Review Migrant Domestic Worker Hiring Policies to Allow Diverse Care Arrangements such as Private Co-Living Care Format

16 Ms Carrie Tan asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry will review the current migrant domestic worker hiring policies and rules to allow for more diverse care arrangements of the elderly, such as those in the private co-living care format; and (b) what are the Ministry's concerns and constraints preventing more flexibility in such employment rules and what are the statistics or data that give rise to these concerns.

The Minister of State for Manpower (Ms Gan Siow Huang) (for the Minister for Manpower): Mdm Deputy Speaker, the migrant domestic worker (MDW) scheme was introduced to support families in their domestic and caregiving needs. Employment protection policies designed for MDWs are premised on the MDW providing only non-commercial domestic services to her employer's household at the employer's place of residence. To take into account the flexibility around work hours and rest patterns that may be needed for their nature of work, MDWs are not covered by the Employment Act.

MDWs are instead protected under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA). To protect the well-being of MDWs, the scope of domestic work and the employment of MDWs are tightly circumscribed under the EFMA.

The well-being of MDWs and the conditions of their engagement are important priorities for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). An employer has obligations under the EFMA in ensuring the safety and well-being of the MDW, providing adequate food and rest time, paying their salary on time and covering the MDW's medical expenses. The balancing of flexibilities in employment rules for the care of the elderly should not result in the delegating of the primary responsibilities of the employer in the EFMA. For example, MOM cannot allow MDWs to be deployed in a business operation that could subject MDWs to overwork.

The Government recognises the diverse needs of the elderly and their caregivers and has introduced a wide range of eldercare services to support households. These include home personal and nursing care, day care and community rehabilitation services. The Ministry of National Development (MND), Ministry of Health (MOH) and Housing and Development Board (HDB) are also piloting assisted living in the Community Care Apartments, which integrates senior-friendly design features with services that can be scaled according to the care needs. There are also a number of private assisted living models for seniors to age in the community. These options complement MDW and family caregiving.

MOM has been and will continue to work closely with MOH and industry partners to explore new and holistic caregiving models to better support eldercare needs.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms Carrie Tan.

Ms Carrie Tan (Nee Soon): Mdm Deputy Speaker, I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive response to help us understand that there were, indeed, some workings within how this business was operating that could have been quite exploitative of the people they purport to care for and care workers.

Despite that, is MOM open to looking at new regulatory frameworks and provisions for different kinds of employment models such that the gap that the residents and citizens currently face in elderly care options can be plugged in a way that ensures that business costs, cost to consumers and all that are made accessible and viable?

Ms Gan Siow Huang: The short answer is yes. In fact, MOM is working with MOH to develop new care models for the elderly. We recognise that there are evolving needs and there are opportunities for us to work with private partners to develop new models.