Immigration & foreign manpower — Topics

11 Sep 2017

Enhanced Immigration Automated Clearance System Fingerprint Detection Failure Rate

Joan Pereira inquired about the fingerprint detection failure rate in the enhanced Immigration Automated Clearance System (eIACS) and suggested measures like placing moisturiser to help travellers with dry fingers.
K Shanmugam responded that about 3% of eIACS users face fingerprint matching issues due to factors like faded, scarred, or excessively wet or dry prints, and they are redirected to manned counters.
ICA plans to introduce iris scan technology within two years to complement fingerprint matching, providing an alternative for travellers with fingerprint difficulties.
The new iris scan technology aims to enhance automated immigration clearance by offering an additional verification method for identity confirmation.

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11 Sep 2017

Statistics of Successful Citizenship Application from 2012 to 2016

Gan Thiam Poh asked for annual figures from 2012 to 2016 on successful citizenship applications, broken down by whether applicants were PRs or non-PRs and by age group.
K Shanmugam responded that about 20,900 people were granted Singapore Citizenship each year in that period.
Over half were aged 30 or below when granted citizenship, and about 85% were PRs at the time of application.
The remaining applicants included overseas-born children of citizens who registered for citizenship and minor children of successful applicants, who do not need PR status first under the Constitution.

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11 Sep 2017

Number of Singapore Foreign Spouses Granted PR and Citizenship in 2016

Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Home Affairs about the number of foreign spouses of Singaporeans granted PR and citizenship in 2016.
K Shanmugam explained that foreign spouses may be granted PR and subsequently citizenship under the Family Ties Scheme.
In 2016, about 4,600 foreign spouses were granted PR and 3,400 were granted citizenship.

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11 Sep 2017

"Change of Employer" Option Granted to Work Permit Holders from January to June 2017

Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Ministry of Manpower for figures on Work Permit holders who were granted the option to change employers in the first half of 2017 and how many of them secured new jobs without returning home first.
In response, Minister Lim Swee Say stated that foreign workers with valid salary claims are allowed to change employers, and about 600 such workers expressed a wish to change employers in that period.
Lim added that roughly half of those 600 workers found new jobs in Singapore, and the Ministry does not track whether workers went home between jobs.

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11 Sep 2017

Employment Agencies Industry Averages for Foreign Domestic Worker Retention and Transfer Rates from 2015 to 2017

For each year from 2015 to 2017, employment agencies' industry average retention rate for foreign domestic workers was around 50%, while the transfer rate remained below 1.5%.
The Ministry of Manpower is improving the industry's professionalism through the EA Customer Rating System, which captures employer ratings and makes them available online to help employers choose agencies.
The Ministry has introduced the Advanced Placement Scheme pilot to facilitate face-to-face interviews, improving matching and retention, and has no plans to require physical display of rates at agency premises.

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11 Sep 2017

Extension of Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession to Persons/Siblings with Major Illnesses or Medical Conditions

Patrick Tay asked whether the foreign domestic worker levy concession could be extended to persons with major illnesses or medical conditions and their ill siblings.
The Minister for Manpower, Lim Swee Say, clarified that the concession is already available to households with family members aged 65 and above, children under 16, or persons certified to need help with daily activities.
The existing concession does not specifically include siblings or persons with major illnesses unless they meet the daily activity assistance criteria.
The debate centered on whether the current criteria should be expanded to cover more individuals with serious health conditions.
The government highlighted that the current framework already supports households with caregiving needs through the levy concession.

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11 Sep 2017

Moneylending to Work Permit Holders

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef inquired if Work Permit holders can legally borrow from licensed and unlicensed moneylenders.
Lim Swee Say clarified that borrowing from licensed moneylenders is allowed, but it is illegal for moneylenders to operate without a licence.
The public, including Work Permit holders, are advised not to borrow from unlicensed moneylenders for their own protection.
Unlicensed moneylenders face severe penalties, including fines up to $300,000, seven years' imprisonment, and caning.

