Lessen dependence on foreign labour

Berries tan SG

Monday, 21 September 2009, 3:19 pm | 1,662 views

Gilbert Goh

It must be tough for the authorities to figure out a sustainable manpower deployment strategy when it comes to the complex issue of aiding local businesses to make profits through the hiring of foreign workers.

Not only is this a time bomb for social cohesion but also a serious political issue in view of the coming General Election. The government has failed to convince the nation that having so many foreign workers in our midst has really “added spices” positively.

Without empathy for jobless and desperate citizens, it would be very difficult to understand why foreigners are seen more as job snatcher than anything else.

In 2008, foreign non-residents (non-PR, non-Singaporean) account for 1.2M people of the entire population. These foreigners snatch popular jobs such as clerks, receptionists, administrators and salesmen. Their actions only affirm the perception that foreign labour in Singapore is hardly foreign talent.

Employers also prefer to hire foreigners, as they are cheaper and more willing to put in extra hours without grumbling. To a foreigner from a third world country, living and working in Singapore is almost a Godsend.

Many foreigners also found work in the coffee shops and factories. Surprisingly, these workers are also given Permanent Resident (PR) status after a while. A S-Pass worker can apply for PR status after one year and normally it will be granted within month of the application. After two years, he will offered a Singapore citizenship.

R-Pass holders earn below $1,800 a month and are not eligible for PR status. R-Pass holders include construction workers, domestic workers, shipyard workers and many who work in the conservancy and landscaping sector. Due to quota on R-Pass workers, some errant employers may “pass off” a R-Pass-qualified worker as a S-Pass one without paying the minimum $1800/month salary.

As many as 200,000 able-Singaporeans have left the country in recent years and not many are considering to return in the near future. A recent survey suggested that 79% of overseas Singaporean students prefer to work abroad than to return to Singapore. More are expected to leave the country in the near future.

To balance out the population exodus, the Government allows companies to import foreigners from neighbouring countries such as China and India without upsetting the racial proportion.

Singaporeans find it difficult to comprehend the Government’s lax foreign labour policy. Some have eventually migrated to other countries in anger that they were replaced by foreign substitutes. They further question whether their loyalty for their country is ever reciprocated at all when there is no protection whatever on their livelihood.

It is hardly surprising that economics is the motivation behind Singaporean workers to shun many opportunities in the service sector. Such jobs pay close to S$1000 a month and after CPF deduction, take home pay is reduced to a puny sum of S$800 a month.

If the worker is the sole breadwinner of a family of four, the sum remains insufficient even if top-up from the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme (WISS) is included. WISS tops up a low-wage worker’s salary to the tune of $1,200 a year. To qualify, the Singaporean worker must be at least 35-year-old and earns a montly salary less than $1,500.

On the other hand, employers in labour intensive industries need to re-evaluate if it is still feasible to hire cheap labour. In recent times, many small cleaning companies mushroomed all over Singapore that bidding for cleaning projects has dropped so low that these companies cannot afford to pay their employees a decent salary without suffering a loss.

The authorities may need to re-look into their policy on government contractual bidding for cleaning projects to impact this particular industry sector. Moreover, dependence on labour intensive industries also works contrary against Singapore’s high-falutin aspiration to be a highly industrialised and knowledge-based economy.

In Australia, many blue-collared jobs offered a chance for many locals to earn a decent wage.

For example, the construction sector mostly hires local Aussies and very often, even an apprentice is paid a salary of S$3000 a month before taxes. The implementation of minimum wage policy and skills training courses have allow local workers to be adequately compensated for the menial work performed.

Blue collared workers can command as much salaries as any white collared ones due to the niche skills that such jobs required and also many Aussies shun these jobs due to its harsh working environment. Unlike Singapore, there is no easy back door to hiring undervalued foreign workers in Australia.

Local employers should increasingly look at semi-automating their work flow to lessen their dependence on undervalued foreign labour. I have seen how a team of twenty Indian foreign workers line the road during road works in our country with half practically standing around doing nothing.

This is not the best way to deploy manpower even if they come cheaply. In Australia, even the driver of the garbage collection vehicle assists in the daily garbage collection task. And there are 2 additional person in labour team. It is all very professionally done with minimal human efforts.

Singapore cannot afford to contnue its dependence on undervalued labour to advance the economy. More can be done to streamline our operations in order to boost our efficiency.

Local workers can then be better compensated when they take on better-valued jobs.

Productivity is also raised in the process.

