SG is opening the doors for thousands of CECA talent

[k1976]

Dec Flexi Hour coming...
Door will be removed to facilitate unrestricted inflow of Talents.

All will huat big big de woh

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Growing interest among Indian nurses in seeking work in Singapore​

The demand for more nurses in Singapore is due to a high rate of attrition in recent years amid a growing global demand for such professionals. PHOTO: MEGHALAYA GOVERNMENT
Nirmala Ganapathy and Debarshi Dasgupta

Jul 07, 2024

NEW DELHI – Ms Carolyne Marak’s family has faced financial difficulties since the death of her father four years ago. But a nursing job in Singapore may help change things for the family of four.
The 29-year-old, who has six years of nursing experience, passed the Singapore Nursing Board (SNB) licence exam in April. She has a job offer from a nursing home in Singapore and is waiting for registration from the board. She will then apply for a work permit, according to her recruitment agency, Ajith Enterprises.
Singapore was her top choice when she attended a Meghalaya state government job fair for nurses in 2023, at which international recruiters from other countries such as Japan and Britain were also present.
“I chose Singapore because I heard the place is safe and the weather is good. There is also no need to learn another language,” said Ms Marak, who has been offered seven times the salary she currently earns at a private hospital in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, a state in north-eastern India.
“My family is very excited. Let’s see how much I can save,” she added.
She was among 13 nurses recruited for Singapore at the job fair, where Singapore was a top preferred destination for those seeking work abroad, said Mr Ramkumar S, executive director of Meghalaya State Skill Development Society.
“The response was overwhelming. We had about 1,500 nurses who turned up, and many of them actually came with very little prior information. But they wanted to go to Australia and Singapore, because they speak English there,” he said.

​

Twenty-seven nurses also got job offers from Japan, which has been wooing Indian nurses.
Nurses such as Ms Marak are in demand these days as international recruiters, including from Singapore, look to India to fill their vacancies, even as India suffers from a shortage of nurses.
The better English-language skills of candidates from Meghalaya and other north-eastern states are also seen as a plus by recruiters.

In neighbouring Assam, which has growing links with Singapore, as many as 53 nurses have had their professional track records verified for SNB by the Assam Nurses’ Midwives’ & Health Visitors’ Council since July 2021, clearing them for recruitment in Singapore.
The demand for more nurses in Singapore is due to a high rate of attrition in recent years amid a growing global demand for such professionals.
Many foreign nurses left to return home once borders were reopened as the Covid-19 pandemic waned.

A Meghalaya state government job fair for nurses in 2023, at which international recruiters from other countries such as Japan and Britain were also present. PHOTO: MEGHALAYA GOVERNMENT
According to SNB figures, there were 43,772 nurses and registered midwives in Singapore in 2022.
About 75 per cent of the 36,995 registered nurses are Singaporeans or permanent residents.
Among foreign nurses, most were from the Philippines (13 per cent), followed by Malaysia (5.7 per cent), Myanmar (2.4 per cent), India (1.3 per cent), China (1.27) and elsewhere.

To make up for the shortfall following the pandemic, 5,600 nurses were hired in the public healthcare system in 2023, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Health.
Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung had said in 2023 that the ratio of local nurses to foreign nurses would be about 60 to 40 and that the “large majority” of its nursing workforce will continue to comprise locals from nursing school intakes and mid-career training programmes.
The main factors driving Indian nurses to seek opportunities in Singapore are better pay, the country’s English-language environment and its advanced healthcare set-up that allows them to boost their professional skills.

