WORK PERMITS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENTS (Policy)

Mr Heng Chiang Meng asked the Minister for Labour whether Singapore permanent residents need work permits if they are earning below $1,500/- per month and, if so, the rationale for this policy.

The Minister for Labour (Mr Lee Yock Suan): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Regulation of Employment Act requires all non-citizens seeking employment in Singapore to apply for work permits if their salary is not more than $1,500 per month. Singapore permanent residents, being non-citizen therefore need to have work permits to work in Singapore if they earn less than $1,500 per month.

Work permits of 3 years' duration are issued liberally to Singapore permanent residents. They are allowed to work in all sectors of the economy and are not confined to the manufacturing, hotel, construction and domestic service sectors as in the case of foreign workers who are not Singapore permanent residents.

Mr Heng Chiang Meng: May I ask the Minister how many permanent residents of this sort are refused work permits if they apply for it? And if the answer is neglible, may I ask why incur extra work for the Ministry? Since he allows them to stay in Singapore, why not allow them to work without restrictions?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not have the figures here. But to my knowledge, very few, I think practically none, have been denied work permits because there are plenty of jobs available. The basic point is that there are fundamental differences in the rights and responsibilities of permanent residents and citizens. For example, permanent residents do not have to do national service, unlike citizens. So I think we should maintain some areas of differences in terms of the rights of permanent residents.