REPRIEVE FOR WORK PERMIT HOLDERS

Mr M.K.A. Jabbar asked the Minister for Labour and Second Minister for Law and Home Affairs whether the Ministry of Labour will give work permit holders from non-traditional sources in small retail and service shops a further reprieve of one to two years in order to overcome the shortage of these workers.

Prof. S. Jayakumar: Work permit holders from non-traditional sources were only allowed into Singapore as a temporary measure. Hence, in January 1982, the Government announced its plan to phase out these unskilled foreign workers as and when their permits expire except for construction, shipyards and domestics.

The employers referred to by the Honourable Member have therefore been given ample notice and have had adequate time to adopt measures to reduce their dependence on unskilled foreign workers. Many employers have already done so. Those employers who are still having the workers cannot, therefore, be given further extensions of one to two years.