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Oral Answer by Mr Lim Swee Say on Current Breakdown of Foreign and Resident Workforce in the Tech and IT Sector, and Efforts to Promote More Locals to Join the Sector

Employment practices Foreign manpower Skills, training and development
Notice Paper No. 103 Of 2016 For The Sitting On 24 March 2016 
Question No. 199 For Oral Answer

MP: Mr Desmond Choo

To ask the Minister for Manpower: (a) what is the current breakdown of Employment Pass, S-Pass and Work Permit holders and the resident workforce in the tech and IT sector; and (b) what are the efforts to ensure that foreign manpower are not over-represented in this sector and the efforts to promote more locals to join the sector.

Answer

  1. The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector employed 125,300 workers in 2015, comprising about two-third resident workers and one-third work pass holders who are mostly Employment Pass holders. 
  2. IDA estimated that in 2014, there was a shortage of about 15,000 ICT professionals. With the rapid advancement and widespread adoption of technology and Singapore’s push to become a Smart Nation, future demand for ICT manpower will continue to be strong both in terms of numbers and the range of skills and expertise needed. IDA estimates that by 2017, another 15,000 specialists may be required, especially in growth areas such as software and application development, network and infrastructure, cyber security and data analytics.
  3. To help more Singaporeans benefit from the growth of career opportunities in ICT, IDA and the industry are working together to formulate the Sectoral Manpower Plan. Our objectives are to: (i) sustain the global competitiveness of the sector, (ii) achieve manpower-lean growth, (iii) develop a strong Singaporean core, and (iv) foster a highly-skilled and complementary foreign workforce. More details will be released during MCI’s Committee of Supply.