WORK PERMITS (Scheme for Skilled Workers)

Mr Tan Soo Khoon asked the Minister for Labour if he will consider introducing a more favourable work permit scheme for those who have special skills or good qualifications so as to meet the manpower requirement for skilled workers.

The Acting Minister for Labour (Mr Sia Kah Hui): Mr Speaker, Sir, hon. Members may recall that my Ministry has a 3-year Work Permit Scheme for foreign workers who have acceptable training qualifications or have been certified as skilled by the Industrial Training Board. Under this Scheme a 3-year work permit holder will be eligible for permanent residence if he has completed at least two years of employment in Singapore relevant to his skill. He may eventually also be granted citizenship after satisfying the 10-year residential qualification.

To further enhance the 3-year Work Permit Scheme, the Ministry of Labour has taken steps to increase the range of benefits to be offered to 3-year work permit holders. The current Scheme will also be liberalised and extended to non-industrial workers with good academic qualifications.

Besides the benefits the present 3-year work permit holder enjoys, he will, after he has obtained his permanent residence, be eligible to rent a HDB/JTC flat or purchase a HDB/JTC flat at non-subsidised rates. Subsidised medical treatment at Government outpatient clinics and hospitals will also be offered as a privilege to these workers and their immediate families. Their children can also receive education in Singapore at old rates of school fees. In addition, their immediate families will be granted Dependant Passes. Social Visit Passes of sufficiently long duration will also be given to their parents.

It is anticipated that the granting of these benefits would encourage more persons to take advantage of the 3-year Work Permit Scheme and hence contribute significantly to meet our skilled manpower requirements.

Mr Tan Soo Khoon (Alexandra): Mr Speaker, Sir, under the Work Permit Scheme, work permits have been granted to industrial workers with the necessary skills. Under the new scheme just announced by the Acting Minister non-industrial workers will also qualify. In his reply, the Acting Minister mentioned "non-industrial workers with good academic qualifications." Will the Acting Minister elaborate further what he means by "good academic qualifications"?

Mr Sia Kah Hui: Mr Speaker, Sir, at this moment I am not able to spell out the details because they are being worked out and an announcement will be made as soon as they are ready.

Mr Tan Soo Khoon: Sir, is the Acting Minister not aware that there are already those permanent residents who possess the skills and qualifications he has just mentioned? Is he also not aware that some of these people have been here for ten years or more but have not received their citizenship and have so far not been able to apply for HDB flats?

While the new benefits he has just outlined will no doubt encourage more people to come and take advantage of our work permit scheme, will he not impress upon his colleague, the Minister for Home Affairs, of the need to extend the privileges more liberally than has been done in the past? In particular, he should stress on citizenship to those who are already permanent residents with the skills and qualifications he has just mentioned and who, in fact, have already been contributing positively to our economy for more than ten years.

Mr Sia Kah Hui: Sir, I fully agree with the sentiments of the hon. Member, and we shall certainly do as he has requested.

Mr Tan Soo Khoon: Sir, in view of the need to expand our pool of skilled workers, will the Acting Minister assure this House that he will constantly take steps to upgrade the skills of our own citizens?

Mr Sia Kah Hui: Certainly, Sir.