Review of Entry Requirements for Migrant Workers in Critical Sectors with Posture of COVID-19 as Endemic
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns requests from Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui and Ms Poh Li San for a review of entry approvals for migrant workers in critical sectors and domestic roles during Singapore’s transition to an endemic COVID-19 state. Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng announced that entry approvals resumed on 15 October 2021, with arrivals from source countries including Bangladesh and India starting in November. He stated that all work pass holders must be fully vaccinated to enter from 1 November 2021, noting that wait times currently range from three to six months due to high demand. To address urgent needs, firms and families may utilize industry-led initiatives with tightened safe management processes, including a provision for certain workers to complete vaccination within two months of arrival. The Ministry of Manpower will regularly review entry volumes to balance labor needs with public health safety while encouraging the recruitment of vaccinated or recovered workers.
Transcript
50 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will be reviewing the entry quota of migrant workers for critical sectors like construction and migrant domestic workers (especially critical caregivers) given Singapore's latest endemic position and our external assessment of higher risk countries having higher natural immunity due to earlier waves of infection.
51 Ms Poh Li San asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider granting entry approval for construction workers who are fully vaccinated, similar to the acceptance of new entry applications for vaccinated migrant domestic workers from 15 October 2021, for their entry into Singapore from 1 November 2021.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) recognises that many firms in the Construction, Marine-Shipyard and Process (CMP) sectors, and many families have been severely affected by the restrictions on worker inflows since May to reduce the risk of COVID-19 importation.
With the COVID-19 situation improving globally, we have resumed approvals on 15 October 2021 for both CMP migrant workers (MWs) and migrant domestic workers (MDWs) to enter Singapore from 1 November 2021. We have also started approving entries of CMP workers from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
In order to manage entries in a safe and calibrated manner, all work pass holders, regardless of their travel history, must be fully vaccinated when they enter Singapore from 1 November 2021, unless they have been given prior exemption. Due to high demand, workers may have to wait around three to six months to enter Singapore. We will review the situation regularly with a view to meet the needs as much as possible.
Firms in the CMP sectors who need their workers urgently may consider ongoing initiatives in their industries to bring in workers safely with tightened end-to-end safe management processes. Workers can enter without proof of vaccination provided they complete the full vaccination regime within two months after arrival. Nonetheless, we strongly encourage companies to bring in workers who are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, as they will be better protected from falling seriously ill. Similarly, families who need their MDWs urgently can consider similar initiative by the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) (AEA(S)).