Last month, it was reported that Indian nationals were asking their government to hold talks with the Singapore government so as to enable them to quickly return back to Singapore to work (‘Indian nationals ask their govt to hold talks with SG to allow them to enter SG soon‘, 13 Oct).
Currently, the Manpower Ministry of Singapore (MOM) requires that all work pass holders to get MOM’s entry approval first before returning back to Singapore. Those from the severely infected regions will also need to take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours before departure.
Upon arrival in Singapore, they would need to serve a 14-day SHN at a dedicated facility. Before the SHN is over, they would need to take another COVID-19 test again. The employer is supposed to pay $2,000 for the work pass holder’s stay at the SHN facility, as well as up to $200 for the COVID-19 test in Singapore.
Pleading with High Commission of India in Singapore to help
Last Tue (10 Nov), the High Commission of India in Singapore put up the latest flight schedule from Singapore to India on its Facebook page. It said that all flights are available for online booking to India directly from Air India website.
Soon after, people started posting messages on its Facebook page complaining about not able to get back to Singapore to work:
Some are asking the High Commission of India in Singapore to help get them back to Singapore.
COVID-19 cases out of control in India
A Facebook user likely to be a Singaporean pointed out that the number of COVID-19 cases in India is getting out of control. The person said, “For anyone to help you, first ask the Indian government to drastically bring down the covid numbers.”
“Your country’s daily numbers are out of control… No country will take the risk to allow you to return when your motherland is not helping to improve the situation at all,” he added.
One agreed but said that “people are badly stuck in India” and added that they are “Loosing jobs n their peace everything”.
Another also agreed that their country is not controlling the cases but argued that the Singapore government is controlling the situation “very well”. He said, “They (Singapore government) put us in strict quarantine at their facilities. So there is no point of spreading virus from us. Only unlucky thing is we are foreign residents in Singapore. If we are PR or Citizen means it would be easy.”
In any case, if work pass holders like Sonam Agarwal could get the entry approval from MOM to come back to Singapore to work, she would probably not mind paying the $2,200 SHN facility and COVID-19 test fees to the Singapore government herself.