About 75 per cent of the 36,995 registered nurses are Singaporeans or permanent residents. PHOTO: ST FILE
Mr Arun Kumar Ojha, director of Dynamic Health Staff, an agency that specialises in global recruitment of nurses from India, said the interest among Indian nurses in working in Singapore is not just because of the financial benefits. Singapore is also seen as a stepping stone to better opportunities in Europe and elsewhere, he said.
This is especially true for nurses working in hospitals in smaller towns and rural areas, where they have limited access to modern technologies, he added.
“The good thing is that hospitals in Singapore are using advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence. So, there is interest among Indian nurses to work in Singapore to get some exposure for four or five years and then migrate to Europe,” said Mr Ojha.
The firm has recruited around 300 nurses from India for both public and private hospitals in Singapore over the last three years.
Indian nurses in Singapore can expect to earn anywhere from $1,800 to $2,500 a month, which is significantly more than what they make back home – along with other benefits such as housing allowance and a one-time relocation support.
One out of eight Indian nurses works overseas, as per a report in The Hindu newspaper. In 2013, an estimate by two migration scholars suggested there are around 640,000 Indian nurses working overseas.
In 2023, the southern state of Kerala saw 27,000 nurses going overseas, according to the Kerala chapter of the United Nurses Association (UNA). Kerala has long been a global source for nurses and is the biggest exporting state when it comes to nursing professionals.
Mr Sojan Joseph, a nurse from Kerala who migrated to Britain two decades ago, was even elected to the British Parliament as a Labour candidate in the recently held election. In recent years, nurses from other states have also increasingly moved overseas, including from Meghalaya, whose government is now sending nurses abroad for the first time.
Ms Lily Ezung (not her real name) is among those who were cleared for recruitment in Singapore by the Assam Nurses’ Midwives’ & Health Visitors’ Council in 2024 and is waiting to hear from her agent on a suitable vacancy in Singapore.
Currently working at a hospital in Guwahati, the largest city in the north-eastern state, the 26-year-old earns around 20,000 rupees (S$323) per month.
She hopes to improve her professional skills while earning more in Singapore. “I want to learn more things… I don’t know what are the (work-related) practices they do outside (India), so I want to know about them.”

Singapore is the only country she had applied to work in so far as she wants to be based in an English-speaking country. But she is open to working in Britain, Canada, Australia or New Zealand should suitable opportunities arise, she said.
Digital talent solutions provider NLB Services said in a report in 2024 that the demand for Indian nurses abroad is growing steadily, and is projected to increase by almost 100 per cent in six to seven years.
It also noted proactive initiatives in countries such as the United States, Britain, Canada and Japan that have facilitated the entry of Indian nurses.
Japan, for instance, offers a three-year visa, which is extendable by two years with monthly salaries going upwards of $1,700. In the United Arab Emirates, nurses can get upwards of $3,000 a month. Other perks being offered include free food and accommodation for a short duration, like in Britain.
Singapore will face competition hiring Indian nurses as other countries step up recruitments, noted Professor Roy K. George of the Trained Nurses’ Association of India, a national organisation of nursing professionals.
“Singapore is just a transit destination. Either they come back to India or they go to some Western country,” said Prof George. He noted the high cost of living also gave nurses some pause for thought.
“Savings is less because Singapore is an expensive place to live in.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Indian trade association raises concerns about narrowed criteria of Singapore’s skilled workers visa scheme​

ByJewel Stolarchuk​

July 29, 2024

SINGAPORE: The Indian IT industry is expressing significant apprehension regarding Singapore’s upcoming changes to its skilled worker visa framework, set to be implemented in September. The industry’s trade body, Nasscom, has alerted the Indian government about the potential hurdles the new regulations could create, given the current global skills shortage in the tech sector.

Singapore’s new Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS), effective September 1, 2024, will impose stricter criteria for visa renewals. Under the revised framework, applicants for the Employment Pass (EP) will need to secure a minimum of 40 points, in addition to meeting the qualifying salary requirements. Nasscom has criticized the framework for its restrictive nature, particularly its narrow criteria for earning points and its impact on business operations.


One major concern is the limited number of Indian universities that qualify for points under COMPASS. Currently, only eight Indian institutions are recognized, with prestigious universities like IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay earning 20 points, while graduates from selected faculties of five other IITs and IISc receive 10 points.

