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Written Answer by Mrs Josephine Teo Minister for Manpower to PQ on the Number of Foreign Domestic Workers Repatriated Back to their Home Countries before Finishing a Two-Year Contract

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NOTICE PAPER NO. 2021 OF 2020 FOR SITTING ON 4 MARCH

QUESTION NO. 1648 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

NMP: Ms Anthea Ong

To ask the Minister for Manpower in each year of the last three years (a) how many foreign domestic workers have been repatriated back to their home countries before finishing a two-year contract; (b) what are the top three reasons for their repatriation;  and (c) how many of those repatriated are hired by an employer in Singapore within six months of their repatriation.

Answer

  1. Over the past three years, about 20% of foreign domestic workers (FDWs), or 49,000 FDWs, in Singapore return home without completing their contract each year. Of these FDWs, about 20% return to Singapore to work as an FDW within six months.
  2. The common reasons for FDWs to return to their home countries before the end of contract include: (i) family exigencies back home; (ii) employer found the FDW not suitable for the household; and (iii) FDW did not wish to continue working in Singapore.