Enhancing local employment
FOREIGN worker numbers here may be at an all-time high — with 144,500 or 61 per cent of the 236,600 jobs created last year going to such workers — but Minister of State (Ministry of Education and Manpower) Gan Kim Yong yesterday assured Parliament that Singapore's strong economic growth has also led to record highs in local employment.
.
Responding to a question by Madam Ho Geok Choo, Member of Parliament for West Coast GRC, on how the employment of locals could be enhanced, Mr Gan noted that there were 92,100 more locals in employment last year alone — two to three times the annual average.
.
The resident unemployment rate in December was also at a record low of 2.3 per cent, he added.
.
The resident labour force participation rate for those 15 and above also hit a record high of 65.1 per cent last year, up from 63.7 per cent a decade ago and 63.3 per cent in 2004.
.
As to whether Singapore would be affected by an external embargo on workers coming here, Mr Gan said the "flexibility" of the foreign worker policy has been a "key strength".
.
"Over the last few years, our experience has shown that we have been able to adapt quickly to changes in the economic environment and we have continued to diversify our sources of foreign workers," he said, ensuring that the workforce remains resilient and responsive to external changes.
.
Given Singapore's high employment rates, Mr Gan noted there would be "limits to the growth of our local workers".
.
While businesses would also have to tap on foreign workers to meet demand, he said more is being done to encourage women and older workers to return or stay longer in the workforce. .
So far, a job career network of community and public agencies has been "quite effective" in raising local employment rates. — Sheralyn Tay