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11 Sep 2017

Update on Review of Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with India

The Second Review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with India is ongoing, with both countries working through respective interests such as labour mobility.
Singapore and India regularly engage in discussions to collaborate on issues, including the movement of natural persons, to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes before concluding the review.
Officials have held talks on various bilateral economic topics, including CECA and the movement of professionals, business visitors, and other service providers, to improve mutual understanding and address implementation details.

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11 Sep 2017

Work Permits for Male Foreign Domestic Helpers to Care for Male Elderly Disabled Persons

Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for Manpower about the conditions under which male foreign domestic helpers are granted Work Permits to care for male elderly disabled persons at their residences.
The Ministry of Manpower evaluates applications for male foreign domestic workers on a case-by-case basis, exercising flexibility in exceptional situations, such as when families have special caregiving needs.
A male foreign domestic worker may be considered more suitable if the male elderly disabled person is of heavy build or behaves aggressively, or if the worker has relevant nursing or caregiving skills.
All applicants must meet the general eligibility criteria for foreign domestic workers.

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1 Aug 2017

Shortage of Local Doctors in Singapore

Foo Mee Har raised questions about a potential shortage of local doctors, asking how the Ministry is helping students, young doctors, and the public understand medical career prospects and Singapore’s reliance on foreign doctors.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong stated there is no shortage, with 84% of 13,000 registered doctors being local, and outlined plans to increase local medical intakes from 354 in 2012 to 500 by 2018.
The Ministry is attracting overseas-trained Singaporean doctors back with grants and incentives, resulting in a doubling of returning doctors from 92 in 2012 to 182 in 2016.
While foreign doctors supplement the workforce, the Ministry expects reduced future recruitment as more Singaporeans join, and is raising awareness of shifting demands toward generalist disciplines like Family Medicine and Geriatrics.

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1 Aug 2017

Applicants Granted PR Status under EDB's Global Investor Programme

Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Trade and Industry for statistics on the number of applicants granted PR status under the Global Investor Programme (GIP) since its launch, the number of PRs whose status was withdrawn or cancelled, and the number who later obtained citizenship broken down by age group.
The Minister replied that as of June 2017, 1,826 GIP applicants have been granted permanent residency since the programme began in 2004.
Of these, 67 were granted citizenship at ages ranging from 25 to 58 years old.
One GIP investor had their PR status revoked upon review.
The response highlights the scale of the GIP and its outcomes in terms of residency and citizenship grants over the programme’s history.

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1 Aug 2017

Government's Assistance for Developers of Mobile Apps for Foreign Workers

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh asked whether the content provided to private partners for foreign worker apps is public, what benefits partners receive, and if transactional e-services like reporting incidents would be funded by the Ministry.
Minister Lim Swee Say explained that MOM partners with private app developers on a no-payment, win-win basis to expand outreach, providing tailored multilingual information and leveraging partners' existing apps rather than creating new government apps.
The partnership includes a feedback module for comments and issue reporting but does not require transactional e-services; partners may link to existing MOM e-services, and MOM assists in promoting the apps.
MOM has signed MOUs with two app developers and received over 30 enquiries, with eight proposals under evaluation, indicating active private sector interest.

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1 Aug 2017

Paid Annual Home Leave for Foreign Domestic Workers

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked whether the Ministry of Manpower would consider making paid annual home leave mandatory for foreign domestic workers (FDWs).
The Ministry responded that home leave arrangements are mutually agreed upon between FDWs and employers, with 56% of FDWs reportedly receiving such leave either annually or upon work pass renewal.
The Ministry highlighted practical challenges, such as households having only one FDW and the need for alternative care arrangements, and noted that some FDWs might prefer higher pay instead of leave.
The current approach emphasizes flexibility, allowing both parties to agree on leave terms within employment contracts, while employers are expected to ensure FDWs' well-being.
The Ministry and NGOs actively reach out to FDWs to monitor their well-being and adjustment to working in Singapore.

