Sona Remesh Channel NewsAsia 19 Jul 10;
SINGAPORE: The government does not target a specific population size. Instead, it seeks to achieve a sustainable population size to grow the economy and develop a more vibrant society.
Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng said this in a written response to MP Ho Geok Choo on the optimal number of foreigners needed to keep Singapore productive.
Mr Wong said the government recognises that the proportion of foreign workers in the workforce cannot increase indefinitely, due to physical and social limits.
As such, their number will be capped at the current one-third of the total workforce.
But no quotas will be set - instead, there will be a phased increase in the foreign worker levy.
This so businesses have the flexibility to employ foreign workers should they need to grow, without being hindered by rigid quotas.
At the same time, the government will also help companies reduce their reliance on low-skilled workers through productivity enhancing initiatives such as the $2 billion National Productivity Fund.
Mr Wong also addressed measures taken to ensure that foreign talents add to Singapore's social cohesion.
He said immigrants are needed to supplement Singapore's population, because of declining birth rates and an ageing population.
Some 20,000 new citizens are required to make up for this shortfall annually.
Efforts to ensure they fit in include the National Integration Council and the Singapore Citizenship Journey, which was introduced to help new citizens learn about Singapore's history and way of life. - CNA/jm
