WORK PERMIT HOLDERS (Permission to hold two jobs)

The following Question stood in the name of Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon -

Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon: To ask the Minister for Labour whether his Ministry will allow foreign workers on work permits to hold two jobs.

Mr Goh Choon Kang (Braddell Heights): Question No. 11, Sir.

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Mr Speaker, Sir, if work permit holders are allowed to hold two jobs, the main advantage is apparently to derive more work from the pool of foreign workers.

The disadvantages are:

Firstly, the cost of employing the foreign workers concerned will be reduced, with adverse implications on local wages and the pressure on the employers to reduce their dependence on foreign workers. Secondly, there will be problems of accountability for the foreign worker and collection of levy from both employers.

Thirdly, the workers' health, safety consciousness and job performance will be affected by his eagerness to work longer hours. Under the Employment Act, workers are limited to a certain amount of overtime work per month beyond which my Ministry's approval is required.

On balance, I am not in favour of allowing work permit holders to hold two jobssimultaneously. As it is, many foreign workers are already working overtime and on shift work.