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4 Jul 2017

Suicides of Migrant Workers

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower about the number of suicides among migrant workers over the past three years and the measures for early detection of mental illnesses.
From 2014 to 2016, an average of 32 work permit holders, including foreign domestic workers, committed suicide annually, with a suicide rate of 3.25 per 100,000, compared to 7.54 per 100,000 for the total population.
All work permit holders undergo a mandatory pre-employment medical examination that includes a basic mental state assessment.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) conducts outreach through education programmes, newsletters, and guidebooks on mental well-being, and has Foreign Worker Ambassadors who distribute collaterals with contacts for NGOs offering counselling services.
Employers and workers are urged to collaborate in identifying early signs of mental stress and refer affected individuals to organizations like the Samaritans of Singapore or Silver Ribbon for timely help.

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3 Jul 2017

Employment Passes and S Passes Issued to Applicants with Certificates from Degree Mills and Unaccredited Schools

Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Ministry of Manpower for the number of Employment Passes and S Passes issued to applicants with certificates from degree mills or unaccredited schools from 2014 to date.
Lim Swee Say responded that until July 2015, applications with qualifications from unaccredited institutions were disregarded, requiring applicants to meet stricter experience and salary criteria; 310 passes were issued in 2014 and 190 in the first half of 2015 under this system.
Since July 2015, the Ministry of Manpower no longer accepts new Employment Pass or S Pass applications containing any doubtful qualifications.

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3 Jul 2017

Employment Passes and S Passes Issued to Persons Who Have Renounced Singapore Citizenship

Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Manpower about the number of Employment Passes and S Passes issued to former Singapore citizens in the last five years.
The Minister responded that an average of 65 such passes were issued annually from 2012 to 2016.
Each work pass application is carefully assessed in consultation with relevant agencies, considering factors like the time elapsed since citizenship was renounced and the applicant's ties to other citizens.
Assessments also evaluate whether the applicant avoided any obligations to the state when renouncing Singapore citizenship.

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3 Jul 2017

Daily Average Total Number of People in Singapore for Past Three Years

Gan Thiam Poh requested the daily average total number of people in Singapore, including residents and non-residents, over the past three years.
Teo Chee Hean responded that consolidated figures at end-June each year are available but daily tracking data is not.
The government provided a table with the number of residents and non-residents at end-June for the past three years.

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8 May 2017

Accommodation Not Covered under Foreign Employee Dormitories Act

Approximately one-third of Work Permit holders live in foreign employee dormitories licensed under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act, while the remaining two-thirds live in smaller, unregulated accommodations such as Factory Converted Dormitories, HDB flats, and private residences.
Smaller accommodations are still required to comply with comprehensive regulations from various agencies, including the Building and Construction Authority, Singapore Civil Defence Force, and National Environment Agency, to ensure structural, fire, and sanitary safety standards are met.
The government regularly reviews and raises standards for all worker accommodations, conducts proactive and routine inspections, and takes enforcement actions against non-compliant operators to ensure comparability with larger dormitories.

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8 May 2017

Non-citizen Quota for Subletting of Flats

Melvin Yong inquired about the number of HDB subletting applications rejected due to the non-citizen quota over the past two years and whether concessions exist for long-term non-citizen tenants.
Lawrence Wong explained that the non-citizen quota aims to prevent foreigner enclaves and preserve Singaporean character in HDB heartlands, with no new or renewal subletting allowed once a block's quota is reached.
HDB allows flexibility for renewals in limited cases, including for non-citizen tenants who have stayed in the same flat for many years, even when the quota is reached.

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8 May 2017

Tapping Global Market for Specialist Skills for Digitalisation and Innovation Growth Strategies

Foo Mee Har inquired whether tightened work visa schemes in other countries create opportunities for Singapore to recruit global talent with specialist skills for digitalisation and innovation.
Lim Swee Say affirmed that no country, including Singapore, can rely solely on domestic talent to lead in technology and innovation, and global expertise is essential to remain competitive.
He emphasized that tapping global talent must strengthen, not weaken, the Singaporean Core, citing Panasonic's relocation of its global headquarters and upgrade of its Singapore R&D and manufacturing as examples.
Panasonic's efforts include creating training opportunities for Singaporeans, such as mentorship and robotics courses, while bringing in Japanese experts to build local smart manufacturing expertise.
The overall strategy is to continually upgrade the local workforce while remaining open to global expertise to foster a strong Singaporean Core at the heart of a vibrant economy.

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