Channel NewsAsia – Wednesday, January 13Send IM Story Print
More overseas Singaporeans returning, says Manpower Minister
Gan
He cited two examples when he opened the new Employment Pass
Services Centre at Upper Circular Road on Tuesday.
One is Teo Hui Sin, a Harvard—educated Singaporean, who applied
for several jobs in the US but had difficulty in getting one there.
This eventually accelerated her return home. She has since accepted
a position at the Ministry of Finance.
The other is Chia Wee Boon, who returned home from the US to be
the Chief Operating Officer at NCS as he
wanted to help the company succeed in the global arena. He was
previously with Hewlett Packard’s US office.
Mr Gan said the global downturn has made Asia more attractive.
He said Singapore should capitalise on this to make it a more
attractive home for talent, both local and globally.
The newly—launched Employment Pass Services Centre reduces the
time taken for Employment Pass holders to register for Long Term
Pass cards by about half.
The cards — which have fingerprint biometrics and a photo image
— serve as identification for foreign workers, who hold employment
passes, and their dependents.
Mr Gan said: “While we work to attract the brightest talent to
our shores, we also recognise the need to facilitate their stay in
Singapore.
“This includes providing them with identification cards enhanced
with new security features. The palm—sized card will allow them to
travel in and out of Singapore with ease and convenience.”
Currently, foreigners working in Singapore holding professional
qualifications and earning more than S$2,500 monthly can apply for
an employment pass. — CNA/ms