30% of EP, S-Pass applicants rejected so far this year

[sundaymorningstaple]

We've already told NEA we will not be renewing our contract with them as we are losing too many foreign workers and cannot get locals to carry foggers. Downsizing in process. Dengue will be on the rise in Singapore. Fact. So keep your homes sorted.

I have 4 PRCs leaving at the end of the month and another two Burmese leaving by the 11th of Nov.....

[lolipop99]

this reaction serves the complainers a lesson, now they have to sort their own manpower issues, it is sad to see so many local become anti foreigners indiscriminately, anywhere you go you can see their attitude at you, you are just respond to a job offer they advertised and came here but they treat you like an enemy for no reason. If all the maids and bangla worker goes home, see who will really suffer

you didn't see the ASME news that 30% of businesses here are planning to 'migrate' due to manpower issues .. and another 10% swearing to shut down than run on reduced manpower ..

Personally, I know one restaurant owner who is not renewing his lease, and calling it quits, and make his 40 odd staff redundant, in view of the new rules- as his 20 Foreign staff may not make it in the cut ..

And for his space, he needs the foreign staff to cover the late night shifts - while his local staff only cover the day shifts

And one more bar owner who has downsized - reduced his floor space and making do with less staff and less customers ..

I think the goverment reduce the wrong groups of foreign workers, I feel Singaporeans mainly complain about young PMET, those engineers, IT professional, clerks, office workers who earn between 2k and 4k. If they reduce this group the complaints will be gone because Singaporean are most envy for these jobs instead of labourer or low paid jobs. On the other hand the government restricted work permit and low paid jobs instead which does not answer the complainers request but pulling their legs in that some businesses have to close down. In the end complants still high and problems still there

[v4jr4]

Now I wonder: is the current Singaporean unemployment rate really that bad?

[ecureilx]

We've already told NEA we will not be renewing our contract with them as we are losing too many foreign workers and cannot get locals to carry foggers. Downsizing in process. Dengue will be on the rise in Singapore. Fact. So keep your homes sorted.

I have 4 PRCs leaving at the end of the month and another two Burmese leaving by the 11th of Nov.....

more realistically, went to a restaurant run by a friend, and was shocked when I realised his soft drink price is 4 $ up from 3$ a few months ago ..

And when I casually mentioned it to the boss, he was like "well, I have to pay my staff almost twice, since my WP quota is trimmed - and the local waiters are getting paid more than 2,500 for 10 AM to 11 PM work .. plus tips .. "

Well, maybe a lot of people 'may do reskilling' like the SARS time .. where even IT staff were going into Nursing - and now, many may switch to become waiters and cooks - just kidding ..

In all seriousness, if a waiter gets paid 3,500 or so .. many Singaporeans would not mind switching, if the work place is pretty nearby .. and add the cost of meals being saved ..

[ecureilx]

Now I wonder: is the current Singaporean unemployment rate really that bad?

you are missing the point .. the whole idea of the foreigner quota restriction is to address the concerns of the locals .. not that there are enough locals unemployed to fill the gaps created ..

Did anybody also see the Today article ?

http://www.todayonline.com/Commentaryan ... prise-here

[lolipop99]

McDonald is recruiting everywhere for all shifts and time that one can work, they pay guaranteed 1800 fixed salary plus commissions and other benefits, this is very rare!!! usually mcdonald pay by hours and do not have monthly guranteeed salary! I am scared burger price will be up soon and chili source will be 10 cents per pack!

[v4jr4]

Now I wonder: is the current Singaporean unemployment rate really that bad?

you are missing the point .. the whole idea of the foreigner quota restriction is to address the concerns of the locals .. not that there are enough locals unemployed to fill the gaps created ..

Did anybody also see the Today article ?

http://www.todayonline.com/Commentaryan ... prise-here

Yeah, but still, I'm getting lost between "business is good", "complains too many FT", and "cutting FT". Looks like a big trial-and-error.