Nasscom argues that this narrow list does not reflect the broader talent pool available in India, which includes graduates from numerous other reputable institutions.


Shivendra Singh, Vice President of Global Trade Development at Nasscom, highlighted the global tech industry’s ongoing talent shortages and the necessity of addressing these gaps with skilled workers from countries like India. Singh pointed out that the equal weightage given to all nationalities in the diversity assessment may not accurately capture the real-world demand and supply situation.

Under the diversity criteria, candidates can gain 20 points if their nationality constitutes no more than 5% of the PMET (professionals, managers, executives, and technicians) employees within their company. Nasscom believes this approach may overlook the unique challenges faced by industries heavily reliant on specific talent pools.

Additionally, Nasscom is advocating for an expansion of the Shortage Occupation List, which currently grants a 20-point skill bonus for roles listed but reduces it to 10 points if the candidate’s nationality represents one-third or more of the firm’s PMETs. Singh argues that this adjustment, combined with the diversity criteria, unfairly penalizes firms that already meet diversity benchmarks.


Nasscom has also called for greater clarity regarding the “strategic economic priorities” pillar, which recognizes organizations involved in significant investment, innovation, and internationalization activities. Singh suggests that clearer guidelines are needed for companies to understand how they can qualify for points in this category.

 

[True Believer]

The unemployment rate for S'poreans is set to rise significantly because of the Govt's "genocide" policies.

 

[Sikodolaukazzz]

Same routine every 5 years.. massive influx of foreigners mid-term, then nearer to election, cry and wayang a bit, dish out goodies and they are back in the game.

Then who the stupid idiotic goondoos —-
Sinkies or foleeigners

lol

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Singapore and India add semiconductors, air connectivity to high-level ministerial discussions​

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong receiving a call from India’s delegation to the second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable on Aug 26. PHOTO: MDDI/PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE

Anjali Raguraman
Correspondent

Aug 27, 2024

SINGAPORE - Advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, as well as aviation and maritime connectivity, are new areas that Singapore and India have added to a high-level platform for discussing ways to enhance bilateral cooperation.
These two additions to the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable are areas of significant opportunity for both countries, as well as their companies, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told reporters at Shangri-La Singapore after the roundtable concluded on Aug 26.
Calling the ministers-only meeting “productive”, Dr Balakrishnan said it also sets the stage for an official visit to Singapore by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which will “occur shortly”.
This is the second time that ministers from Singapore and India have met through the roundtable, after then Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong launched the inaugural edition in September 2022 during a five-day visit to India.
Dr Balakrishnan said on Aug 26 that both countries want to collaborate on advanced manufacturing and semiconductors – a sector that India wants to expand significantly, and one where Singapore punches well above its weight.
India is also likely to see tremendous growth in aviation in the coming years, having ordered more than 1,000 planes in the past year alone.
In February, Air India ordered 470 planes from Boeing and Airbus, breaking a record for the largest-ever plane deal that had held for over a decade. The record was broken again in June when IndiGo, India’s largest carrier, placed an order for 500 Airbus jets.

This represents great opportunities for services such as maintenance and air operations in the coming years – another niche area where Singapore and its companies are globally competitive, said Dr Balakrishnan.
“A country with more than 1.4 billion people is now embarking on a major upgrade of its aviation sector,” he said. “This is a once in a two, three decade opportunity, and it’s good that we are, in a sense, in the front seat and have a chance (to collaborate).”
Besides Dr Balakrishnan, Singapore was represented at the meeting by Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam, Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng and Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat.

India was represented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Electronics and Information Technology, Railways, and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
At the meeting, the ministers reaffirmed the close and longstanding relationship between Singapore and India, underpinned by strong economic and people-to-people ties, said the Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Trade and Industry in a joint release.
PM Wong said on Aug 26 that he was glad that new ideas for cooperation are being pursued, while progress has been made on several fronts since the 2022 meeting.
At that meeting, both sides had agreed to boost cooperation in several areas: digitalisation, the green economy, skills development, healthcare and food cooperation.

