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FOUR years ago, Mr Ivor Khong lost his information technology manager's job in a shipping firm to a Chinese national who was hired on an S Pass.
For more than a year, he struggled to find a job until he gained his current employment as an IT support officer in a freight forwarding company.
But Mr Khong, 40, is still earning $2,000 less than what he received in his previous post.
'I was with the shipping firm for six years and I was not a poor performer,' he recounts. 'I was aware that foreigners would create job competition for Singaporeans. I just didn't expect it to happen to me.'
Mr Khong, who holds a computer studies diploma, says that the boss had hired the Chinese national as an IT manager and made him take over his work responsibilities.
'I had no work to do. After two months, I decided to quit,' he says.
That is why he is relieved by the changes to the levy scheme announced this week to make foreign labour more costly over the next three years. This is so that firms will have an incentive to keep and employ more local workers and invest in raising productivity.
One key change affects a group of foreign workers called the S Pass holders, who pose direct competition to local professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
The S Pass scheme was introduced in 2004 to help firms facing a shortage of mid-level skilled foreigners, particularly in construction, marine, manufacturing and services. They include nurses, computer programmers and technicians, hotel supervisors, restaurant captains, and those in business services earning at least $1,800 a month.
But the number of S Pass holders grew rapidly from 44,000 in 2007, to 74,000 in 2008 and 82,000 last year.
To slow down this growth, the Manpower Ministry said this week that firms hiring S Pass holders will face a two-tier system from July 1, in place of the current single-tier levy of $50 a month.
Those with S Pass holders forming up to 20 per cent of their headcount will pay $100. Those hiring at between 20 per cent and the maximum 25 per cent levels will pay $120.
The basic tier will be lowered to 15 per cent, with the levy going up to $150, while the second-tier levy will rise to $250, by July 2012.
Mr Khong says: 'With higher levies, there could be fewer S Pass holders, which could mean potentially more job openings for locals.
'It's good news for me because I am at an age where I am becoming more concerned about my job security.'
But if the job-loss experience four years ago has taught him anything, it is the importance of keeping himself employable through skills upgrading.
This week, he started twice-weekly classes for the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer course conducted by the NTUC LearningHub at the NTUC Trade Union House on Bras Basah Road.
He had, on his own initiative, enrolled for the part- time course and paid the $7,000 fee upfront in an effort to keep pace with the latest technology.
But upon completion of the course, he can get a reimbursement of up to 80 per cent of the fee from the Government's enhanced Critical Infocomm Technology Resource Programme.
So every night, after a hard day's work, the bachelor spends up to two hours reading the course materials in his Ghim Moh flat.
Says Mr Khong: 'With training, it will help me gain more knowledge, get skills certification and advance in my career.'
He is also hoping to benefit from the national productivity push, which will see the Government committing $1.1 billion yearly over the next five years through tax benefits, grants and training subsidies to help firms raise productivity. This could, in turn, lead to better skills and pay for workers, says Mr Khong.
He adds: 'I hope to become a more efficient and productive worker for my firm.'
KOR KIAN BENG
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FOUR years ago, Mr Ivor Khong lost his information technology manager's job in a shipping firm to a Chinese national who was hired on an S Pass.
For more than a year, he struggled to find a job until he gained his current employment as an IT support officer in a freight forwarding company.
But Mr Khong, 40, is still earning $2,000 less than what he received in his previous post.
'I was with the shipping firm for six years and I was not a poor performer,' he recounts. 'I was aware that foreigners would create job competition for Singaporeans. I just didn't expect it to happen to me.'
Mr Khong, who holds a computer studies diploma, says that the boss had hired the Chinese national as an IT manager and made him take over his work responsibilities.
'I had no work to do. After two months, I decided to quit,' he says.
That is why he is relieved by the changes to the levy scheme announced this week to make foreign labour more costly over the next three years. This is so that firms will have an incentive to keep and employ more local workers and invest in raising productivity.
One key change affects a group of foreign workers called the S Pass holders, who pose direct competition to local professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
The S Pass scheme was introduced in 2004 to help firms facing a shortage of mid-level skilled foreigners, particularly in construction, marine, manufacturing and services. They include nurses, computer programmers and technicians, hotel supervisors, restaurant captains, and those in business services earning at least $1,800 a month.
But the number of S Pass holders grew rapidly from 44,000 in 2007, to 74,000 in 2008 and 82,000 last year.
To slow down this growth, the Manpower Ministry said this week that firms hiring S Pass holders will face a two-tier system from July 1, in place of the current single-tier levy of $50 a month.
Those with S Pass holders forming up to 20 per cent of their headcount will pay $100. Those hiring at between 20 per cent and the maximum 25 per cent levels will pay $120.
The basic tier will be lowered to 15 per cent, with the levy going up to $150, while the second-tier levy will rise to $250, by July 2012.
Mr Khong says: 'With higher levies, there could be fewer S Pass holders, which could mean potentially more job openings for locals.
'It's good news for me because I am at an age where I am becoming more concerned about my job security.'
But if the job-loss experience four years ago has taught him anything, it is the importance of keeping himself employable through skills upgrading.
This week, he started twice-weekly classes for the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer course conducted by the NTUC LearningHub at the NTUC Trade Union House on Bras Basah Road.
He had, on his own initiative, enrolled for the part- time course and paid the $7,000 fee upfront in an effort to keep pace with the latest technology.
But upon completion of the course, he can get a reimbursement of up to 80 per cent of the fee from the Government's enhanced Critical Infocomm Technology Resource Programme.
So every night, after a hard day's work, the bachelor spends up to two hours reading the course materials in his Ghim Moh flat.
Says Mr Khong: 'With training, it will help me gain more knowledge, get skills certification and advance in my career.'
He is also hoping to benefit from the national productivity push, which will see the Government committing $1.1 billion yearly over the next five years through tax benefits, grants and training subsidies to help firms raise productivity. This could, in turn, lead to better skills and pay for workers, says Mr Khong.
He adds: 'I hope to become a more efficient and productive worker for my firm.'
KOR KIAN BENG
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