[ecureilx]

McDonald is recruiting everywhere for all shifts and time that one can work, they pay guaranteed 1800 fixed salary plus commissions and other benefits, this is very rare!!! usually mcdonald pay by hours and do not have monthly guranteeed salary! I am scared burger price will be up soon and chili source will be 10 cents per pack!

What burger ? a colleague of mine related that she paid 7 $ for a drink in Raffles place, all manned by "Natives" and the stall a few block away was selling the same for 4 $ - manned by "FT"

Then again, Macdonalds is going on a price war as of now .. you never know ..

[Barnsley]

Now I wonder: is the current Singaporean unemployment rate really that bad?

you are missing the point .. the whole idea of the foreigner quota restriction is to address the concerns of the locals .. not that there are enough locals unemployed to fill the gaps created ..

Did anybody also see the Today article ?

http://www.todayonline.com/Commentaryan ... prise-here

I think same problem in the UK, property investment is seen as low risk/little work required and easy money, prices will always rise.

Why put the hard work into starting a company and the hours needed to get that off the ground when you can just buy a property or two.

[the lynx]

this reaction serves the complainers a lesson, now they have to sort their own manpower issues, it is sad to see so many local become anti foreigners indiscriminately, anywhere you go you can see their attitude at you, you are just respond to a job offer they advertised and came here but they treat you like an enemy for no reason. If all the maids and bangla worker goes home, see who will really suffer

you didn't see the ASME news that 30% of businesses here are planning to 'migrate' due to manpower issues .. and another 10% swearing to shut down than run on reduced manpower ..

Personally, I know one restaurant owner who is not renewing his lease, and calling it quits, and make his 40 odd staff redundant, in view of the new rules- as his 20 Foreign staff may not make it in the cut ..

And for his space, he needs the foreign staff to cover the late night shifts - while his local staff only cover the day shifts

And one more bar owner who has downsized - reduced his floor space and making do with less staff and less customers ..

I think the goverment reduce the wrong groups of foreign workers, I feel Singaporeans mainly complain about young PMET, those engineers, IT professional, clerks, office workers who earn between 2k and 4k. If they reduce this group the complaints will be gone because Singaporean are most envy for these jobs instead of labourer or low paid jobs. On the other hand the government restricted work permit and low paid jobs instead which does not answer the complainers request but pulling their legs in that some businesses have to close down. In the end complants still high and problems still there

The problem is that the complaints against FTs are actually of two different types:

1. Overcrowding in public transportation and amenities and fierce competition in affordable assets (HDB, schooling), competition over 'more regular' white-collar jobs - usually targeted to foreigners from lower-ranked or similarly-ranked countries.

2. Competition over high-paying jobs, increased cost of vehicles and estates and loss of feminine counterpart to perceived-more-desirable foreigners (this one is in jest!) - usually targeted to those from first-world countries.

So one may say that the government obviously won't attempt to control the second group because that group is the one that pumps the economy. Whereas, the first group is, sad to say, disposable and easier to be tied on shorter leash.

Hey haven't we heard enough of 'increasing productivity' pitch over and over for the past few years? Those who really studied economic theories, you know where this is going to.

[v4jr4]

Hey haven't we heard enough of 'increasing productivity' pitch over and over for the past few years? Those who really studied economic theories, you know where this is going to.

Going down?

[offshoreoildude]

Oh well, the locals have been complaining about FTs, so this is a way of saying, "There you go, now fill up those vacancies yourselves and stop complaining!"

+1

[the lynx]

Hey haven't we heard enough of 'increasing productivity' pitch over and over for the past few years? Those who really studied economic theories, you know where this is going to.

Going down?

Hmm, from the little that I understand of economic theories (real economists, please correct me if I'm wrong), before the recession in 2008, Singapore had been relying on manpower to increase productivity.

So, increase manpower = increase productivity.