Ministers from Singapore and India at the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable at Shangri-La Hotel on Aug 26. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
More On This Topic
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Beyond aviation, India has more to offer Singapore as engine of growth
Some of these have already borne fruit, such as the link-up between Singapore’s PayNow and India’s Unified Payments Interface in February 2023, which lets financial institutions from both sides transfer funds in real time. Both sides have also facilitated investments into renewable energy, such as green ammonia.
“These initiatives will pave the way for closer strategic cooperation and partnership between India and Singapore,” said PM Wong on Facebook.
Dr Balakrishnan said projects like the digital payments linkage have much more potential, such as to become part of a regional instant payments system. Such a network will facilitate trade and economic development across the region, he added.
That is why cyber security was discussed at the latest roundtable, alongside other ideas on standardising rules and increasing inter-operability so that other countries that want to be part of this network in future can do so more easily, he added.
At a dinner following the roundtable, DPM Gan said Singapore and India are natural partners, with complementary strengths that have allowed both sides to forge strong economic and investment ties.

Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong at a dinner following the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable at Shangri-La Singapore on Aug 26. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Indian companies also form one of the largest foreign corporate contingents in Singapore, noted DPM Gan, with firms like Bharti Group headquartered here. Meanwhile, the Republic’s firms have had longstanding operations in India – such as CapitaLand, which marks the 30th anniversary of its Indian operations in 2024.
“I am confident that the discussions we had today, and those in the future, will pave the way to foster greater collaboration between Singapore and India,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the Indian delegation called on PM Wong. The Indian ministers were also hosted to lunch by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
The second India-Singapore Business Roundtable, which was held in parallel with the ministers’ dialogue, was attended by 12 business leaders from Singapore and India, namely Blackstone Singapore, GIC, Temasek, Singapore Airlines, DBS Bank, Sembcorp and CapitaLand from Singapore; and Bharti Enterprises, Mahindra Group, TVS Motor, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund, and Protean eGov Technologies from India.

 

[Sinkiesuk]

Local got outnumbered in many places. The locals are having lower status than foriengers. Such a shame that the gov does that. Even a pinoy is laughing at the locals no skills.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Singapore, India working to upgrade ties to comprehensive strategic partnership​

Four MOUs were exchanged on Sept 5, witnessed by PM Lawrence Wong (right) and Indian PM Narendra Modi, who is in the Republic on an official visit. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Anjali Raguraman
Correspondent

Sep 06, 2024


SINGAPORE – India and Singapore have strengthened ties and agreed to elevate their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Singapore.
The intent to upgrade ties from the existing strategic partnership was announced in a Facebook post by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Sept 5.
“Singapore and India share a deep and enduring friendship built on strong economic and people-to-people ties,” said PM Wong, adding that the move is a timely one.
The countries will be marking 60 years of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership in 2025.
A comprehensive strategic partnership will deepen existing areas of cooperation and enable new ones. Australia is the only country with which Singapore has such a partnership. The Republic is also exploring the possibility of ones with Vietnam and France.
Signalling a greater cooperation in various sectors, India and Singapore exchanged agreements earlier in the day to help firms here tap India’s growing semiconductor industry and tighten digital links between the two countries.
They will also step up cooperation in areas such as skills development and healthcare.

