Singapore has achieved economic development through success in human resource development.

That success has been underpinned by foreign workers.

Singapore, a small country with no natural resources, has a history that runs from the British colonial era through an immigrant society, immigration restrictions after independence in 1965, and then immigration policies in the 1980s to address labor shortages caused by industrialization. Alongside these policies, the population of people from neighboring countries—Malaysia, China, and Indonesia—has grown.

Behind Singapore’s success in accepting foreign nationals is a set of conditions different from Japan’s: it is a multicultural, multi-religious country where ethnic Chinese, Malay, and Indian communities coexist; its immigration policies have created an environment conducive to accepting foreigners; and English is one of its official languages.

● Foreign Talent and Foreign Workers

The Singapore government implements its foreign worker acceptance policy in the following two categories.
It achieves economic benefits mainly by thoroughly enforcing measures to prevent settlement and illegal stay among lower-skilled foreign workers.

◇ Foreign Talent with advanced skills and qualifications

・ Right to obtain permanent residence
・ May bring family members
・ May settle after obtaining citizenship (nationality)
Companies that employ highly skilled talent are not charged a foreign worker levy and face no limits on the number they may hire.

◇ Foreign Workers (lower-skilled)

Lower-skilled workers engaged in domestic work, manufacturing, services, and construction.
Age at application: 16 to 50
Source countries: Workers are accepted from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and India.
Systems such as marriage restrictions and a ban on childbirth are in place to prevent settlement.
～ Obligations and other requirements for lower-skilled workers
・ Obligation to register a mobile phone number with the government
・ Levy collected from the employing company
・ Obligation to leave the country within 7 days after employment ends
・ Obligation to undergo regular medical checkups
・ Obligation to take a pregnancy test every six months (for domestic workers)

● Treatment of foreign workers in Singapore during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign workers who support Singapore’s economy from behind the scenes have faced the same virus-related hardships seen worldwide, compounded by outing restrictions to prevent mass infection, the impact of deteriorating business conditions at their employers, and poor living conditions.
For lower-skilled workers, life during their period of employment is separated from Singapore’s broader social strata, and the gap between their working conditions and those of Singaporean citizens is a reality shared around the world.

As infection pathways for the novel coronavirus were traced to residential areas for foreign workers, calls to reduce acceptance grew. At the same time, many businesses cannot operate without foreign workers, and Singapore’s business associations have issued statements opposing cuts.

The Singapore government has sought to improve employment conditions by reducing taxes on companies and calling for prompt payment of foreign workers’ wages. However, labor conditions for foreign workers—left to employers whose practices may diverge from the government’s intent—have begun to draw concern domestically.