Migrant Workers - Part 1

Let us start-off with some numbers, since the leading political party of Singapore loves the numbers game. Compared to Singapore, Canada has a much lower the proportion of temporary foreign labour relative to its population. Let us compare the Dec-2011 numbers.

Canada population as of 2011 [per wikipedia] : 33,476,688

Total number of temporary foreign workers: 300,111

% temporary foreign workers relative to population : 0.9%

Singapore population as of 2011 [per wikipedia] : 5,180,000

Total number of temporary foreign workers: 1,234,100

% temporary foreign workers relative to population : 23.8%

Okay, let us allow that Singapore "needs" to attract foreign "talent" to augment our workforce, and so let's take away the Employment Pass (EP) and S-Pass holders from the above statistics, and focus only on the Work Permit holders. [That is, WP holders are assumed to be holding jobs that do not require exceptional "talent" since their pay isn't high enough to qualify them for S-Pass.]

Singapore population as of 2011 [per wikipedia] : 5,180,000

Total number of temporary foreign workers who are Work Permit holders: 931,200

% temporary foreign workers relative to population : 18.0%

When you compare 

Singapore's 23.8% 

(or 18.0% Work Permit holders) 

vs Canada's 0.9%, 

you will realize a few things:

1. Singaporeans are incredibly tolerant of policies releasing a flood of foreign workers amongst their midst. I mean, if one considers that some Canadians* pressurize politicians over the "lax regulation of foreign labour import, and thus denying Canadians of job opportunities"; the Singaporeans' online cry against the "open foreign floodgate" is understandable and muted, really muted in contrast. [*Note: See also "Mining firm sends 16 Chinese workers home, delays hiring more workers in B.C." by The Canadian Press, dated Monday, 28 Jan, 2013.]

2. One reason cited for the high levels of temporary foreign labour in Singapore is the potential support ratio. Okay, so let us compare the population pyramids of the 2 countries below. Which one has a higher ratio of elderly (aged 65+)? Which one has a lower dependency on temporary foreign labour? Which one has more comprehensive social support for its elderly? Now you can draw your own questions with regards to that potential support ratio "reason", based on the current elderly (age 65+) population in Singapore.

2010 Canada population pyramid,

source: wikipeida

2010 Singapore population pyramid,

source: Nation Master

[Note: Thanks to the comment from Anonymous at Thursday, January 31, 2013 9:50:00 PM, questioning the accuracy of the 2010 Singapore population pyramid from Talktank blog, I have replaced it with the one above.] 

Aside: The extra bulge in the young working adult age group is precisely very much the effect of Singapore's liberal foreign workforce policies. [See Appendix C for more on this.]

3. Singapore's economy is very dependent on temporary foreign workers. It is like smoking a cigarette initially for the kicks, but over time, it becomes habit-forming, and one can no longer function without those nicotine sticks. In the same way that many smokers are in denial of the long-term consequences of their habit, IMHO, the Singapore Government is still in denial of the long-term consequences of its high dependency on temporary foreign workers to support the economy. That is, IMHO,  it still does not genuinely believe that it needs to get started on the "nicotine patch" to quit/reduce Singapore's reliance on temporary foreign workers. [Click here and here.]

4. Singaporeans are very dependent on temporary foreign workers. Hands up those who opposed the "Campaign for a Regular Day Off for Domestic Workers". Enough said.

Now that we have established Singapore's dependence on temporary foreign workers, we shall look into the regulation of this class of workers and incidents of labour exploitation in the next instalments (part 2, part 3 and part 4).

Reference data given in the appendix below.

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APPENDIX A - Charts for Singapore Foreign Workforce Numbers

See the chart below for "Singapore Foreign Workforce Numbers" between Dec 2007 to 2011, and Jun 2012, extracted from the Singapore Ministry of Manpower website.

Singapore Foreign Workforce Numbers

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APPENDIX B - Charts for Canada Temporary Foreign Workers

See the charts below for "Canada – Temporary foreign workers present on December 1st by province or territory and urban area, 2007-2011", extracted from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. [Note: I have extracted the specific numbers for Toronto, Alberta and British Columbia because they are provinces that attract large numbers of migrants.]