Four memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were exchanged at Parliament House, witnessed by both prime ministers.
These were first signed by Singapore and India ministers on the sidelines of the second edition of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR), which was held at Shangri-La Singapore on Aug 26.
Mr Modi, who is in Singapore for two days from Sept 4, earlier received a ceremonial welcome by PM Wong at Parliament House.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspect an honour guard on Sept 5. PHOTO: MDDI

Semiconductors​

India aims to grow its semiconductor industry and become a global node for semiconductor manufacturing, while players in Singapore’s established ecosystem are looking to enter emerging markets.
The MOU in this area will see both countries support India’s growth plans and facilitate the entry of Singapore companies and supply chains in the Indian market.
It was signed between Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
The partnership includes government-led policy exchanges on ecosystem development, supply chain resilience and workforce development.
Semiconductors and advanced manufacturing were identified as new areas for bilateral collaboration at the second ISMR dialogue between ministers.

Digital technologies​

To encourage greater interoperability between Singapore and India’s digital economies, an agreement was inked for digital technologies.
The deal includes the exchange of knowledge and expertise on digital public infrastructure such as digital IDs, payments and data exchange.
The MOU was signed between Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
This builds on existing cooperation efforts such as the real-time payment systems linkage between Singapore’s PayNow and India’s Unified Payments Interface launched in February 2023.
The link allows bank customers in Singapore and India to send and receive funds via their bank accounts and e-wallets instantly across the two countries.
Singapore and India banks and companies also pioneered a fully paperless transaction process involving traders, shippers and banks in August 2023. It showcased the digitalisation of cross-border trade financing documentation using the TradeTrust framework.
Both countries are working to update and renew a 2015 agreement on cyber-security cooperation between the Singapore Cyber Emergency Response Team and India’s Computer Emergency Response Team.

Cooperation in education, healthcare​

Technical education, alongside training and skills development, was among the areas of collaboration agreed upon between Singapore’s Ministry of Education and India’s Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
The higher education institutes of both countries will cooperate in areas such as reskilling and upskilling of workforces, student and staff exchanges, and the training of teachers. They will also include student internships and faculty industrial attachments.
On the medical front, an MOU was signed between Singapore’s Ministry of Health and India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The two countries will strengthen cooperation in healthcare, medical education, research, and human resources development, including in areas such as disease surveillance, maternal and child health, prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and pandemic preparedness.
The four MOUs were exchanged between India’s Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

India’s Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar (centre, left) and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (centre, right) at the exchange of the MOUs. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

India as a ‘leading centre of growth’​

Both prime ministers met on Sept 5 to discuss India’s potential as a leading centre of growth over the next decade, driven by both social and digital investments across its population, as well as its new economic linkages, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement.
Areas of potential collaboration include cross-border electricity trade and green ammonia supply chains, enhancing cross-border data flows via the finance hub of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City or Gift City, and cooperation in developing industrial parks in India.
Both countries are also looking into an agreement on the bilateral trade of carbon credits.
MFA added that Mr Modi had thanked PM Wong for extending support for India’s candidature as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2028–2029 term, along with reaffirming Singapore’s continuing support for the country as a permanent member of the reformed council.
During opening remarks at his meeting with PM Wong, Mr Modi revealed that the first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre will open in Singapore.
Named after a Tamil poet and philosopher, such centres, first announced by Mr Modi in April, are a way to “enhance the global reputation of the Tamil language”, according to Indian media reports.
As part of his official visit, Mr Modi called on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and met Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. He was hosted to lunch by SM Lee.

He toured the facilities of semiconductor and electronics Singapore-based company AEM with PM Wong, where they were briefed about the company’s role in the global semiconductor value chain, its operations and opportunities for collaborations with India, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
He then met students from Singapore who did internships in India as part of the India Ready Talent Programme, which offers university and polytechnic students overseas internship opportunities in Indian and Singapore companies in India.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi touring the semiconductor facility of Singapore-based company AEM on Sept 5. PHOTO: MDDI
Mr Modi met interns from India’s technical skills institute World Skill Centre, which is in the city of Odisha, who are working in companies here.
He also attended a business roundtable at Shangri-La hosted by the Singapore Business Federation and attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, where he interacted with chief executives of leading Singaporean companies.
Encouraging more Singaporeans to get to know India, Mr Tharman said in a Facebook post later on Sept 5 that Singapore-India relations are revving up, “and both countries will be better for it”.
He noted India’s dramatic story of human development, having uplifted hundreds of millions of people over the last decade through everything from better maternal and child health, access to electricity, water and sanitation, and gaining digital identities via which they conduct banking activities – sans middlemen.
“A dramatic story of human development, with more to come,” Mr Tharman wrote.

