GE2025: How will your party balance immigration?

Key Concepts:

• Priority for Singaporean jobs
• Fair Consideration Framework
• COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework)
• Qualifying salary for EP (Employment Pass) holders
• Privilege of citizenship
• LTVP (Long-Term Visit Pass) vs. PR (Permanent Residence) or Citizenship for foreign wives of Singapore citizens
• Retrenchment support
• Immigration policy
• Skills transfer between foreign talent and local workforce

Priority for Singaporean Jobs and Foreign Talent:

The People's Action Party (PAP) prioritizes jobs for Singaporeans, making no concessions on this. Employers must demonstrate that no Singaporean is capable of performing a job before they are allowed to hire a foreigner. The goal is to strike a balance between ensuring gainful employment for local workers and attracting necessary foreign talent.

Government Initiatives and PSP Proposals:

The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) acknowledges that their proposals are not entirely new or different from the government's initiatives. The government has already introduced:

• Quotas for S Pass and work permit holders.
• The Fair Consideration Framework.
• COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) in the 14th Parliament.
• Increased qualifying salary for EP holders.

Privilege of Citizenship and Immigration Policy:

In an open society, the privilege of citizenship needs to be better accentuated. There's a concern that what is claimed to be in the national interest may not always align with the people's interest. For example, the issue of foreign wives of Singapore citizens only receiving LTVP and not PR or citizenship is raised.

Retrenchment Support:

The current retrenchment support of 6K for 6 months is considered a flimsy safety net for Singaporean workers.

Immigration and Skills Transfer:

Immigration should remain a cornerstone of Singapore society, welcoming talent and friends from around the world. However, the immigration policy must lift Singaporeans and not sideline them. To achieve this balance, a more deliberate skills transfer between foreign talent and the local workforce is proposed. This is crucial for industries where Singapore may not yet have a sufficient talent pool.

LTVP vs. PR/Citizenship for Foreign Wives:

The statement "Foreign wives of Singapore citizens only get LTVP and not PRs or citizenship" is addressed. It is clarified that LTVP is not a prerequisite for PR or Singapore citizenship.

Conclusion:

The main takeaways are the emphasis on prioritizing Singaporean jobs, the need for a balanced immigration policy that benefits Singaporeans, the importance of skills transfer from foreign talent, and the inadequacy of current retrenchment support. The discussion also touches on the complexities of citizenship and residency for foreign spouses of Singaporeans.