Note: You may notice a rapidly increasing number of temporary foreign workers in the period (2007-2011) illustrated. IMHO, it is due to the pro-business policies of the Stephen Harper-led Conservative dominated government.

CIC temporary foreign workers statistics

Temporary Foreign Workers in Ontario, 

on 1st-Dec of 2007-2011

Temporary Foreign Workers in Alberta and B.C., 

on 1st-Dec of 2007-2011

Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada, 

on 1st-Dec of 2007-2011

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APPENDIX C - Source of the extra bulge in Singapore's young working adult age group

[This section has been added in response to Anonymous at Thursday, January 31, 2013 9:50:00 PM, questioning my statement above that the "bulge in the young working adult age group" is very much the effect of Singapore's liberal foreign workforce policies.] 

As I mentioned in point 2 above, "The extra bulge in the young working adult age group is very much the effect of Singapore's liberal foreign workforce policies."

If you don't believe, just compare the numbers from the 3 pyramids below. E.g. In 2000, Singapore has just over 150K males and around 160K females aged 20-24 (red coloured bars). Five years later, in 2005, this age cohort now aged 25-29 (red coloured bars) has expanded to around 210K males and around 240K females -- an extra of around 140K from year 2000. Now, if you don't believe this increase is from immigration* and/or resident foreign labour (i.e. PRs), then please explain to me how to give birth to newborns that are instantly 25-29 years old. As for immigration, most people know anecdotally that being gainfully employed in Singapore is a common way to obtain permanent residency (PR). Anecdotal experience also suggests that an "invitation" to become a PR is automatically sent to the foreign worker if he/she holds an S-Pass or Employment Pass and has been gainfully employed in Singapore over a few years. 

Back to the charts. Another five years later, in 2010, this age cohort now aged 30-34 (red coloured bars) has expanded further to just over 250K males and around 300K females -- an extra of around 100K from year 2005. Or a total expansion of around 240K residents when comparing years 2010 and 2000. If you don't believe that the addition of around 240K people of the age group 30-34 (in 2010, cf. age 20-24 in 2000) is largely due to Singapore's liberal foreign workforce policies, then please explain what majority of those additional 240K new residents are doing in Singapore?

Note: The additional 240K new residents represent a 77.4% increase over the original 310K residents of that age cohort. Wouldn't the future potential support ratio issue (35 years down the road) be worsened by this 77.4% increase? Without such artificial increase in young working-adult age cohorts, would our population pyramid look similar to developed countries, like Canada?

2010 Singapore population pyramid,

source: Nation Master

2005 Singapore population pyramid,

source: Nation Master

2000 Singapore population pyramid,

source: Nation Master

Now if analysis of the above charts is still not convincing enough, then please read the numbers from the following table, sourced from the Migration Policy Institute. The number of citizens* grew by 244,833 from years 2000 to 2010. [Note: The growth in citizen numbers is a combination of the net birth minus deaths and the net number of new citizenships issued minus the number of citizenships surrendered.] In comparison, the number of PRs grew by 253,525 over the same period -- exceeding that of citizens! Once again, what is the most common way to become a Singapore PR?

 Changing Proportion of Citizens to Foreign Nonresidents in Singapore, 

source: Migration Policy Institute

While we are looking at the above table, please also note the total non-resident population numbers. It increased by 550,487 -- from 754,524 in year 2000 to 1,305,011 in 2010. Yes, we are talking about Employment Pass, S-Pass, and Work Permit holders. Employers are not required to pay CPF for these non-resident workers -- i.e. read, lower cost for employers. Neither do these non-resident workers have to contribute to CPF -- i.e. read, higher take-home pay for non-resident workers. How can the Singapore citizens and PRs compete against these non-resident workers to be cheaper?

[Aside: Please read the excellent article from the Migration Policy Institute from which the above table is sourced. "Rapid Growth in Singapore's Immigrant Population Brings Policy Challenges" by Brenda S.A. Yeoh and Weiqiang Lin, National University of Singapore, April 2012.]

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p.s. When voting in an election, one should consider the effect of the party whip. Singapore citizens who "kao peh kao bu" (i.e. complain/lament) about the flood of foreigners amongst their midst are really shooting themselves in the feet when they vote for the political party that clearly indicates its plans to keep the floodgate open -- some of the 60% did it the last round, I believe. The "enemy" is within us.