“It has always been made known to employers that if they are in a position to consider candidates from different sources, then they must not favour foreign applicants over local applicants that are equally qualified or equally suitable for the job,” Manpower Minister Josephine Teo told the media on Aug 27.
The Covid-19 outbreak continues to wreck damage on the economy and the job market. On Sept 14, the Ministry of Manpower reported that retrenchments in 2Q more than doubled to 8,130 from 3,220 in 1Q. The government has made repeated assurances it is doing what it can to minimise job losses among locals.
As part of the measures, the qualifying monthly salary of Employment Passes (EP) for foreign professional workers has been raised from $3,900 to $4,500 with effect from Sept 1. For mid-skilled workers holding S-Passes (SP), the new salary requirement will be at least $2,500 with effect from Oct 1 from $2,400 now.
