Immigration & foreign manpower — Topics

7 May 2019

Short-term Work Permits for Foreign Domestic Workers to Provide Respite Support for Singaporean Families

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not plan to introduce short-term work permits for foreign domestic workers (FDWs) due to concerns about worker stability and financial burdens, but pointed to the Household Services Scheme (HSS) for cleaning services and other care options.
The standard two-year work permit for FDWs provides stability for both employers and workers, while MOM is open to extending the HSS pilot to include caregiving services pending industry demand and support.
Subsidies for the HSS are being considered to help sandwiched families, with the current concessionary FDW levy focused on families with young children or elderly.

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6 May 2019

Medical Insurance Coverage for Foreign Domestic Workers

The Minister stated that the government does not track how many employers purchase medical insurance beyond the compulsory $15,000 coverage for inpatient care for foreign domestic workers, noting that 96% of medical bills over the past three years were below this amount.
Employers facing difficulties paying medical bills for their workers without additional insurance can seek assistance from hospitals, and outpatient care bills are typically lower and managed directly by employers.
The Ministry is not requiring compulsory medical insurance to cover outpatient care, as this would raise premiums for all employers and may not be widely supported.

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6 May 2019

Unpaid Salaries Owed to Foreign Employees

Anthea Ong inquired about the amounts owed to and recovered by foreign employees from unpaid salary orders by the Employment Claims Tribunal in 2017 and 2018.
The Ministry of Manpower reported that unpaid salary orders to foreign claimants remained stable between 2017 and 2018, with about half of the total ordered amount recovered.
Around 40% of claimants received full payment, 40% received partial payment, and the average debt for those fully recovered was significantly lower than for those partially or not recovered.
Most cases of partial or no payment involved employers in financial difficulty, highlighting the importance of early reporting to improve recovery prospects.
The Ministry encourages workers and NGOs to report salary arrears early to the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management to enhance recovery chances.

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1 Apr 2019

Statistics on Households with at Least One Member over Age 65 Employing Foreign Domestic Workers from 2015 to 2018

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira requested data from 2015 to 2018 on the number and proportion of households with at least one member over age 65 employing foreign domestic workers, disaggregated by housing type, as well as the count of such households receiving the Foreign Domestic Worker Grant.
Mrs Josephine Teo provided figures showing the number and proportion of resident households with members aged 65 and above employing foreign domestic workers from 2015 to 2018, noting the concessionary levy rate for such households.
She also stated that as of December 2018, about 9,500 households caring for seniors aged 65 and above were receiving the Foreign Domestic Worker Grant, which supports families hiring a foreign domestic worker for seniors needing permanent assistance with daily activities.

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1 Apr 2019

Review Eligibility Criteria of Dependant's Passes for Children by Considering Combined Household Income

Mr Ong Teng Koon asked the Ministry for Manpower to review the eligibility criteria for Dependant's Passes for children by considering combined household income when both parents are working on employment or S-passes.
The Minister for Manpower, Mrs Josephine Teo, responded that Singapore cannot support all employment or S-pass holders who wish to bring their dependants, and the sponsor's ability to afford the family's cost of living is a key consideration.
She explained that the fixed monthly salary of the main pass holder is a more stable indicator than combined household income, as there is no assurance both parents will maintain continuous employment.
Mrs Teo stated that the Ministry has no plans to change the current approach of using the main pass holder's salary for eligibility assessment.
The debate highlights a focus on financial stability and the government's stance on managing the intake of dependants for non-resident workers.

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7 Mar 2019

Expanding Foreign Construction Worker Directory System to Other Sectors

The Minister of State for Manpower explained that the Foreign Construction Worker Directory System (FCWDS) was established by the construction industry to address cyclical project-based work, and it has been integrated into a mobile app for accessibility, but there has been no expressed interest from other sectors to adopt a similar system.
The Member for Nee Soon proposed extending the directory system to the cleaning sector due to its similar cyclical nature and suggested incentivizing the hiring of existing foreign workers in Singapore through reduced levies.
The Minister of State responded that while the construction sector's project-based nature necessitated the FCWDS, the services sector like cleaning has longer contract periods, and any expansion would require interest from industry associations, though ad-hoc facilitation between employers is already provided in cases like Town Councils.

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5 Mar 2019

Workers in Cleaning Sector on R1 (Higher Skilled) Scheme

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower about the percentage of cleaning sector workers on the R1 scheme and their nationality breakdown over the last three years.
Over the last three years, about 20% of Work Permit Holders in the cleaning sector were higher-skilled (R1) workers.
The Ministry does not provide data on foreign workers broken down by nationality.

