Our advocacy work is based on evidence collected in our research activities. In this section are reports, research findings, brief fact sheets and analyses.

15 12, 2018

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

2019-08-30T16:30:45+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

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15 12, 2018

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

2019-08-30T16:30:45+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

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15 12, 2018

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

2019-08-30T16:30:45+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

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26 11, 2018

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

2019-08-30T16:30:46+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,

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22 11, 2018

Recruitment cost in some cases about 20 times monthly salary

2019-08-30T16:30:46+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

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15 10, 2018

Policy brief 2018, no. 4: Free up labour mobility, do more to retain skills and experience

2019-08-30T16:30:47+08:00October 15th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, Our Stand|

In the fourth of our policy briefs for 2018, Transient Workers Count Too recommends that foreign workers should be free to change employer without needing to get the permission of the existing employer. There should also be a clearer time frame for workers to get new jobs should their existing employers terminate their Work Permits

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7 09, 2018

Policy brief 2018, no. 3: Require standard employment contracts

2019-08-30T16:31:02+08:00September 7th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, Our Stand|

In the third of our policy briefs for 2018, Transient Workers Count Too recommends that it should be mandatory for work permit holders to first sign a Standard Employment Contract (SEC) even before a work permit application is made. The SEC should set out all the key employment terms, and these should be in accordance

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1 08, 2018

Policy brief 2018, no. 2: Require mandatory reporting of injuries to MOM by healthcare providers

2019-08-30T16:31:03+08:00August 1st, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, Our Stand|

In the second of four policy briefs for 2018, Transient Workers Count Too recommends that healthcare providers should have a duty to report to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) when a migrant worker is issued more than three days medical leave or is hospitalised for 24 hours or longer. This should be in addition to

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29 07, 2018

89% of salary disputes arise from cash-payment employers, confirms MOM

2019-08-30T16:31:03+08:00July 29th, 2018|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, News Flash|

In a parliamentary reply to a question by MP Melvin Yong, Manpower minister Josephine Teo said in July 2018 that only 11% of work permit holders lodging salary claims were paid electronically. (Scroll down for full reply). This factoid supports TWC2's urging that electronic payment of salaries should be made mandatory. In our Policy Brief

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