Ministry of Health goes overseas to help recruit foreigners?

I refer to the article “VWOs looking to hire social workers from Hong Kong & Taiwan” (Channel NewsAsia, Mar 28).

14% of Health Ministry’s social workers are foreigners?

It states that “The Health Ministry said 14 per cent of its 390 medical social workers (as of December 2013) are foreigners.

They are either from Hong Kong, Taiwan or Malaysia.”

How many non-citizens?

- If we include permanent residents (PRs) – what percentage of medical social workers in the Health Ministry are non-Singaporeans?

How many new citizens and PRs?

In this connection,  as there were an estimated 451,934 new citizens and new PRs granted from 2007 to 2013 – how many of the Singaporean medical social workers in the Health Ministry are new citizens?

Singaporeans first?

With all the consistent rhetoric in recent years about having “Singaporeans first” policies and curtailing the influx of foreign workers – shouldn’t government agencies like the Health Ministry be setting the example in hiring Singaporeans?

Are there any countries in the world whereby government agencies hire so many non-citizens?

I would like to suggest that all the government agencies disclose the percentage of their workforce that are non-citizens – like what the Health Ministry has now done for medical social workers.

Ministry accompanies mission overseas to recruit foreigners?

As to “VWOs, too, are looking overseas to hire social workers.

Representatives from four VWOs, including Lakeside Family Services and Fei Yue Community Services, went to Hong Kong in late March to source for potential candidates.

The team also comprised officials from the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) and Social and Family Development Ministry.

The NCSS said it sent representatives from its career centre at the Social Service Institute to facilitate the recruitment and to give prospective candidates a better overview of Singapore’s social service landscape”

How many can’t get jobs?

- I know of a Singaporean who graduated last year from one of the local universities with a degree in the social sciences with honours – who is still unable to find a permanent job after about 9 months.

As I understand that there are about 90,000 unemployed and long-term unemployed locals, more than 200,000 who have indicated that they would like to return to the workforce, tens if not hundreds of thousands of under-employed (getting much lower pay than their last drawn pay), etc – I find it rather sad that media stories seem to continue to be abound that employers can’t find Singaporeans to work, and thus have to resort to even a mission to a foreign country supported by a Ministry, national institutions, etc – to recruit foreigners.

“Very sad” statistics?

In view of the above, is it any wonder that -

University graduates’ starting pay growth – negative last 7 years?

… the real growth in university graduates’ starting pay has been negative in the last 7 years

… there were 207,100 residents earning below $1,000, 416,900 below $1,500 and 627,800 below $2,000.

Since the total workforce was 2,004,600 – about 1 in 10 earn below $1,000, 1 in 5 earn below $1,500 and 3 in 10 earn below $2,000.

Real median income growth only 1% p.a.?

… the real median income change from 2008 to 2013 was only 1.0 per cent per annum.

Real 20th percentile income growth only 0.3% p.a.?

… there were 1,067,100 economically inactive residents.

Uniquely Singapore!

Leong Sze Hian

*Leong is the Past President of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, an alumnus of Harvard University, has authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been host of a money radio show, a daily newspaper column, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for Malaysiakini, executive producer of the movie Ilo Ilo (24 international awards). He has served as Honorary Consul of Jamaica and founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of Brunei and Indonesia. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors and 13 professional qualifications.