Re: Singaporeans ftw!!! Firms must now advertise for singaporeans before hiring fts!!
Dear Mr Tan Chin Juan
1. Thanks for revert and looking into the issues which many S'poreans (especially the sandwiched PMETs) are facing.
2. A suggestion is for MOM to adopt a more rigorous "competency-based" approach (CBA) in the MOM EP website and for the new proposed data bank. The current "descriptive" approach by job title and qualifcation is prone to abuses. An employer should list the job functions and along with the key competencies (eg: legislation, industry technical, product, IT skills, people skills, etc) required for the job and the incumbent.
3. To briefly illustrate, a relook based on an Indian "Foreign Talent" candidate's profile (in Linkedin) under the CBA will be:
a) Function: To advise on S'pore banking laws; Competency: Demo knowledge of Spore banking laws and regulations: No - Does not have licences or certs to prove so.
b) Function: To advise on Anti-Money Laundering matters; Competency: Relevant qualifcations for the job: No - Acounting background, no legal, compliance or AML qualifcations.
c) Function: Senior Bank Manager role; Competency: No relevant work experience - Background is in audit.
d) Function: To be liason between Chinese speaking staff and customers; Competency: Relevant language skill - No. Heavy accent Pundeklish spoken and written.
e) Criminal record: Indian pundeknadu authorities issue cert of good citizen (probably fake can be bought).
Evaluation: This is a VP position in a bank. The CBA shows that this is clearly not the most suitable or the best candidate (if you use a scoring system). Possible that a S'porean can do the job role? - Highly "Yes".
4. But under the current MOM EP descriptive approach:
a) Degree holder - Yes. A Indian university - Pundeknadu Uni.
b) Job title - Senior Bank Officer.
c) Min $3k - Yes
Evaluation: OK, passed. Another "Foreign Talent" into our overcrowded S'pore.
6. I hope the above shows how easy it is for one and loose the current MOM EP system is.
7. It is also prone to abuses by a HR manager or a foreigner (who is the hiring manager) to easily "recruit" someone else from the home country, other than a S'porean under the current system. Likewise, for EP2 and Q Passes on the lower job ends - Many S'poreans are "overlooked" and not given the opportunity. A CBA approach, would put more onus on the employers to be more transparent on the job hiring process, and allow MOM officers to better assess the job requirements and approve the work passes for the right candidate.