 

[k1976]

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

MHA allows hiring auxiliary cops from China, India; Prison trying sensors to monitor inmates’ health​

The Home Team will also hire more foreigners to fill certain roles that Singaporeans might not be keen on.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

David Sun
Mar 04, 2025

SINGAPORE – With falling birth rates, an ageing population and a manpower shortage, the Home Team is using technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to transform itself and tackle these issues.

The Home Team will also hire more foreigners to fill certain roles that Singaporeans might not be keen on, said Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo.

Speaking during the debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) budget on March 4, she added: “In every aspect, the Home Team faces new and growing demands. The threat landscape is increasingly complex.

“The manpower constraints are also more binding. Birth rates are declining and the competition for talent very tough.”

In her speech, she revealed some of the new tech and AI solutions for the Home Team.

A targeted on-site inspection tool powered by AI will be used by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to assess the likelihood of fire safety violations in commercial and industrial premises.

The tool uses data from various sources, including past inspection reports.

This allows the SCDF to carry out inspections on a more targeted basis, said Mrs Teo.

The tool is expected to be progressively rolled out to front-line units for field testing in the coming months.

At the prisons, a life signs monitoring system is being trialled to monitor inmates’ vital signs remotely, enabling prison officers to respond more quickly to incidents such as falls and abnormal heart rates.

Mrs Teo noted that this is especially important with more older inmates around.

She said the Home Team has been taking steps to use AI against AI-enabled crime, as criminals use it to carry out more sophisticated attacks.

One example is the growing use of generative AI by criminals to create deepfakes.


Mrs Teo added that scammers were also exploiting technology to produce fake content at speed and scale, and to target victims. They can also use it to manufacture evidence to mislead or frustrate investigators.

To counter this, the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) developed AlchemiX, a generative AI-powered algorithm that can identify whether audio or video recordings are genuine.

HTX launched the Home Team AI Movement in June 2024, to accelerate the development and delivery of AI capabilities.

The Home Team has also put in place an AI governance framework, Mrs Teo said, with a set of principles to guide the implementation of AI projects and ensure compliance with the law.

She added that in the area of manpower, SCDF’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has been significantly impacted with annual demand increasing by almost 30 per cent over the last five years.

She said that despite more competitive salaries, local recruitment was insufficient to meet all the needs.

“This is because EMS roles require advanced medical skills that are in short supply locally. Also, EMS work, although very fulfilling, is very challenging, and may not appeal to all.”

There has also been an increasing demand for security services, with the Auxiliary Police Forces facing challenges in sustaining an adequate pool of auxiliary police officers (APOs).


In January 2024, Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam said in a written parliamentary reply that this was due to a shrinking local workforce and other job options that Singaporeans have.

APOs were previously made up of just Singaporeans, Malaysians and Taiwanese, and he noted then that the ministry was considering expanding the list of jurisdictions APOs could be hired from.

The manpower demands are expected to grow even more with Singapore’s ageing population, and with the total fertility rate remaining low at 0.97 in 2024 – the same figure as in 2023.

To deal with this, Mrs Teo said SCDF will be hiring foreigners as paramedics and emergency medical technicians from March.

APOs have been recruited from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Philippines, India and China, with these new officers making up about 3 per cent of the total APO workforce as of December 2024, she added.

Mrs Teo said: “Overall, the Home Team has achieved good outcomes for our people. These are reflected in how Singaporeans view the Home Team positively and hold our officers in high regard.”

 

[jsctan]

Country got invaded by large numbers of foreigners, sinkies still like ostriches with heads deep inside hole.

