Employment Pass Applications for Jobs Initially Posted on MyCareersFuture Portal
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms Hazel Poa’s inquiry regarding the annual number of Employment Pass (EP) applications for jobs posted on MyCareersFuture and rejections for failing to consider Singaporeans. Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng stated that an average of 29,200 approved new EP applications annually were subject to Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) requirements over the last five years. He noted that about 2% of new applications were rejected for incorrect exemption claims, while over 600 were withdrawn or rejected following investigations into foreign candidate pre-selection. The Minister explained that MOM uses data analytics and complaint reviews to identify discriminatory hiring, potentially debarring errant employers from hiring foreign workers for 24 months. These measures uphold fair employment practices and ensure local workers are given due consideration for roles advertised on the portal.
Transcript
56 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Manpower in the last five years (a) what is the annual number of Employment Pass applications for jobs that are initially posted on the MyCareersFuture portal of the Government; and (b) how many Employment Pass applications are rejected as a result of employers deemed to have not giving due consideration to Singaporean applicants on MyCareersFuture.
Dr Tan See Leng: All Employment Pass (EP) applications are subject to the Fair Consideration Framework's (FCF) job advertising requirements, unless exempted. The advertising requirements and exemptions are clearly stated on the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM's) website. Over the past five years, an average of 29,200 approved new EP applications were subject to the FCF job advertising requirements and were initially posted on MyCareersFuture.
MOM takes a serious view of discriminatory hiring practices. We have a robust set of checks to ensure that employers fairly consider all job applicants; in particular, local workers that apply through MyCareersFuture.
First, MOM's systems block EP applications that do not meet the FCF job advertising requirements, such as the minimum advertising duration of 14 consecutive days on MyCareersFuture, from submission. For applications that indicate that they meet the FCF job advertising exemption criteria, MOM does further verification checks. Over the past five years, about 2% of all new EP applications were rejected for incorrectly indicating that they were exempted from the FCF job advertising requirements.
Second, MOM and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices scrutinise EP applications proactively using data analytics to identify employers who may have pre-selected foreigners when hiring without adhering to the spirit of the FCF advertising requirements. In the past five years, over 600 EP applications were withdrawn or rejected following investigations. MOM may also impose sanctions on errant employers, including debarring them from hiring foreign workers for up to 24 months.
In addition to these measures, MOM takes every discrimination complaint seriously and will not hesitate to take action against errant employers to uphold fair employment practices.