The Government today announced the implementation of a tiered vetting mechanism for labour importation starting from tomorrow, introducing enhanced measures under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme.
The basic vetting parameters under Tier 1 maintain a manning ratio of two full-time local employees to one imported worker, alongside a four-week local recruitment period. Applications vetted under Tier 2 will face more stringent restrictions.
For the food and beverage services sector, specific posts in the production and table service sections will fall under the Tier 2 mechanism. These include cooks, junior cooks, barbecue cooks, drink makers and bar supervisors, as well as waiters, waitresses, restaurant supervisors, receptionists and cashiers.
Employers applying for these specific roles must observe a tighter manning ratio of 3:1. The calculation basis will also switch to cover all posts within that respective section.
Additionally, the local recruitment period for these food and beverage positions will extend to six weeks. Employers will be required to attend an assigned Labour Department (LD) job centre fair once every two weeks during this period.
To encourage the employment of people with disabilities, a special 1:1 manning ratio will apply if employers hire them for full-time roles while applying for imported workers.
The Government will also raise the deductible ceiling for accommodation costs from 10% to 20% of an imported worker’s wages, or the actual cost, whichever is lower, while maintaining median wage requirements.
Workplace restrictions will be relaxed to let employers deploy imported workers across a maximum of five administrative districts. Employers must list vacancies in those designated districts during the initial local recruitment drive.
Administrative sanctions will be strengthened for employers who commit serious breaches. Barring periods for multiple offenses will be counted cumulatively up to a maximum of five years, and the LD will also publish the names of sanctioned employers to enhance deterrence.
The new measures follow a comprehensive implementation review of the scheme, taking into account national manpower projections and stakeholder feedback. The Government reiterated that the changes strike a balance between securing employment priority for local workers and supporting economic development by addressing genuine manpower shortages.