Impact of COVID-19 Border Restrictions on Entry of Migrant Domestic Workers into Singapore

22 Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Minister for Manpower (a) since January 2021, what is the number of foreign domestic workers who have had their entry approval postponed due to the border restrictions; (b) how long is the waiting time before an entry approval can be given; and (c) whether the Ministry will allow the entry of these workers on an exception basis for families with a member who is delivering a baby soon, or an elderly who is immobile or with disabilities needing urgent care-giver support.

The Senior Minister of State for Manpower (Mr Zaqy Mohamad) (for the Minister for Manpower): Mr Deputy Speaker, from January to April this year, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) was able to schedule a larger number of migrant domestic workers (MDWs) to enter Singapore as the regional COVID-19 situation was much calmer. From May, due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases locally and globally, the Government tightened the entry approvals given to MDWs as well as other travellers from countries with higher incidence of COVID-19, so as to manage the risk of COVID-19 importation and local transmission.

Among the travellers and MDWs coming from these countries, we found a significant number who were COVID-19-positive when they arrived. They posed a transmission risk to our frontline workers at our checkpoints and at Stay-Home Notice (SHN) facilities and had to be cared for under our healthcare system. Hence, the Government has had to restrict the numbers entering from high incidence countries.

Since May, MOM could only approve a small number of MDWs for entry every week. MOM has also had to postpone the entry of about 1,800 MDWs who had previously received approval to enter Singapore. With a much smaller number allowed to enter, MOM prioritised the entry of MDWs for families with very challenging caregiving needs.

Of those who had their dates postponed earlier, we have rescheduled one-third so far to enter Singapore. Barring any further tightening of entry approvals by the Government, we hope to progressively schedule the entry of the remaining two-thirds by the end of the year. But there are also more employers who are still waiting to submit their entry applications and we hope that the COVID-19 situation in the region improves so that we can approve more to enter.

In the meantime, we are not waiting passively for the regional situation to improve. The employment agency industry, through the Association of Employment Agencies Singapore (AEAS), has begun a pilot which we announced on 14 July 2021. And this is to implement additional safe management measures in the MDW's home country before they enter Singapore. MOM is monitoring the effectiveness. If the pilot proves successful in lowering the number of imported COVID-19-positive individuals, we can progressively allow for more MDWs to enter under this arrangement.

Our priority is to ensure that the risk of COVID-19 importation is well managed so as to protect our public health as well as the safety of families where the MDWs are deployed to. Not every employer will be able to get entry approval for their MDW before the end of the year. But MOM will continue to prioritise those with urgent care-giving needs. Some prospective MDW employers may have to consider other arrangements until the regional COVID-19 situation improves. Employers may also wish to consider if using the cleaning services of providers under the Household Services Scheme may be of some help.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely but rest assured we will do our best to facilitate the entry of MDWs in a safe manner.

3.00 pm

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. Ministerial Statements. Minister for Health.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), Written Answers to Question Nos 23, 25 , 29-35, 38, 40-47, 49-51, 53-63, 65-67, 69-72 and 75 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix. Question Nos 24, 26-28, 36-37, 39, 48, 52, 64, 68 and 73-74 have been postponed to the sitting of Parliament on 27 July 2021.]