 

[birdie69]

Country got invaded by large numbers of foreigners, sinkies still like ostriches with heads deep inside hole.

Spineless and no dignity nation?

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

6 foreign worker dorms with total capacity of 45,000 beds to be built in next few years​

Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon said that the Government has been working closely with the dormitory industry to increase the supply of bedsST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO

Esther Loi
Apr 08, 2025

SINGAPORE – Six new dormitories for workers, with a combined capacity of around 45,000 beds, will be built over the next few years, said Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon on April 8.

These include the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) new 2,400-worker dormitory in Jalan Tukang that is set to open in early 2026.

Dr Koh was responding to a question by Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) in Parliament on the ministry’s long-term strategy to ensure sufficient and resilient housing for foreign workers.

The Straits Times has asked MOM for the locations of the other five new dormitories.

Based on ST’s checks, a new dormitory named Pioneer Lodge is being constructed in Soon Lee Road.

A post by construction and property group Wee Hur Holdings on property portal EdgeProp.sg shows that Pioneer Lodge can accommodate up to 10,500 workers once it is completed in October 2025.

Dr Koh’s comments on April 8 came on the back of the closure in April of two Sembawang dormitories, which house up to 9,000 workers hired by 390 employers.

The bed crunch has left firms scrambling to find alternative accommodation for their workers by end-April, before both dorms are demolished to make way for a new housing estate.

Adding that the Government has been working closely with the dormitory operators to increase the supply of beds, Dr Koh said this includes extending the expiring leases of dormitories where possible, and allowing existing dormitories with excess space to increase their occupancy while meeting current dormitory housing standards.

Besides those measures, Dr Koh said the ministry has been speeding up and facilitating applications for new dormitories created by converting factory space, and for temporary workers’ quarters to expand its supply of beds.

While the Government has put in measures to increase the supply of beds, he added that this will not be sustainable if the demand for work-permit holders grows continuously.

Dr Koh urged employers to adopt productivity measures, so they would be less reliant on migrant workers. These measures include investing in technology to reduce the manpower needed, or upskilling workers to raise productivity levels.

Mr Yip then asked how MOM will strike a balance between safeguarding workers’ welfare and avoiding excessive costs for businesses. He also asked the ministry about its efforts to roll out regulatory upgrades in a cost-effective and phased manner.

These regulatory upgrades refer to the higher standards of living that must be applied across all new dormitories, as announced by MOM in 2021.

The majority of existing dorms would need to progressively meet interim housing standards – less stringent than those announced in 2021 – through retrofitting works between 2027 and 2030, as part of the dorm transition plan.

By 2030, about 1,000 foreign worker dormitories must meet these interim standards.

The interim standards include a limit of 12 residents per room, mandatory en-suite toilets and a minimum of 3.6 sq m – down from 4.2 sq m in the original standards – of living space per resident.

Addressing Mr Yip’s follow-up questions, Dr Koh said this dorm transition plan is a phased approach that ensures there are enough available beds for the highest possible number of workers at any point in time.

Therefore, the transition of existing dormitories to ones that adhere to these new living standards will be carried out gradually to ensure that there is no shortage in supply, he added.

He noted that there will be an increase in the supply of beds with the construction of six new dormitories.

Describing the transition as a progressive approach, Dr Koh said the ministry is in close contact with the Dormitory Association of Singapore to hear from industry players.

The ministry is also reaching out, via the association, to inform employers that may need bed space for their workers about spare bed spaces in other dormitories as there are matching efforts that take place at industry level.

“With that, I think we can transit to the desired dorm standards over time without impacting too much of a dorm supply.

“Over time, as the supply and demand balance is achieved, we will see dorm prices actually stabilising. In fact, that has been the case over the past year,” said Dr Koh.

 

[True Believer]

SG's million dollar ministers were so easily outfoxed, outclassed and outwitted over signing the lopsided CECA.