Labour
Singapore forms public-private body to help improve integration of foreign professionals
MCCY has established an Alliance for Action (AfA), a public-private body tasked with providing recommendations for enhancing the integration of foreign professionals into Singapore’s workplaces and communities.
A public-private body, dubbed the Alliance for Action (AfA), has been formed to help with efforts in integrating foreign professionals into Singapore’s workplaces and communities, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) Alvin Tan said in Parliament on 10 March.
The AfA is a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), and the Singapore Business Federation, according to the state minister.
Tan stated that the AfA will function from February to September, and is expected to submit proposals on improving the integration of foreign professionals in the second half of the year.
The advisory body will be co-chaired by Tan and SNEF honorary treasurer Marcus Lam, comprising representatives from trade associations, chambers of commerce, and various corporate sectors.
Over the past few months, the AfA has sought feedback from corporate leaders, middle management, and employees across various companies on their perspectives on integrating foreign professionals into Singapore’s workplaces and communities, according to MCCY.
MCCY noted that while foreign professionals bring valuable skills and experiences that contribute to investment and job creation in Singapore, there have been “concerns over job competition and the dilution of our national identity and social norms.”
“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,” the ministry stated.
“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,” it added.
Initial recommendations from the AfA include allowing foreign professionals to participate in corporate volunteering and orientation programmes to introduce them to Singapore’s cultural norms.
The AfA also highlighted the importance of corporate human resource policies that ensure equal opportunities and promote workplace inclusivity.
“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,” the ministry stated.
The AfA formation followed Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s remarks earlier this year which highlighted the need for Singapore to help immigrants and foreign workers adapt to local social norms.
While Lee acknowledged the “political sensitivities” surrounding immigration and foreign worker issues, he emphasised that Singapore relies on foreign talent to supplement its population and workforce.