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1 Mar 2019

Availability of Data on Cleaning Companies Applying Progressive Wage Model to Foreign Cleaners

Louis Ng asked for the percentage of cleaning companies applying the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) to foreign cleaners and whether data on this would be collected.
Masagos Zulkifli explained that PWM is mandatory for local cleaners but not for foreign cleaners, who have different employment terms and higher costs for employers.
He noted that about 23% of cleaning companies with foreign cleaners paid wages at or above PWM levels as of January 2019, but data collection focuses on local cleaners.
The Ministry encourages all employers to adopt PWM principles of skill upgrading and productivity-based wage progression for all workers, regardless of citizenship.
The debate highlights a gap in mandatory PWM coverage for foreign cleaners and limited data tracking, with a push for broader voluntary adoption.

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26 Feb 2019

Claims under Work Injury Compensation Act by S Pass and Work Permit Holders in Last Three Years

In 2018, 70% of claims by S Pass and Work Permit holders were determined valid or invalid within one month, with the remainder taking longer due to various delays.
Delays in claim processing were commonly caused by incomplete information from employees, difficulty in obtaining witness statements, and waiting for medical assessments for non-visible injuries.
Claims taking longer than six months were primarily due to complex investigations into suspected fraudulent cases, which required thorough evidence gathering to conclusively determine validity.

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26 Feb 2019

Debate on Annual Budget Statement

Dennis Tan expressed concerns that the diesel tax increase, while aimed at environmental resilience, could hurt economic resilience by raising transportation and business costs without providing immediate alternatives for switching to electric or hybrid vehicles.
He also questioned the resilience of Singapore’s aerospace and maritime sectors, citing risks from airspace reclaims by Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as ongoing maritime disputes, which could affect Changi Airport’s future and port operations.
Tan emphasized the need for security resiliency by ensuring national service personnel remain confident and motivated, given the conscript nature of the SAF.
In his Mandarin address, he proposed five measures to help seniors age with independence, including auto-enrolment in healthcare subsidies, raising retirement ages, and enhancing CPF flexibility for older workers and women.
Chee Hong Tat defended the tightening of the Dependency Ratio Ceiling and S Pass sub-ceiling for the Services sector as necessary to moderate foreign worker growth and protect local employment, while highlighting government support for productivity improvements and enterprise transformation.

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18 Feb 2019

Requirements on Overseas Retailers for Supply of Labour on Installation Works

The Ministry of Manpower clarified that all foreign workers, including those installing goods from overseas retailers, must have valid work passes, and illegal workers face fines, imprisonment, or entry bans.
The Minister assured small businesses that enforcement is actively carried out, with hundreds of illegal workers and employers penalized annually, and urged the public to report violations.
When asked about acting against overseas retailers, the Ministry explained it targets illegal work activities rather than the retailers themselves, relying on public reports to initiate investigations.

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18 Feb 2019

Employment Screening Process for Foreigners Applying for Work Permit

The Ministry of Manpower screens work permit applicants for security and adverse records, rejecting about 8,400 applicants per year between 2016 and 2018 due to unsatisfactory records.
The Minister confirmed that maids involved in unlicensed moneylending are automatically blacklisted and barred from returning to work in Singapore without employer intervention.
Employers can appeal to blacklist maids for adverse conduct, but the Ministry will also mark such records independently if the conduct is known.
The screening process aims to prevent undesirable individuals from working in Singapore and applies to all foreign work permit applicants.
The Ministry’s policies ensure that adverse records are maintained to protect employers and the local workforce.

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13 Feb 2019

ASEAN Members' Efforts at Recent Meeting to Address Challenges in Repatriating Refugees from Rakhine State

ASEAN agreed to finalize the Terms of Reference for a needs assessment team to identify ways to support refugees and enhance trust for voluntary repatriation, but deployment was postponed due to renewed violence in Rakhine State involving the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army.
The Minister emphasized that repatriation must be voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable, with ASEAN limited to providing health, education, and inter-faith dialogue support, while fundamental issues like citizenship are Myanmar's internal responsibility.
Concerns were raised about refugees' security, livelihood, and education, with ASEAN acknowledging the need for contingency plans and ongoing support in Bangladesh, but no division among ASEAN members on the broader approach.

