Discussion: economics of labour migration
30
05, 2021
Fans, lockdown and going home
Transfer jobs for migrant workers are plentiful now, as borders are closed. Some laid-off workers still prefer to go home. Why?
28
05, 2021
The budget you’ll need for buying a job
Volunteer Nicole asks migrant worker Sadek to tally up how much he paid to secure this third job in Singapore. He also mentions who profitted.
23
05, 2021
Short of foreign labour, Singapore sending workers home even when they want to stay and work
MOM is fully aware of the dire shortage of foreign labour. Yet, workers are forcibly being sent home nonetheless -- as part of MOM's policy.
16
05, 2021
Manpower shortage and our kafala system
Employers acting in self-interest couldn't care less if they hurt the national interest. Singapore unfortunately jealously protects employers' self-interest. It's a dogma thing.
15
04, 2021
“The exam of God”
A 17-year-old had to choose between furthering his education or becoming a migrant worker. After five years, has it turned out well?
3
04, 2021
In 1997, the employer paid for training, in 2011 it was a money-sucking show
We speak to two migrant workers frm India and asked them about their first training course. How things have changed... and perhaps for the worse.
28
03, 2021
Systemic factors that encourage overstaying need to be addressed
What led Ziaur to overstay? How individual decisions are shaped by policy and how misguided policy imposes costs on the State itself.
7
03, 2021
Without a social safety net, Mutaleb has to rely on charity after an injury
In a split second, a worker's life is turned upside down. It is too easy for employers to simply abandon their injured workers.
26
02, 2021
Domestic worker dies from abuse and starvation, commentary 2
Baying for blood is easy. Looking unflinchingly at how regulatory policies and priorities contributed to the torture and killing of a domestic worker would be more positive.
5
02, 2021
What else can be done but live a life of quiet resignation?
A profile of a worker with so many problems we hardly know where to begin. Monzurul may not be the luckiest guy, but his situation is not uncommon either.