EMPLOYMENT PASSES

EMPLOYMENT PASSES

**

(Figures and nationalities): **

11.

Mr Siew Kum Hong asked the Minister for Manpower for each of the last 10 years (a) how many P1, P2, Q, R and S passes were issued; (b) what were the 20 most common nationalities of each class of work pass holders; and (c) what was the average period of validity for each class of work pass.

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Chart 1* shows the employment changes from 1998. The published foreign employment level is 756,000 and a breakdown is not available.

In recent years, our foreign employment has grown in tandem with robust economic growth and job creation. The number of work passes has also risen across the different pass types.

Foreigners of all nationalities can apply for P, Q and S passes. Depending on the industry sector, R pass holders may be from Malaysia, North Asian Sources, such as Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Taiwan, or Non-Traditional Sources including Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The length of stay, and hence period of work pass validity, for P, Q and S pass holders is largely determined by their employers. There is no stipulated maximum employment period. In contrast, there is a cap on the period that R pass holders can work in Singapore. MOM recently extended the maximum period to help employers retain their experienced R-pass holders. Please refer to Table 1.

** Table 1: Maximum employment periods for R-pass holders **

Skills Level of R-pass Holders

|

Maximum Employment Period

---|---

Previous

|

Current (as at 1 st April 07)

Skilled (R1 pass)

|

15 years

|

18 years

Unskilled (R2 pass)

|

4 years

|

6 years

*Cols. 865-866.

Column: 861