Singapore

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower is directing companies to add flexibility to work arrangements in order to access more workers. This is expected to help employers realize cost saving benefits and increased productivity among workers.

On January 1, 2012, Singapore instituted its new Retirement and Re-employment Act. This permits employees over the legal retirement age of 62 to continue working.

In an effort to combat discrimination within the workplace, new guidelines were released by the Ministry of Manpower and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) regarding fair employment practices.

Currently, Singapore's retirement age is 62. In 2010, the Singapore government decided that individuals up to the age of 65 will be able to continue working by being re-employed.

Adding to the foreign worker levies that were increased in July 2010, an adjustment in October 2010 to legal status laws makes it more difficult for foreigners to attain permanent residency status in Singapore.

Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore are all anticipating increases in average salaries for 2011.

Employer share of CPF contribution rises

A recent survey published by the Wall Street Journal showed that blue collar manufacturing wages in China are now three times those in Vietnam.

Singapores Minister for Manpower, Gan Kim Yong, announced that over 1,800 companies and more than 100,000 workers in Singapore have become involved with the countrys Skills Program for Upgrading and Resilience.

Last month, Singapores Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) jointly issued an updated Tripartite Guidelines on Managing Excess Manpower.

Last week, US consulting firm Mercer released its 2009 Quality of Living Survey. According to the recent survey, Singapore ranks highest on the list among Asian cities in terms of overall quality of living.

In a recent study conducted by ECA International on the cost of living for expatriates across Asia, Singapore moved down three places to 12th place. Singapore is also considered one of the easiest cities in Asia to localize foreign talent.

The Employment Act (EA) is the most important piece of labor legislation in Singapore. Parliament decided on November 18, 2008 to update the regulations to better serve the needs of the workforce.

Recent surveys of CIOs from multinational companies in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam suggest that this trend is particularly evident in Asia.

In August 2008, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that mandatory maternity leave allowance in Singapore would increase from 12 weeks to 16 weeks. This is the second time since 2004 that maternity leave has been raised by four weeks.

On July 14, Singapores Ministry of Manpower will implement new conditions for companies hiring unskilled foreign workers. The regulations are designed to prevent profiteering by employers and employment agencies through placing foreign workers.

Statistics show that in 2007, over 9% more jobs were created in Singapore than in 2006. Nearly 235,000 new workers were added by employers in Singapore during the year. The unemployment rate in Singapore also fell to 1.6% during the fourth quarter.

A recent study conducted by Manpower, Inc. shows that the 51 percent more employers are looking to hire new employees than those anticipating a decline in employment in Singapore during the first quarter of 2008.

Beginning on January 1, 2008, all employers in Singapore will be required to purchase medical insurance for their foreign employees.

Wages in Singapore are expected to rise by an average of 4.3% this year, an increase over last years rise of 3.9%.

Singapores National Wages Council (NWC) has called on employers to give workers pay increases, even as productivity in the island state has fallen slightly.

Singapores Ministry of Manpower (MOM) recently released data showing that in 2006 a record high of 176,000 new jobs were created in Singapore. This represents a 51% increase over 2005 figures.

On August 24, 2006, Singapores Ministry of Manpower announced that it planned to introduce a work permit called the Personalised Employment Pass, or PEP.

On July 14, 2006, Singapores Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced that it was restoring its skilled foreign worker levy from S$100 (about US$63) to S$150 (US$95).

In a recent study by the World Banks International Finance Corporation, Korea ranked 105th out of 155 countries in labor flexibility. In contrast, Hong Kong was ranked 3rd, Singapore 7th, Japan 20th, and Thailand was ranked 23rd for labor flexibility.

The Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has announced two changes to regulations regarding the hiring of foreign workers. These amendments will be effective starting July 1, 2005.

The Singapore government has announced that a new law on workplace safety will be introduced by the end of 2005. The new Workplace Safety and Health Act will replace the existing Factories Act, and will aim to halve the occupational fatality rate by 2015.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has announced that it will implement changes to the current MediShield insurance scheme to be effective on July 1, 2005.

Facing an ageing population and rising health care costs, the Singaporean government announced that it will consider raising the legal retirement age from the current, 62.

The new WHP program will offer training sessions to help domestic or foreign companies increase productivity and improve employee performance, while reducing employee medical costs, absenteeism and turnover.

In Singapore prior to July 2004, foreign professionals and executives were issued P1, P2, Q1 or Q2 work permits; foreign semi-skilled and unskilled workers were granted R1 or R2 passes.

Singaporeans are notorious workaholics! On August 22, 2004, the Singapore government established the Work-Life Works (WoW) Fund to improve the work-life strategy in Singapore.

Singapore's government is becoming increasingly concerned over the countrys declining birthrate. To address this, it recently announced a number of new schemes aimed at promoting parenthood and improving family life in Singapore.

In an effort to provide working parents with more childcare options, Singapores Ministry of Community Development and Sports has announced that it plans to expand the number of infant and childcare facilities to 3,000 centers by 2009.

In June 2004, Singapores National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) laid out plans to implement a year-long pilot program, establishing Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) for employees.

Singapore's National Wages Council released guidelines for the period of July 2004 to June 2005, calling for companies to begin increasing employee wages and offering bonuses, following the economic upturn in the latter half of 2003.

Following a six-month study, Singapore released details on how it plans to implement wage reform to make its companies more flexible and prevent them from laying off employees or moving abroad.

In an effort to attract more entrepreneurial spirit to Singapore, the government recently announced a new job pass scheme to attract foreign entrepreneurs to the island country.

A recent 2003 survey on expatriate packages in the Asia region found that expatriates in Hong Kong working for multinational firms received the highest perks among their counterparts in the region.

In order to encourage the development of knowledge workers in their countries, Southeast Asian governments are providing greater internet access to its people.

As a result of corporate scandals, a huge debate is ensuing in the United States and many other countries around the world regarding the need to expense stock options issued by corporations as compensation to top executives.

Singapores Manpower Ministry announced in July that worker protection under the existing Factories Act would be extended to cover employees in other non-industrial businesses.

A recent survey by the Gallup Organization found that about 12% of Singaporean workers were actively disengaged. These workers are currently costing the Singaporean economy S$5.4 billion (US$3 billion) annually.

The NWCs recommendations call for firms with financial difficultly to freeze or cut wages, implement shorter working weeks, or cut overtime to contain labor costs. Staff cuts are to be made only as a last resort.

Singapore faces a three percent contraction of its economy this year (2001). The government insists that recruitment of foreign professionals for the workforce is imperative to Singapores continuing economic development.

In May 2000, Singapores government announced tax exemptions on stock option gains for employees of start-up firms with less than SG$100 million (US$55 million) in gross assets.