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Written Answer to PQ on EP applications and Fair Consideration Framework

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2760 OF 2024 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 7 MAY 2024
QUESTION NO. 5788 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

MP: Ms Hazel Poa

To ask the Minister for Manpower in the last five years (a) what is the annual number of employment pass applications for jobs that are initially posted on the MyCareersFuture portal of the Government; and (b) how many employment pass applications are rejected as a result of employers deemed to have not giving due consideration to Singaporean applicants on MyCareersFuture.

Answer:

All Employment Pass (EP) applications are subject to the Fair Consideration Framework’s (FCF) job advertising requirements unless exempted. The advertising requirements and exemptions are clearly stated on MOM’s website. Over the past five years, an average of 29,200 approved new EP applications were subject to the FCF job advertising requirements, and were initially posted on MyCareersFuture.

2. MOM takes a serious view of discriminatory hiring practices. We have a robust set of checks to ensure that employers fairly consider all job applicants, in particular local workers that apply through MyCareersFuture.

3. First, MOM’s systems block EP applications that do not meet the FCF job advertising requirements (such as the minimum advertising duration of 14 consecutive days on MyCareersFuture) from submission. For applications that indicate that they meet the FCF job advertising exemption criteria, MOM does further verification checks. Over the past five years, about 2% of all new EP applications were rejected for incorrectly indicating that they were exempted from the FCF job advertising requirements.

4. Second, MOM and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices scrutinise EP applications proactively using data analytics to identify employers who may have pre-selected foreigners when hiring without adhering to the spirit of the FCF advertising requirements. In the past five years, over 600 EP applications were withdrawn or rejected following investigations. MOM may also impose sanctions on errant employers, including debarring them from hiring foreign workers for up to 24 months.

5. In addition to these measures, MOM takes every discrimination complaint seriously and will not hesitate to take action against errant employers, to uphold fair employment practices.