SINGAPORE, Sept 8 — With the increased scrutiny on the issue of foreign talent in Singapore leaving some companies anxious, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing today reassured businesses that Singapore will continue being open to top international talent.
“Let me be clear — we want the world’s best and brightest to be with Team Singapore,” said Chan during his keynote address at a webinar organised by Standard Chartered Bank.
This will help augment Singapore’s skills and capability as these talents compete together with Singaporeans rather than against them.
This will also ultimately benefit Singaporeans rather than substitute or hurt them, he added.
“We will continue to bring in international talent in a calibrated manner as we have always done,” said Chan.
“(This will) enable our businesses to plan for the future, access the best minds, and allow Singaporeans to learn from the best, and creates more opportunities for Singapore and Singaporeans.”
He added that such scrutiny is “not unique to Singapore”.
“Every country facing economic slowdown and recession will have elements questioning the balance between locals and foreigners in the job market.”
The issue of foreign talent had been hotly debated in Parliament last week.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said during his speech then, that the Government will “always be on the side of Singaporeans” and has created jobs for foreigners with the ultimate aim to grow the economy and create good jobs for Singaporeans and raise standards of living.
Govt serious about discriminatory hiring practices
Chan said that while the Government has tightened foreign worker policies, it is not a signal that it is turning away top international talent, but to show that it is “serious about discriminatory hiring practices”.
“All businesses, regardless of size or nationality, will have to play their part in building up the Singaporean workforce and giving Singaporeans a fair shot at the same job opportunities,” he said.
“We also like to encourage all our companies to have a diverse workforce, and not overly rely on any particular foreign country… this is just part of good business practices, and it will also help us in our social integration.
“That is how we will continue to keep Singapore relevant, as the preferred hub for companies.”
Referring to the title of the webinar, “Singapore, the global hub and gateway to Asean (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Chan also asked the audience to reexamine the concepts of “global hub” and “gateway”.
“I wondered if it was appropriate to call ourselves the Global Hub or a Global Hub. Particularly, in a world that threatens to fragment, what is the role of hubs?”
As for the term “gateway”, he asked if Singapore is just a junction that businesses pass through.
“What’s our value add?” asked Chan.
More broadly, he said, Singapore must endeavour to defy the odds of history against the fate of small states “without a natural hinterland” and with our roots in “diverse racial and religious compositions”.
“We endeavour to build an inclusive, open, and connected society with the world as our hinterland and market,” he said. — TODAY
