SINGAPORE - The country's strong stance against favouring foreigners for employment has not gone unnoticed, Minister of State for Manpower and National Development Zaqy Mohamad told Parliament on Monday (Nov 4).

Singapore ranked 93 out of 141 economies on the ease of hiring foreign labour in the Global Competitiveness Ranking released by the World Economic Forum in October, he said.

"As an international business hub, such perceptions carry some cost," he added, noting that there could be fewer good jobs for Singaporeans if leading global companies think twice about investing in Singapore.

Mr Zaqy was responding to Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC), who asked that the eligibility criteria for employment pass (EP) holders be tightened.

Mr Saktiandi also told Parliament that more could be done to make sure companies train the local workforce in skills that they are hiring foreigners for, including expanding a scheme that supports the transfer of global expertise and capabilities from multinational companies to local workers.

He said: "We cannot continue to have the inflow of foreign specialists in perpetuity without regard for the well-being of our Singapore core."

Mr Zaqy noted that the criteria for EP holders are reviewed regularly, with adjustments last made in 2017.

He added that the minimum salary of $3,600 applies to young graduates with good qualifications, but an experienced EP holder in his mid-40s will need to earn much more to qualify, comparable to a local white-collar worker with similar experience.

Mr Zaqy said locals continue to hold the majority of jobs that companies could hire EP holders to undertake.

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Locals hold around three in four of such jobs in most sectors, except for the infocomm industry, where locals have two in three positions, he added.

But the ministry will study Mr Saktiandi's suggestion on expanding on the scheme to see how else local workers can benefit, Mr Zaqy said.