Singapore public-private body to come up with recommendations on better integrating foreign professionals

SINGAPORE: A public-private body has been put together to develop recommendations on better integrating foreign professionals into Singapore's workplaces and communities.

Speaking in parliament on Monday (Mar 10), Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) Alvin Tan said an Alliance for Action (AfA) has been convened to do this.

AfAs are partnerships that bring together the people, private and public sectors to co-create and implement solutions to issues.

This AfA involves the ministry along with the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) and the Singapore Business Federation, said MCCY in an accompanying factsheet.

This AfA will function from February to September this year, and aim to share its proposals in the second half of this year.

Co-chaired by Mr Tan as well as SNEF honorary treasurer Marcus Lam, the AfA brings together representatives from Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) plus corporates from a range of sectors.

The AfA has already engaged corporate leaders, middle management and staff from different companies in the past few months, to get their views on integrating foreign professionals, said MCCY.

"While foreign professionals bring with them skills, perspectives and experiences that help sustain investments and create jobs for Singaporeans, there have been concerns over job competition and the dilution of our national identity and social norms," said the ministry.

"Foreign professionals live and work among us, many for an extended period of time, and we must foster an environment where our foreign and local workforce mutually understand and appreciate each other's social and cultural norms. 

"By enabling meaningful interactions and friendships between locals and foreigners both at the workplace and in the community, we can strengthen mutual respect and build a more cohesive society."

Earlier this year, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that Singapore should help immigrants and foreign workers adapt to the country's social norms to build a cohesive and inclusive society.

Mr Lee noted that the issue of immigrants and foreign workers raises "political sensitivities in many societies".

However, he said that "Singapore relies heavily on them to top up (its) population base and talent pool".

"Therefore, we must manage the inflow and integration of new arrivals with the utmost sensitivity and caution, to ensure that the flows are balanced and sustainable," he added.

Preliminary suggestions so far include stronger support for foreign professionals to integrate beyond the workplace, such as through corporate volunteering or orientation programmes that introduce them to "local norms", said MCCY.

"The engagements also emphasised the need for corporates to have (human resources) practices that assure all employees of equal opportunities, and to develop the competencies to foster integration,” added the ministry.

"Local employers are committed to fair, equal opportunity hiring; they want to better integrate employees and foster positive interactions in workplaces," added Mr Tan.

"Foreign professionals also want to adapt to Singapore's cultural norms and build relationships with their local colleagues."