The Citizenship and Population Unit (CPU) in Singapore Prime Minister’s Office has been set up to coordinate and drive all relevant government agencies’ efforts pertaining to immigration issues. By doing so, the Singapore Government recognise that the dynamic interplay of the local community and the immigrant acculturation orientation may produce consensual, problematic or conflicting relational outcomes between Singaporean and the foreign immigrants as postulated in the interactive acculturation model framework (Richard et al, 1996). One of the key functions of CPU is to attract foreigners to study, work and live in Singapore, with interested and suitable immigrants being encouraged to sink roots permanently. DPM Wong had shared in his interview on August 2006 that the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in its policy review would facilitate foreign graduates and adults who meet the relevant requirements and can afford to stay on in Singapore at their own expense to spend more time looking for a job. This involved the extension of 6 month social visit pass for talented immigrants. for To further help attract and retain them working in Singapore, a new personalised employment pass introduced by Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is tied to the person rather than the employer. This is to provide greater flexibility of career opportunities for eligible foreigners to stay and work in Singapore. An online self-assessment points system for citizenship eligibility had also been put up by Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). This online checklist enables interested foreigners to take proactive steps to meet the relevant criteria, to facilitate a successful application for Singapore citizenship. These government assistance initiatives for immigrants cause anxiety and fear to Singaporeans who perceive the scarcity of jobs to be more easily taken away by these immigrants. Adopting the ‘zero-sum beliefs’, Singaporeans perceived that the continued issue of employment passes (high skilled), S-pass (medium skilled) and work permit (low skilled) to foreigners will lead to a resource stress; jobs.
Singapore need to assure her citizens that It is not a zero sum game for Singaporeans if foreigners come to work here. The assurance has to manifest in some national policies that clearly favour the citizens especially in the competition for jobs. Singapore imposes stringent benchmark for employing talent foreigners to ensure that the foreigners are employed not at the expense of local skilled worker. The Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MoM) issues Employment Passes (EPs) for foreign degree holders and S-Passes for foreign technical and specialist diploma holders who wish to work in professional, managerial or executive and specialised jobs in Singapore. Such talents need to meet minimum requirements of a monthly basic salary of more than S$2,500 and S$1,800 respectively and possess recognised qualifications, relevant skills and/or work experience. These stringent requirements are reasonable standards to benchmark the quality of this group of foreign workers to the local skilled workforce (MoM Website). The minimum salary is set such that young and upcoming Singaporeans with University degree and Diploma Certificates earning starting pay of S$2,200 and S$1,600 will not lose out in the competition for jobs. The older Singaporeans who face challenges looking for jobs beyond their retirement age, may also attribute their difficulty to the influx of immigrants in taking away their jobs. In Aug 2006, the Singapore government announced to commit $30million to the ADVANTAGE scheme to help older Singaporean remain economically productive. The scheme incentivised the employers with lower employee CPF contribution rate for employing old Singaporeans while at the same time, encourage these workers to stay employed with Workfare Income Supplement. These initiatives will help Singaporeans work longer, save more and give them peace of mind for their golden years. These government efforts will significantly strengthen Singapore’s economic and social systems, which will help to minimise discrimination and prejudice against immigrants and facilitate their smooth integration into the country.
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