Immigration & foreign manpower

Patrick Tay Teck Guan suggested expanding the eligibility criteria for the SEP bonus under COMPASS to include multinational companies that invest in local professionals and offer overseas opportunities. Tan See Leng explained that COMPASS already awards bonus points for significant investments and collaboration with the Labour Movement. Companies must engage in specific eligible programs, such as those supporting local executives' overseas stints and leadership development, to qualify for SEP bonus points.

Hamid Razak inquired about the possibility of introducing an outpatient primary care insurance scheme for migrant domestic workers, similar to the Primary Care Plan (PCP) for other migrant workers. Tan See Leng responded that the PCP was established in 2022 to enhance access to primary healthcare for migrant workers but noted that there are no plans to extend it to migrant domestic workers. He suggested that employers of domestic workers could opt for voluntary comprehensive insurance plans that include outpatient coverage for better cost predictability.

Hamid Razak asked about the total amount and number of unpaid medical bills incurred by Work Permit and S Pass holders in public healthcare institutions over the past three years, as well as measures to ensure timely payment. Tan See Leng revealed that, from 2022 to 2024, there was an average of 19 substantiated cases of unpaid medical bills annually, amounting to about $12,000 per case. The Ministry of Manpower reminds employers of their financial responsibilities, and enforcement actions are taken against non-compliant employers. The minimum mandatory medical insurance coverage for these workers was increased from $15,000 to $60,000 to cover most medical expenses, and starting from July 2025, insurers must make direct payments to hospitals for claims.

Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Prime Minister about the demographic statistics used to determine the intake of new Permanent Residents and citizens, and whether changes in the reporting of population data reflect a shift in methodology. Indranee Rajah explained that the intake considers factors like total fertility rate, life expectancy, and age profile, and varies annually based on application quality and quantity. She clarified that the reporting change in the Population in Brief 2025, which excludes citizenships by descent from total counts, aims to better reflect immigration inflows, but the overall intake methodology remains unchanged.

Fadli Fawzi asked about the average processing times for QR code and passport clearance at land checkpoints, and what percentage of lanes are QR code only. The Minister of State for Home Affairs indicated that QR code clearance takes about 10 seconds and passport clearance takes about 13 seconds, with all lanes currently equipped for both clearances. Fadli questioned if the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority changes lane designations during peak hours and what measures are in place to encourage the use of the MyICA Mobile app. The Minister explained that while they promote QR code use for faster processing, designating lanes for QR code only can complicate operations and that they continuously review processes to enhance traveller experiences without compromising security.

• Mr. Victor Lye inquired about the number and percentage of Temporary Permit Exhibition Scheme (TPES) permits issued to firms without local employees or CPF-registered staff over the past two years.
• Minister Tan See Leng responded that 1,280 TPES permits were issued to such firms, representing 10% of the total permits issued during that time.

• Ms. Hazlina Abdul Halim inquired about the effectiveness and objectives of the Shared Stay-in Senior Care Services sandbox, particularly for seniors living alone.
• Minister Ong Ye Kung reported positive feedback from providers and clients regarding the effectiveness of the caregiving model in supporting seniors.
• The Shared Stay-in Senior Care Services sandbox, launched in 2023, aims to help seniors age in the community and will be mainstreamed by the end of 2025.
• The government plans to offer additional support to service providers, including increased foreign worker quotas and relaxed sourcing regulations.

• Edward Chia Bing Hui raised concerns about illegal freelance work in Singapore's creative sector and questioned the enforcement of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990.
• The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is actively monitoring illegal freelancing and will investigate complaints, particularly those involving foreign freelancers advertising on social media.
• MOM collaborates with stakeholders like the Visual, Audio, Creative Content Professionals Association (VICPA) to educate on work pass requirements and promote the hiring of local professionals.
• The Ministry also partners with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to share information on suspected illegal foreign freelancers and prevent their entry into Singapore.

• Mr. Foo Cexiang inquired about the number of cases where migrant domestic workers' medical fees exceeded $60,000 in the past three years and suggested increasing the minimum annual claim limit for their insurance policies.
• Minister Tan See Leng reported that 99% of medical bills for migrant domestic workers fall below $60,000, with only about 20 cases annually exceeding this amount, leading to no plans for further increasing the claim limit.
• The Ministry of Manpower has recently increased the minimum annual claim limit from $15,000 to $60,000 and is standardizing exclusion clauses in insurance policies to enhance clarity for employers.
• Employers can opt for more comprehensive insurance plans if they desire better coverage for their migrant domestic workers.

Pritam Singh requested data on the number of bus captains and drivers in the public transport sector from 2015 to 2024, categorized by nationality. Jeffrey Siow reported a 9% increase in the total number of bus captains, growing from approximately 8,900 in 2015 to about 9,700 in 2024. The nationality composition has remained stable over the years, except for a temporary decline in foreign bus captains during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of December 2024, the breakdown is approximately 28% Singaporeans, 15% Permanent Residents, and 57% foreign Work Pass holders.

Chua Kheng Wee Louis requested a ten-year breakdown of Employment Pass (EP) holders and new EPs issued, categorized by years of working experience in five-year bands. Tan See Leng responded that a detailed breakdown based on the declared working experience, both in Singapore and overseas, is provided in accompanying tables.

Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Manpower about the current number of food delivery platform workers, their nationalities, and how the Ministry manages the impact of foreign workers on local incomes. Tan See Leng reported that in 2024, there were 15,300 Singapore residents working as delivery platform workers, including 13,400 Singapore Citizens and 1,900 Permanent Residents. The Ministry does not track food delivery workers specifically but emphasizes that only Singaporeans and PRs can be platform workers, with enforcement against illegal foreign workers. The government maintains a cap on foreign workers in the delivery sector, who work for third-party logistics companies under fixed salaries, not as independent platform workers. The Ministry collaborates with stakeholders to ensure platform workers' well-being, promoting clarity and audits in outsourcing practices by food delivery operators.

Patrick Tay Teck Guan requested information on the breakdown of full-time workers by industry sector, specifically regarding resident and foreign workers. Tan See Leng responded that the Ministry of Manpower publishes data on the breakdown of resident and foreign workers by industry on their website. However, detailed information distinguishing full-time and part-time status is available only for resident workers, as such data is not collected for foreign workers.

Fadli Fawzi asked the Foreign Affairs Minister about the government's engagement with the US regarding the H-1B1 visa and protections for Singaporean US visa holders. Vivian Balakrishnan confirmed that there are currently no changes to the H-1B1 visa processes and that recent US immigration restrictions do not affect this visa category. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to monitor the situation and engage with US counterparts as necessary. Additionally, there have been no reported issues affecting Singaporean holders of valid US visas due to recent enforcement actions, but Singaporeans should understand that holding a visa does not guarantee entry or the right to stay in the US.