Latka 1st Gear February 22, 2011 Share February 22, 2011 Feb 23, 2011 Levy hike sparks different reactions Target white-collar foreigners instead WHILE the Government's decision to lessen reliance on foreign labour to raise productivity is laudable, the wrong sector is being targeted ('Worker levy increase shocks businesses'; last Saturday). The Government should not focus on tightening blue-collar foreign labour as such migrant workers are needed in transient work. They work in jobs that better-educated Singaporeans shun, for example, unskilled or semi-skilled construction, cleaning or waiting at tables. What the increase in levy should aim for is to reduce the intake of white-collar foreign workers. These are foreigners in banking, services, manufacturing and other industries who compete with tertiary-educated Singaporeans for the same jobs. Most of them work and live here for a few years and affect crucial infrastructure like public transport and housing. The lax policy in granting foreigners employment passes has created tensions in competition for scarce jobs that Singaporeans are qualified to take up. Hiring foreigners because multinational corporations (MNCs) want them should no longer be justified. We have relied too long on the rationale that because MNCs create jobs, let them hire whoever they wish as long as Singapore gains corporate tax revenue and is able to leverage on MNCs outsourcing advantages to local small and medium-sized enterprises. Singaporeans need the jobs that the MNCs create. The current situation where employers need not justify their need for foreigners is not sustainable. The Government should require MNCs to adhere to a Singaporean-first policy in hiring and allow MNCs to resort to foreigners only if Singaporeans do not qualify. The Government should also introduce an effective levy and a quota for such professional foreign employees. These foreign professionals, and permanent residents, should also be placed in a higher tax bracket. Cheong Tuck Kuan This fella talking some serious sense. ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mustank Hypersonic February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 indeed. if we are to create value in higher value jobs, then they have to restrict the quality of foreigners. notice how they restrict foriegn law firms doing local law in sg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Csnewbie 1st Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 indeed. if we are to create value in higher value jobs, then they have to restrict the quality of foreigners. notice how they restrict foriegn law firms doing local law in sg What do you mean? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walkingtree 1st Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 What do you mean? I think he means dun create an artificial competition free market for singaporeans that will end up dumbing down the industry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrislong Neutral Newbie February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 Totally agree on the white collar clamp down. For blue worker, whereby most Singaporeans would shun, should have much lesser levy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walkingtree 1st Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 Totally agree on the white collar clamp down. For blue worker, whereby most Singaporeans would shun, should have much lesser levy. White collar affects higher educated middle income citizens, blue collar affects lower educated lower income citizens. Thot the argument previously had always been that salary for blue collar work is artificially depressed becos' of FW, that's why no citizen wants those job? If take those jobs, cannot afford to pay for family's groceries, children's uniforms and textbooks, parent's hospital bills, etc etc. So now the argument shifted to FW should be allowed for blue collar work becos' no citizen wants those jobs anyway? Then why everyday still got people kpkb about lower educated lower income citizens not getting enough help against FW. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Csnewbie 1st Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 Then why everyday still got people kpkb about lower educated lower income citizens not getting enough help against FW. confused.gif laugh.gif laugh.gif Becos with the shifting out of factories,few jobs are meant for them. Govt shd step up retraining efforts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gearoil 1st Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 Hello Sinkie Cheong Tuck Kuan As far as the MIWs are concerned, PMET or so called white collar workers 'have to take care of their own self' lah... The motto for them is.... YOU DIE ...YOUR OWN BIZ lah! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dice 3rd Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 truthfully, the skilled construction labourers from bangladesh, india, china, burma contribute a good amount to the telecom companies here when they make calls back home... if they are gone because the levy is too much to bear by the employers then the effect will be felt immediately by the telecom companies. So i agree with the TS. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Csnewbie 1st Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 truthfully, the skilled construction labourers from bangladesh, india, china, burma contribute a good amount to the telecom companies here when they make calls back home... if they are gone because the levy is too much to bear by the employers then the effect will be felt immediately by the telecom companies. So i agree with the TS. You fr which telcom co? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walkingtree 1st Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 Then why everyday still got people kpkb about lower educated lower income citizens not getting enough help against FW. confused.gif laugh.gif laugh.gif Becos with the shifting out of factories,few jobs are meant for them. Govt shd step up retraining efforts. I see. So the issue now is not with FW depressing wages, but rather that our low educated low income bethren needs retraining to gear them up for other jobs? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KARTer 2nd Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 Hello Sinkie Cheong Tuck Kuan As far as the MIWs are concerned, PMET or so called white collar workers 'have to take care of their own self' lah... The motto for them is.... YOU DIE ...YOUR OWN BIZ lah! Exactly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KARTer 2nd Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 It started first with allowing cheap labourers (whose cost of living for their families in home countries is low) from other countries to replace (or displace) low-skill jobs previously held by local workers. Then it also allow / welcome cheap white collar workers from these same countries to take away jobs from local graduates/diplomat-holders.... Yes, it is creating jobs, but for foreigners.... locals die jobless Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfenstar 3rd Gear February 23, 2011 Share February 23, 2011 (edited) Feb 23, 2011 Levy hike sparks different reactions Target white-collar foreigners instead WHILE the Government's decision to lessen reliance on foreign labour to raise productivity is laudable, the wrong sector is being targeted ('Worker levy increase shocks businesses'; last Saturday). The Government should not focus on tightening blue-collar foreign labour as such migrant workers are needed in transient work. They work in jobs that better-educated Singaporeans shun, for example, unskilled or semi-skilled construction, cleaning or waiting at tables. What the increase in levy should aim for is to reduce the intake of white-collar foreign workers. These are foreigners in banking, services, manufacturing and other industries who compete with tertiary-educated Singaporeans for the same jobs. Most of them work and live here for a few years and affect crucial infrastructure like public transport and housing. The lax policy in granting foreigners employment passes has created tensions in competition for scarce jobs that Singaporeans are qualified to take up. Hiring foreigners because multinational corporations (MNCs) want them should no longer be justified. We have relied too long on the rationale that because MNCs create jobs, let them hire whoever they wish as long as Singapore gains corporate tax revenue and is able to leverage on MNCs outsourcing advantages to local small and medium-sized enterprises. Singaporeans need the jobs that the MNCs create. The current situation where employers need not justify their need for foreigners is not sustainable. The Government should require MNCs to adhere to a Singaporean-first policy in hiring and allow MNCs to resort to foreigners only if Singaporeans do not qualify. The Government should also introduce an effective levy and a quota for such professional foreign employees. These foreign professionals, and permanent residents, should also be placed in a higher tax bracket. Cheong Tuck Kuan This fella talking some serious sense. The writer is wrong. There is a quota for skilled workers. The exception for this quota is for directors. However, the truth is that its the low income group that will have trouble finding jobs and the levy on unskilled workers should help a little, IMHO the white collar end doesn't really need anything beyond the existing quota. P.S. What I really think is that there should be minimum wage for the low and middle income groups, and a salary ceiling for the upper management group, by leveraging a higher business tax on the company if their directors earn more than a certain sum. In addition to that, the income tax rates should have another bracket placed on top of its existing top tier with an even higher rate. These should help address the widening rich poor divide here. Edited February 23, 2011 by Elfenstar ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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