Inspections Conducted on Accommodation for Foreign Workers
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong’s inquiry on foreign worker housing inspections and enforcement actions against errant employers from 2014 to 2016. Minister Lim Swee Say responded that the Ministry conducted nearly 4,000 inspections, increasing annual checks to 1,800 to proactively target poor housing conditions and respond to complaints. While larger dormitories generally meet standards, issues were primarily found in private residential units, requiring either immediate rectification or worker relocation for severe breaches. Consequently, about 4,000 employers and dormitory operators were issued warnings, composition fines, or prosecuted for failing to comply with housing regulations. These proactive enforcement measures and higher regulatory standards contributed to a decrease in annual public complaints from 600 to 500 during this period.
Transcript
3 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Manpower (a) in the past three years, how many housing inspections have been conducted and how many employers have been found to have provided unacceptable accommodation for foreign workers; and (b) whether follow-up actions have been undertaken for all errant employers to ensure compliance with the regulations for acceptable accommodation.
Mr Lim Swee Say: From 2014 to 2016, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) conducted close to 4,000 foreign worker housing inspections. Over this period, MOM ramped up our housing inspections from 700 in 2014 to 1,800 in 2016, to proactively inspect all larger dormitories and other smaller housing types suspected to be in poor conditions as well as respond to complaints.
The foreign worker housing landscape has improved in recent years, with the stepping up of enforcement and raising of regulatory standards. We have seen a decline in the number of public complaints related to foreign worker housing, from close to 600 in 2014 to 500 in 2016.
Most of the cases found with poor living conditions were private residential units, typically with multiple employers housing workers in a single unit. The larger foreign worker housing, such as purpose-built dormitories and factory converted dormitories, are in better condition.
Where infringements were found, MOM has ensured that employers or dormitory operators take immediate rectification action, such as making improvements to the housing condition for minor breaches or relocating the workers to other approved accommodation altogether for severe breaches. In total, about 4,000 employers and/or dormitory operators were issued with warnings, composition fines or prosecuted arising from these inspections.