The current dependence on foreign labour will not bear fruit if we want to advance our economy . Not only will it bring forth social unrest but it will seriously jeopardise the employment opportunities of the local work force.

angel7030 SG

Ok Ok, i ask them to stop, next year you will see the changes, happy>???

Rooney9 SG

I am wondering if the PAP will lose quite a lot of vote cos of this dissatisfaction on the over reliance of foreign labour. that said, its not going to be enough to vote them out of office.

Angel7030a SG

By voting out the PAP government, there will be jobs for everyone when the new government will chase away all the FOERIGN workers and talents ?

Companies and businesses will employ back all the unemployed workers at their previous salaries plus all the missed out annual increments ?

angel7030 SG

By voting out the PAP government, there will be jobs for everyone when the new government will chase away all the FOERIGN workers and talents ?

Companies and businesses will employ back all the unemployed workers at their previous salaries plus all the missed out annual increments ?

If all current foreign workers and talents is to go back home, we are finish. My take is over dependency on foreigners is a risk. There are 3 catergories in foreigners intake here,

1. Foreigners workers helping us in Marine, construction and other physical jobs is ok, we really need them like we need foreign maids.

2. Those PR types, these are like sandwich group, most are useless and hoping to work as professional in Singapore, but usually they cannot match up to Singaporeans hard and long hours way of working, these are the committed group, they would had brought houses and other assets in Singapore. Some of their certificates are bought from their homeland, and our MOM or immigration are still foolish to take them in.

3. Business expatriates, these dun consitute alots, but we need them too, the rich class, they invest here, create jobs for us, they had been around since industrialisation.

I am not saying that foreigners is no good, in a way, they really helps us in our physical strength, economy and population. But we need to get the right ones, that is the most important, we need to be able to screen and trim, so that we can get the cream de cream and not someone coming here just because their country is so poor and they just want to be here. The govt should start to get good foreigners in and repariate those who are not contributing and performing or unlawful back to their homeland, be it if they are PRs or Citizenships holders. But at present, govt is doing nothing, tom and dick, dogs and cats also can come in, that is sad.

Atobe SG

If all current foreign workers and talents is to go back home, we are finish. My take is over dependency on foreigners is a risk. There are 3 catergories in foreigners intake here,

Is it not obvious for a Taiwanese 'hum' when asked to return to Taiwan - that you will be finished in Singapore ?

It has always been a risk to be over dependent on foreigners - why should locals get addicted to Taiwanese 'hum' which will later jack-up their self-worth at the expense of the locals developing a taste and having to pay an artificially high price to get back the Taiwan 'hum' ?

1. Foreigners workers helping us in Marine, construction and other physical jobs is ok, we really need them like we need foreign maids.

Obviously, the Taiwanese 'hum' will want those cheaper labor working in the Marine, Construction and other physical jobs, as all these are the ones to boost the Taiwan 'hum' Bar business.

Is it any surprise that the Taiwan 'hum' will also appreciate the foreign maids - as they provide the part-time lady GRO services on their off-days at the Taiwan 'hum' Bar ?

The difference between a PR Taiwan 'hum' and a sandwich is just the base material - where the 'hum' has a hard shell, while the sandwich has a soft bread - and both open up one side only.

Is the PR Taiwan 'hum' admitting to be useless even as it attempt to be a Pro in SG ?

Which Singaporeans have bought their certificates, or is the Taiwan 'hum' admitting that it is a common practise to purchase certificates in Taiwan ?

3. Business expatriates, these dun consitute alots, but we need them too, the rich class, they invest here, create jobs for us, they had been around since industrialisation.

How many business expatriates do you know are in Singapore to be so confident in your claim that they "dun constitute alots" ?

How many of these "business expatriate are rich class and invest here" ?

If you are here only to regurgitate statements that are drummed into your brain, you are simply wasting your time here.

Does anyone need a Taiwan 'hum' to remind Singaporeans of our own nightmare ?

The Taiwan 'hum' may need the foreign "physical strength" - what does it know about Singapore's physical strength ?

Economy wise, it will be better for these expatriates - with a colonial mentality - to go.

Population wise - it will be a relief when all the foreingers do finally go, as they are already inflating the numbers and the costs of living.

Is Taiwan poorer than Singapore - that led the Taiwan 'hum' to migrate over too ?

It is pathecticall obvious that the 'hum' from Taiwan will advocate for more "toms and dicks to come into Singapore

Agenda SG

Easy way out only, look at those big countries with strong economies, how do they substain and keep their economy strong? By hiring foreign trash? I don't think so.

Doesn't matter anyway, no intention to stay in Singapore as long as I can get out.