Worker influx is good
THE influx of more than 100,000 foreign workers this year shows
the strength of job creation in Singapore and is not cause for
concern, labour chief Lim Swee Say said on Wednesday.
Local workers should not fear, for the labour movement will
still focus on upgrading their skills, he added.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on July 14 that more than
100,000 extra foreigners are set to enter the workforce this
year.
Commenting on this, Mr Lim said: 'It's a good sign, because it
shows that at a time when many countries are having a shortage of
jobs, we are having a shortage of workers.'
Speaking to reporters at the launch of a training scheme for the
cleaning industry, Mr Lim added that the focus should not be on the
number of foreign workers, but on their quality.
The 100,000 new workers will differ from the thousands who have
entered over the past three to five years: they will be
higher-skilled and more productive.
-- ST
