FOREIGN WORKERS IN SMALL ENTERPRISES (Particulars)

Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon asked the Minister for Labour (a) how many local small enterprises applied for work permits to employ foreign workers in 1987; (b) how many were rejected; (c) what is the percentage rejected; and (d) why some small restaurants, confectioneries and motor workshops are not granted work permits to employ foreign workers while restaurants within hotels are granted them.

The Minister for Labour (Mr Lee Yock Suan): Sir, the statistics requested by the Member are not available as my Ministry does not categorize employers in the manner requested.

I would, however, like to assure the Member that within the broad guidelines of our foreign workers policy, companies may be permitted to recruit foreign workers irrespective of whether they are small, medium or large, local or foreign. Companies are differentiated not by their size or who their shareholders are but by the nature of their operations, whether they are export-oriented and whether they can contribute to the upgrading of our economy.

Under the existing policy, foreign workers are allowed in the manufacturing, hotel, construction and domestic service sectors. Confectioneries and motor workshops do not belong to these sectors. As for restaurants within hotels, they are granted work permits as they clearly form part of the hotel industry. Restaurants outside hotels are more oriented to the domestic market. However, where they are directly serving the tourist industry and paying the 3% tourism cess, they may also be allowed to recruit a limited number of foreign workers. The Singapore Tourist Promotion Board decides which restaurants will qualify under its criteria.