But when recession hit, Singapore realised that it needs to boost more productivity to keep going up, instead of going plateau or worse, going down. That was when Way To Go! campaign started - to champion the idea of boosting productivity. Now it has become a sales pitch.

The problem is, Singapore is small, and with limited resources. Increasing manpower to boost productivity is not (or no longer) a solution at this point of time. In fact, it will only stretch Singapore beyond its limits in negative ways. The better way to increase productivity without relying on increased manpower is actually through technology.

So I guess this is where businesses must learn to make do with less people (or at least, less foreigners) at the time when they are running out of people who are willing to work for them for less cost.

This is not something new. It just that I happened to have this discussion with an economist so this was when I learned about it. If what I said above is inaccurate, do correct me.

[v4jr4]

Hey haven't we heard enough of 'increasing productivity' pitch over and over for the past few years? Those who really studied economic theories, you know where this is going to.

Going down?

Hmm, from the little that I understand of economic theories (real economists, please correct me if I'm wrong), before the recession in 2008, Singapore had been relying on manpower to increase productivity.

So, increase manpower = increase productivity.

But when recession hit, Singapore realised that it needs to boost more productivity to keep going up, instead of going plateau or worse, going down. That was when Way To Go! campaign started - to champion the idea of boosting productivity. Now it has become a sales pitch.

The problem is, Singapore is small, and with limited resources. Increasing manpower to boost productivity is not (or no longer) a solution at this point of time. In fact, it will only stretch Singapore beyond its limits in negative ways. The better way to increase productivity without relying on increased manpower is actually through technology.

So I guess this is where businesses must learn to make do with less people (or at least, less foreigners) at the time when they are running out of people who are willing to work for them for less cost.

This is not something new. It just that I happened to have this discussion with an economist so this was when I learned about it. If what I said above is inaccurate, do correct me.

I don't fond of economic theories (I got a bad grade back then ), but as far as I know, Singapore is not "badly injured" during the recession.

Thing is that if Singapore wants to increase productivity without relying on manpower, I can only assume gahmen's "income" from tax will go down (FTs are kicked out, plus, according to some other forums, some PRs can't renew their PR), and some small companies with limited budget need to be ready for the worst (if they can't recruit SCs who are willing to work with "pressed" salary)

[the lynx]

Hmm, from the little that I understand of economic theories (real economists, please correct me if I'm wrong), before the recession in 2008, Singapore had been relying on manpower to increase productivity.

So, increase manpower = increase productivity.

But when recession hit, Singapore realised that it needs to boost more productivity to keep going up, instead of going plateau or worse, going down. That was when Way To Go! campaign started - to champion the idea of boosting productivity. Now it has become a sales pitch.

The problem is, Singapore is small, and with limited resources. Increasing manpower to boost productivity is not (or no longer) a solution at this point of time. In fact, it will only stretch Singapore beyond its limits in negative ways. The better way to increase productivity without relying on increased manpower is actually through technology.

So I guess this is where businesses must learn to make do with less people (or at least, less foreigners) at the time when they are running out of people who are willing to work for them for less cost.

This is not something new. It just that I happened to have this discussion with an economist so this was when I learned about it. If what I said above is inaccurate, do correct me.

I don't fond of economic theories (I got a bad grade back then ), but as far as I know, Singapore is not "badly injured" during the recession.

Thing is that if Singapore wants to increase productivity without relying on manpower, I can only assume gahmen's "income" from tax will go down (FTs are kicked out, plus, according to some other forums, some PRs can't renew their PR), and some small companies with limited budget need to be ready for the worst (if they can't recruit SCs who are willing to work with "pressed" salary)

I won't say "severely injured" but having Flextronics, Dell and Intel to shift large section of their operations up north in Malaysia is already hurtful enough.

SMEs will bear the brunt the most. Unless they are well prepared, which is less likely from what I've learnt after speaking to few SME owners.