REPATRIATION OF FOREIGN WORKERS

Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Manpower what steps are being taken to ensure that foreign workers are not unfairly repatriated by employers before they can make their claims for unpaid wages and other benefits.

Dr Ng Eng Hen (for the Minister for Manpower): Mr Speaker, Sir, employers of foreign workers are responsible for repatriating their employees when their Work Permits are cancelled, terminated or not renewed. The employers are also required to settle all outstanding wages due to the foreign workers. The employers must also pay for the workers air ticket to return home.

When a foreign worker lodges an employment claim with the Ministry, his employer would not be able to repatriate him until the claim has been settled. The Ministry will take firm action against the employer by disqualifying him from future application of work permit for foreign workers if he deliberately sends back the worker to prevent him from pursuing his claims.

However, should a foreign worker be repatriated and he has outstanding salary claims against his employer, he may still lodge a written complaint with the Ministry. The Ministry will help him pursue his claims with his employer. Wages recovered from his employer will be remitted to the foreign worker in his home country.

Foreign workers should seek help from the Ministry if their employers have not been paying their salary promptly. By alerting the Ministry early, the amount in salary arrears would be limited. The chances of recovering the owed salary would be better.

Mdm Halimah Yacob: Sir, the difficulty most of the foreign workers face after they have been repatriated in making claims is that they are no longer in Singapore. So I think this question of putting up evidence, filing claims, calling for witnesses will not be available to them. Can the Minister give a little bit more information on how the Ministry is helping the foreign workers to make their claims, bearing in mind that these are difficulties that they face?

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, Sir, foreign workers are advised of their rights at the start of their employment. To the extent that this has been successful, let me just state some figures. Last year, we had about 7,000 complaints, the majority of these cases from the construction industry. My Ministry helped to settle 75% of these claims of about $6.5 million involving 5,000 workers. In other words, each worker received about $1,300. We will continue to do more by advising foreign workers, at the start of their employment, their rights and their avenues for redress. 1.30 pm

Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question time.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No. 21(3), Written Answer to Question No. 15 on the Order Paper is reproduced in the section "Oral Answers to Questions Not Reached" (Cols. 713-714). Question Nos.6-14 and 16-17 have been postponed to the sitting of Parliament on 13th May 2002.]