Singapore Fair Consideration Framework

[myprhui]

For those of you who dismissed the FCF as a simple advertising requirement, please think again.

MOM has created a new government unit called Fair Consideration Department (FCD). The FCD is headed by a director level MOM officer. Going forward, all complaints about discriminatory practices against Singaporeans will be handled by the FCD. In another words, MOM is going to sideline the lame duck Tafep and handle these complaints directly.

Accordingly to the MOM official blog, over the past few months, FCD has "engaged" various companies across industries. These companies are identified by FCD as companies with a low ratio of Singaporean PMETs. They have specifically mentioned two IT consultancy firms: MSG Global and Optimum Solutions. FCD has already directed these two companies to work closely with IDA to develop a Singaporean core in their teams.

Through the FCF/Jobsbank, FCD will continue to "hunt" for such companies and MOM will "help" these companies to change their HR practices so that they can all develop a Singaporean core.

[myprhui]

I am getting the message. The government will do all it can to directly or indirectly drive employment towards Singaporeans who are qualified as well as those who are not (MOM expects companies to train them to be qualified).

Coupled with the lower growth in economy and stringent controls over PR, I believe the EP population in Singapore will continue to decrease further as most companies will try to avoid unnecessary scrutiny by employing Singaporeans whenever they can or they may decide to keep these positions away from Singapore altogether especially for roles with limited Singaporean applicants. Since unemployment in Singapore is near zero, Singaporeans will not be affected but foreigners will now find it even harder to enter the Singapore job market.

I am seeing a lot more foreigners being hired on contract rather than permanent basis. Singaporeans who are well qualified will benefit the most and they find themselves in good positions to move up to middle/senior management roles.

[myprhui]

MOM or this new FCD will not try to drive companies into corners by banning them immediately from hiring EPs. But they will expect these companies to "improve" by hiring more Singaporeans. Accordingly to the blog, the friendly FCD officers will routinely check on these companies and if they still do not change then these companies will start to find more and more of their EPs being rejected for no good reasons. MOM prefers to kill them slowly.

No companies in Singapore will enjoy attention from MOM especially body shops like Optimum. I will definitely expect them to change unless they are planning to close down.

Things are changing in Singapore. Recently, Barclay has just started a special hiring programme which specifically targets Singaporean polytechnic students. This is definitely unheard of before all these new labour changes.

[sundaymorningstaple]

tic...toc...tic...toc....

moderator

[Mi Amigo]

Well I guess we'll now see whether there are actually enough suitably qualified, enthusiastic AND experienced Singaporeans to take the jobs that up to now have supposedly been 'stolen' by foreigners. If not then the exodus of employers to other more favourable locations is likely to continue.

[the lynx]

While I'm in favour of hiring locals first, I think the employers and the government will have a HUGE challenge in finding (employer) and/or producing (government) sufficient local manpower with the right attitude and skills required for employment.

It will take a while but I fear that by the time the optimal education policies bear fruit and produce the generation without entitlement complex, it will be too late and the companies would have moved their operations to cheaper locations where they can get BETTER manpower at half the cost. Hiring good and well-skilled foreigners now are getting expensive so unless local manpower quality becomes desirable, it is not worth investors and employers' time to pay the same rate for less-than-desirable work skills found locally.

Not saying there is ZERO quality local manpower, there are indeed but they are like rare jewels, too far and few in between. Very often they get snapped up quickly by employers, local and abroad, who are willing to pay for them.

[Wd40]

Mr myprhui, its interesting that you mention Optimum and Barclays. Both very familiar to me. Do you work in banking?

The biggest takeaway I see from the Jobsbank is that now for every candidate that will be hired on EP, there will a job entry in the jobs banks. So earlier hirings that used to happen directly through referrals or through linked in or headhunted without publishing the job etc, will now come out in the open.

Since the job bank is veiwable by anyone. Anyone can go in and check how many jobs are open out there for a specific skillset. So if you are savvy career oriented person, you can do some data mining and keep track of the companies that hire in your skills area and you also get a true picture of the job market.

[JR8]

Well I guess we'll now see whether there are actually enough suitably qualified, enthusiastic AND experienced Singaporeans to take the jobs that up to now have supposedly been 'stolen' by foreigners. If not then the exodus of employers to other more favourable locations is likely to continue.

Well quite. I mean why hire an expat if a local is ('fully costed') half as much? Must be a very good reason, right?

So ramming through quotas up the golden goose's derriere is only likely to kill it.

p.s. @ SMS. I was wondering how long...

p.p.s. I see a parallel with the concurrent topic, re: 'Why do SGn cats just lie around all day, and not have a killer instinct likes ones in the West?' - Answer: Because everything and more gets handed to them on a plate, so why bother.

p.p.p.s Let's hope this new FCF policy is more successful than previous policies like 'Stop at one', SDU, Baby-Bonus, and 'Contact Singapore' eh?

[gailwynand]

Honestly, if this means the IT body shops are on their way out, good riddance. It's not like these are attracting "high quality" migrants anyway and it really makes no sense for back office IT to be in Singapore.

For those who have real skills and not commodity level IT expertise I'm still not seeing a problem.

[BillyB]

Honestly, if this means the IT body shops are on their way out, good riddance. It's not like these are attracting "high quality" migrants anyway and it really makes no sense for back office IT to be in Singapore.

For those who have real skills and not commodity level IT expertise I'm still not seeing a problem.

Here, here! I complete agree. But sadly, in a transaction-based buying market like Singapore that fails to recognise value, it's unlikely to happen......

[myprhui]

FCD mentioned that they are looking at companies across different industry but in their examples they have only quoted two companies and both of them happen to be IT companies. Its clear which industry they are targeting. I am just surprise that they have chosen to move Tafep aside. MOM has always defended the existence of Tafep and it is suppose to be the tripartite organization between employers and the government.

To give MOM some credit, they not stopping these companies from hiring foreigners so there is no need to panic. But when you have MOM officers coming into your office to "advise" you on your HR practices, the message is very clear. Change or be changed.

I did a quick check on Optimum website and these guys actually have entry level positions and internships for Singaporean citizens. I am not sure if these positions already exist before MOM's visit but this is definitely new to me especially for a company like Optimum.

[JR8]

Change or be changed.

Quite: Especially when the message doesn't seem to be getting through.

[rajagainstthemachine]

the message is very clear. Change or be changed.

sounds a bit like dictatorship innit?

[JR8]

the message is very clear. Change or be changed.

sounds a bit like dictatorship innit?

With it's spokesman imagining he can get a platform here, and that no one will notice.

[ecureilx]

Coupled with the lower growth in economy and stringent controls over PR, I believe the EP population in Singapore will continue to decrease further ....

what do you mean by the above?

the message is very clear. Change or be changed.

sounds a bit like dictatorship innit?

dictatorship?

not so ...

you mean like directly or indirectly penalizing poor half educated guys marrying poorer Vietnam / Thai girls ...?? as used to happen years ago ...'