By Lin Wenjian, The Straits Times, 27 Oct 2011
Foreign workers coming to Singapore to work will now have a clearer idea of their terms of employment, as well as of the labour laws here, thanks to recent initiatives introduced by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
From June this year, work permit holders here have been given In-Principle Approval, or IPA letters, that were redesigned to make it easier for them to understand.
In the same month, MOM also started to conduct pre-departure orientation briefings for construction workers from China.
Employers and migrant worker groups welcome the measures, which they say will help prevent disputes - a problem that commonly arises because of misunderstandings and lack of understanding on the terms of employment.
The IPA letter, which all foreign work pass applicants have to present to the immigration authorities for entry into Singapore, now includes information on workers' salaries, allowances and fees payable to employment agencies here.
Work permit holders earn below $2,000 a month.
Foreign workers coming to Singapore to work will now have a clearer idea of their terms of employment, as well as of the labour laws here, thanks to recent initiatives introduced by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
From June this year, work permit holders here have been given In-Principle Approval, or IPA letters, that were redesigned to make it easier for them to understand.
In the same month, MOM also started to conduct pre-departure orientation briefings for construction workers from China.
Employers and migrant worker groups welcome the measures, which they say will help prevent disputes - a problem that commonly arises because of misunderstandings and lack of understanding on the terms of employment.
The IPA letter, which all foreign work pass applicants have to present to the immigration authorities for entry into Singapore, now includes information on workers' salaries, allowances and fees payable to employment agencies here.
Work permit holders earn below $2,000 a month.
In addition, the letters sent to workers are now written in their native languages.
Previously, employers and employees received the same letter written in English.
Previously, employers and employees received the same letter written in English.
With the revised format, workers will be more aware of their rights, which 'prevents downstream employment issues when they arrive here', said Mrs Penny Han, director of applications and processing at the work pass division of MOM.
Pre-departure briefing prepares foreign workers for life in Singapore
The IPA letters for maids and other work pass holders will also be redesigned and introduced in phases from next year.
The new letter has helped Mr Lin Wen Zhong, a Chinese national who works for an air-conditioner engineering firm, to feel more settled in Singapore.
Mr Lin, 25, said he felt 'more assured when I saw the salary and housing allowance I will be getting'.
In another change, MOM also started conducting pre-departure briefings in June for construction workers from Nanjing and Jiangsu provinces.
Done through overseas testing centres (OTCs) approved by the Building and Construction Authority, the briefings include talks given by MOM officials on topics such as employment laws and written contracts. The ministry said these sessions give migrant workers a better idea of their rights and working conditions in Singapore.
Similar briefings will be held in OTCs in India and Bangladesh from next year.
Employment agencies, MPs and migrant worker groups say the new measures will go some way in addressing the problem of foreign workers turning to drastic means to resolve disputes with employers.
For instance, in July this year, a worker from China climbed to the top of a 30m-tall crane after he entered a construction site illegally following a salary dispute. The 27-year-old was later jailed five weeks for criminal trespass.
Mr Zainudin Nordin, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Manpower, said: 'A working relationship based on trust and proper written terms of reference will always be good for all parties.'
Having briefings conducted by a Singapore official will help to minimise misunderstandings that workers may have of local law and culture, he added.
'It is a good starting point for the workers to understand the country they are going to,' he said.
Ms Carol Chen, senior manager of Horizon Management Services, pointed out that it is particularly helpful to include salary and allowance information in the revamped IPA letter.
'The majority of workers who have regrets after coming here are unhappy over salary issues,' said Ms Chen, whose company supplies between 600 and 800 work permit holders a year to companies here. 'So, with everything now laid out on the table, it gives them a second chance to consider whether to come here.'
Mr Jolovan Wham, executive director of the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home), welcomes the new measures, but he noticed that some workers were still being given only the English letter by the agencies in their home countries.
And while it is now mandatory for the agent's fees to be stated in the letter, Mr Wham said he knows of agents who declare a false amount.
He said: 'Agencies can always still collect more money for other purposes, like training, for example.'
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