Facts, research, analysis

16 02, 2019

Are foreign workers abusing WIC claims?

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00February 16th, 2019|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

By Debbie Fordyce The first graph (below) suggests that a disproportionate number of Indian and Bangladeshi migrant workers lodge injury claims within the first six months of starting a job. Moreover, TWC2's observation is that many of these injuries are minor and result in little compensation or will heal completely, thus meriting no disability compensation

15 12, 2018

In-Principle Approval: uses and abuses 2011 – 2018, introduction

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00December 15th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

Introduction Accompanying this introduction is a six-part series of articles that spotlights the In-Principle Approval for a Work Permit (“IPA”), a key document in the import of foreign labour into Singapore. Behind the document is a process that, over time, has shown several weaknesses. What began as a document and process with a laudable aim

15 12, 2018

In-Principle Approval: uses and abuses 2011 – 2018, part 6

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00December 15th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

Part 6: where we are now And that’s where we are at this moment. The In-Principle Approval for a Work permit ("IPA" -- explained in footnote) has travelled a long way, beginning life as a simple document that merely informed prospective migrant workers that a legitimate Work Permit awaited them in Singapore, together with basic

15 12, 2018

In-Principle Approval: uses and abuses 2011 – 2018, part 5

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00December 15th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Stories|

Part 5: the Section 6A requirement The long name for this rule is “Employment of Foreign Manpower (Work Passes) Regulations 2012, Fourth Schedule, Part IV, Section 6A”. The clause in the subsidiary legislation says: 6A. (1) The employer shall not — (a) Reduce the foreign employee’s basic monthly salary or fixed monthly allowances to an amount less

15 12, 2018

In-Principle Approval: uses and abuses 2011 – 2018, part 4

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00December 15th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Stories|

Part 4: MOM begins at last to respond to changing circumstances In Part 2 of this series, we described how workers with salary claims often pointed to the stated salaries in their In-Princple Approvals for Work permits ("IPA") [footnote 1] as the basis for their claims. However, the Ministry of Manpower ("MOM") itself took the

15 12, 2018

In-Principle Approval: uses and abuses 2011 – 2018, part 3

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00December 15th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Stories|

Part 3: Getting around IPAs in salary disputes Part 2 of this series described the uneven way in which the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) officers and the ministry’s Labour Court [footnote 1] handled salary claims. Sometimes, the In-Principle Approval letter ("IPA") [footnote 2] was admitted as the basis for adjudicating claims. When that happened, employers

15 12, 2018

In-Principle Approval: uses and abuses 2011 – 2018, part 2

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00December 15th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Stories|

Part 2: Salary terms Very few of the migrant workers from India and Bangladesh working in non-domestic sectors have written employment contracts. Contracts are more common with workers from China, but typically these contracts are signed in their home country between the agent and the worker. TWC2 noticed that Ministry of Manpower (MOM) officers often

15 12, 2018

In-Principle Approval: uses and abuses 2011 – 2018, part 1

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00December 15th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Stories|

Introduction This five-part series of articles throws a spotlight on the In-Principle Approval for a Work Permit (“IPA”), a key document in the import of foreign labour into Singapore. Behind the document is a process that, over time, has shown several weaknesses. What began as a document and process to better assure migrant workers that

26 11, 2018

Costs of low-waged labour migration: Difficulties, implications and recommendations

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:46+08:00November 26th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

Unlike other studies that tend to be more focussed on a particular issue, e.g. recruitment costs or access to healthcare, this study takes a more inclusive approach, to look at the various costs of migration, as surfaced by migrant workers themselves in face-to-face interviews. It therefore reveals issues that may be missed by other studies,

22 11, 2018

Recruitment cost in some cases about 20 times monthly salary

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:46+08:00November 22nd, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Stories|

In this article "$" represents the Singapore Dollar unless we specifically say otherwise, e.g."US$". It's been some time since we last wrote about recruitment costs. It's not a topic we should lose sight of. No progress is being made on this front, and high costs remain the chief reason why migrant workers cannot exert their