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11 Feb 2019

Breakdown of PhD Students, Academic and Non-Faculty Research and Teaching Staff in Autonomous Universities

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked for a breakdown of local and foreign academics, PhD students, non-faculty research staff, and non-faculty teaching staff in autonomous universities by age group, discipline, and rank.
Ong Ye Kung stated that PhD students are not staff and noted the median age of academics and non-faculty teaching staff is around 50, with details on Singaporean Citizen proportions by age in tables.
For academics, Singaporean Citizens make up 50% in STEM and 48% in Social Sciences and Humanities, with higher proportions for non-faculty researchers and teaching staff in SSH disciplines.
Among senior academics (Associate Professors and above), Singaporean Citizens account for 50%.
Detailed tables provide breakdowns by staff category, age group, discipline, and academic rank, with researchers predominantly below age 50.

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11 Feb 2019

Government Action to Reduce Number of Stateless Residents in Singapore

As of December 2018, there were 1,303 stateless residents in Singapore, with 80% being Permanent Residents.
Stateless individuals in Singapore include those who lost foreign citizenship and those born in Singapore but not eligible for citizenship at birth.
The government provides pathways for stateless persons to attain Singapore citizenship based on standard requirements like economic contribution and length of stay.

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11 Feb 2019

Safeguards for Employers Who Make Advance Salary Payments for Their Foreign Domestic Workers to Settle Loans

The Ministry of Manpower requires employment agencies to fully disclose fees and refund policies for advance salary payments made by employers to settle foreign domestic workers’ loans, with refunds typically available if the worker leaves early or is repatriated.
MOM inspects agencies, acts on feedback, and has taken action against agencies that fail to state refund policies, while employers can choose agencies that offer customized packages without advance payments.
A suggestion to require bonds for advance payments was noted but needs careful consideration to avoid passing costs to employers, and MOM enforces fee caps and can revoke licenses for non-compliant agencies.
MOM has no jurisdiction over foreign agencies but will investigate local cases and collaborate with embassies to address malpractices at the source.

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15 Jan 2019

Income Tax Rate of Employment Pass Holders

Gan Thiam Poh asked if the government would raise income taxes for Employment Pass holders to address rising social costs.
Heng Swee Keat explained that while revenue needs are increasing, the tax system must remain fair and internationally competitive, and Employment Pass holders already pay taxes progressively based on income.
He noted that tax treaties require non-discrimination on nationality, and tax reliefs are designed to support social objectives for residents, especially Singaporeans.
The government uses tax revenues to provide benefits like education, healthcare, and housing subsidies primarily for citizens, which are not available to Employment Pass holders.

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15 Jan 2019

Foreigner on Long Term Visit Pass Applying for Private Hire Car Vocational Licence

Murali Pillai questioned the circumstances under which a foreigner on a Long Term Visit Pass with a Letter of Consent can apply for a Private Hire Car Vocational Licence despite not meeting the LTA's requirement of a work pass with "chauffeur" as the vocation.
Khaw Boon Wan responded that the Land Transport Authority does not allow Letter of Consent holders to obtain a Private Hire Car Driver's Vocational Licence.
The debate clarified the policy restriction preventing foreigners with a Letter of Consent from acquiring the necessary licence for private hire car driving.
The exchange highlighted the misalignment between the Ministry of Manpower's Letter of Consent and LTA's vocational licensing requirements.

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15 Jan 2019

Non-renewal for Employment Pass Holders Whose Employers Do Not Match Mandatory Salary Increase

Mr Ang Wei Neng queried the number of Employment Pass holders not renewed in 2018 due to employers failing to meet increased salary requirements and the criteria for determining these salary increases.
Mrs Josephine Teo responded that employers are not required to disclose reasons for non-renewal, so specific data on non-renewals due to salary issues is unavailable.
She explained that the same Employment Pass qualifying salary applies to new applications and renewals, and is regularly updated based on local salary progression to balance business needs and local job market fairness.

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15 Jan 2019

Support and Integration of Family Units with Foreign Spouses

The Ministry introduced the Marriage Preparation, Marriage Support, and Friendship Programmes to help foreign spouses adapt to life in Singapore, with over 95% of participants reporting positive outcomes in integration and marriage readiness.
Employment data shows an average of 14,000 non-resident spouses holding Long-Term Visit Passes were employed annually in Singapore over the past three years, while children from transnational families are integrated through local schools and the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum.
Transnational marriages have divorce rates comparable to Singaporean marriages, and divorced foreign spouses with custody of Singaporean children are generally granted renewable Long-Term Visit Passes and can seek support from community agencies and Social Service Offices.
The Ministry is currently reviewing existing programmes and will consider strengthening them or introducing new initiatives to better support transnational families, as highlighted by the follow-up questions from Members.

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