SINGAPOREANS MARRYING WORK PERMIT HOLDERS (Applications)

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Labour how many applications for marriage between work permit holders and Singapore citizens were received by his Ministry for the years 1985 to 1987; how many of them were approved and how many were rejected; what were the reasons for the rejections; and whether he will be more liberal in considering rejected cases which have been submitted on appeal.

The Minister for Labour (Mr Lee Yock Suan): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to answer Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together as they are closely related?

Mr Deputy Speaker: All right.

Mr Lee Yock Suan: The policy concerning marriages between work permit holders with Singaporeans has been in force since 1973. As a condition of their work permits, foreign workers are required to obtain the approval of the Commissioner for Employment if they wish to marry Singapore citizens or permanent residents. Approval is granted if the foreign worker has skills or qualifications that are of value to Singapore and has adjusted to our social and work ethos.

If a work permit holder violates the policy and contracts marriage with a Singaporean without the approval of the Commissioner, his work permit will be cancelled and he will be banned from entry into Singapore. The entry ban has been made a permanent one since July 1984.

We have to control marriages between work permit holders and Singaporeans because our work permit policy allows liberal entry of large numbers of foreign workers to ease our labour shortage. Most of these foreign workers are unskilled and unqualified. Under normal immigration controls, they would not have been allowed into Singapore for extended periods of stay, let alone given opportunities to sink roots through marriages with Singaporeans. Their purpose here is to seek employment and they are allowed in on a short-term basis as part of a revolving pool of foreign workers.

Between 1978 and 1984, before the implementation of the permanent entry ban, 3,072 or an average of 440 work permit holders per year had breached the marriage restriction policy. Since the implementation of the permanent ban in July 1984, the number who have contravened the policy is 692, an average of 200 per year.

The policy, which has been in force since 1973, is well known to the public. Those who choose to violate the policy have to live with the consequences. Whilst sympathizing with them, our policies must be geared to protect the interests of the vast majority of Singaporeans who live on this small island. If our immigration and work permit policies are too liberal, we run the danger of being swamped by many potential immigrants who wish to seek a better life here.

Coming to Question No. 8, Sir, for the years 1985 to 1987, my Ministry received a total of about 5,000 applications for marriage between Singapore citizens and work permit holders who were not permanent residents. About 70% of them were approved.

Marriage approvals are given to work permit holders who have skills or qualifications of value to Singapore and who have adapted to our way of life.

I will consider appeals on their individual merits.

Dr Wong Kwei Cheong (Cairnhill): Sir, what measures will be taken against the children of Singapore citizens who have breached the marriage policy, especially when such children were not born in Singapore?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, my Ministry does not take any action against the children of couples who have breached the marriage policy. However, where these children are not Singapore citizens, they are subject to immigration rules applicable to non-citizens.