Singapore to raise worker levies<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (Reuter): Singapore announced new rules on the
\nhiring of foreign workers yesterday, aimed at increasing the
\nskills levels of foreign workers and at letting local businesses
\nexpand during any economic upturn.<\/p>\n
Levies on foreign maids and foreign workers in the
\nmanufacturing and the services sectors will rise from Singapore
\n$300 (US$205) to S$330 ($226), a Labor Ministry statement said.<\/p>\n
Effective April 1, 1995, the ten percent rise is \"to moderate
\nrapid increase in the demand\" for such employees.<\/p>\n
The levies, all of which are paid to the government monthly,
\nwill also rise 10 percent for unskilled construction foreign
\nworkers and unskilled marine foreign workers.<\/p>\n
But levies for skilled construction foreign workers and
\nskilled marine foreign workers will be reduced, in each case by
\n20 percent from S$250 ($171) to S$200 ($137).<\/p>\n
The reduction is designed \"to provide greater incentive for
\nemployers in these sectors to upgrade the skills of their foreign
\nworkers, and hence improve their productivity,\" the statement
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Rules for the manufacturing, service and marine sectors were
\nrelaxed to allow employers greater flexibility in their hiring
\npolicies, so that they might hire more foreign workers during a
\nbusiness upturn.<\/p>\n
This change, effective Dec. 1, will, for example, allow the
\nhiring of up to three foreigners for every one local worker
\ninstead of the current limit of up to two foreigners for each
\nlocal.<\/p>\n
The statement said there are currently more than 300,000
\nforeign workers in Singapore, constituting more than 18 percent
\nof the city state's total workforce.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/singapore-to-raise-worker-levies-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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