Migration Policy of Highly Skilled and Skilled Foreign Workers in Singapore’s Primary Labour Market

Abstract

TThe highly skilled and skilled foreign workers had played a key part in Singapore labour market which is derived from permission from Singapore government for the employers to hire the foreign workers. This article analyzes a migration policy of foreign workers for Singapore government which impacts an immigration and employment of highly skilled and skilled foreign workers in Singapore’s primary labour market by using a qualitative case study methodology. Based on the study, it was found that the migration policy of foreign workers for Singapore government is under a demand-driven system, in which an employer has to apply for a requisition to Singapore government on immigration and employment of foreign workers outside the labour market. However, a micro-level demand from an employer to hire foreign workers is served as a condition and benefit at macro level for a nation. In addition, Singapore government with a demand-driven system for immigration and employment of highly skilled and skilled foreign workers is less than semi-skilled foreign workers to attract those highly skilled and skilled foreign workers into Singapore’s labour market. Hence, destination country’s government should develop a migration policy, especially for highly skilled and skilled foreign workers in a primary market in order to attract those highly skilled and skilled foreign workers to be human capital for support a knowledge-based economic development of destination country.