Photo: AFP
Following complaints by the Singapore residents that foreign talent are “taking away our jobs”, the government announced on Sept. 24 that it will be imposing tighter rules for companies looking to fill up skilled job vacancies.
The change will take effect from August, 2014 and will apply to companies with more than 25 employees. These companies must advertise a vacancy for professional or managerial jobs paying less than S$12,000 a month on a new jobs bank administered by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) for at least two weeks.
Only after can they hire an employment pass holder.
Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan Jin said in a statement that even as Singapore remains open to foreign manpower, all firms must make an effort to consider Singaporeans fairly. In turn, Singaporeans must be able to prove themselves competent to take on the higher jobs that they desire.
The rule is one of several ongoing measures by the authorities to address the high competition Singaporeans face from foreign talent.
