufacturing.

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3 Feb 2020

Median Salary of Foreign Domestic Workers by Nationality and Experience

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked for the median salary of foreign domestic workers broken down by nationality, whether hired through the Eldercarer FDW Scheme, and prior work experience in Singapore.
Mrs Josephine Teo stated the median basic monthly salary over three years is $560, with experienced workers earning about $20 more, but nationality-based data is withheld to avoid invidious comparisons and does not reflect salary adjustments for longer-serving workers.
FDWs hired via the Eldercarer FDW Scheme have a median salary of about $570, ranging from $400 to $1,000, with differences influenced by training, prior experience, and care recipient needs.

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3 Feb 2020

Expanding Exceptions to Concessions for Levies on Foreign Domestic Workers

Christopher de Souza proposed expanding exceptions to levy concessions for foreign domestic workers to assist caregivers when a disabled family member requires two workers for daily activities.
The Ministry of Manpower currently allows up to two FDWs per care recipient but limits the $60 concessionary levy to only one FDW per recipient to ensure fairness across varying caregiving needs.
Additional support includes the Home Caregiving Grant offering $200 monthly cash payouts and a $200 annual Caregivers Training Grant to help defray caregiving costs, including FDW expenses.
The government plans to continue reviewing and enhancing home-based support measures for persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

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3 Feb 2020

Placement Quotas for Employment Agencies of Foreign Domestic Workers

The Ministry of Manpower does not set a mandatory quota for employment agencies on the number of foreign domestic workers they must place, but agencies in the Advance Placement Scheme are encouraged to commit to placing at least 20 FDWs monthly.
This encouragement aims to ensure a sufficient pool of FDWs for employers with urgent caregiving needs, and the Ministry monitors placement volumes without penalizing agencies for failing to meet the commitment.
Agencies that consistently fail to place any FDWs under the scheme may be dropped, but no agency has been penalized for not meeting the commitment to date.

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3 Feb 2020

Impact on Citizen Unemployment Rate When Persons who are Employed Become New Citizens

The Minister for Manpower stated that the citizen unemployment rate is derived from surveys based on current citizenship, not the timing of citizenship acquisition, making it impossible to precisely isolate the impact of new citizens.
She explained that adding an employed person to the citizen labour force has a mathematically negligible effect on the unemployment rate, using an example where the rate would fall from 3% to 2.97%.
The Minister noted that less than 1% of Singapore's citizen population receives citizenship in a given year, and many are not in the labour force, further minimizing any impact on the unemployment rate.

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3 Feb 2020

Renewal of Re-Entry Permits for Retired Singapore PRs

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked the Ministry of Home Affairs for statistics on the renewal of re-entry permits for retired Singapore Permanent Residents over the last five years, including rejection rates and comparisons with previous years, as well as the criteria for approval.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary responded that approximately 52,400 retired PRs applied for renewal in the last five years, with a 2% rejection rate, primarily due to prolonged absence and lack of family roots, a rate similar to the 2010–2014 period; renewals are generally granted to recognize past contributions.
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira sought clarification on whether retired applicants need to demonstrate financial self-support, noting that some retirees may face financial difficulties despite long-term contributions to Singapore.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary clarified that the key criteria for renewing re-entry permits for retired PRs are having family roots in Singapore and not being absent for prolonged periods, rather than current employment or income, as retired individuals may not be able to declare employment.

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