Written Answer to PQ on Migrant Worker Dormitories Bed Supply

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2264 OF 2023 FOR THE SITTING ON 06 OCTOBER 2023 QUESTION NO. 5248 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Mr Gan Thiam Poh

To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the existing number of migrant worker dormitories is sufficient to accommodate the number of migrant workers in the construction sector currently.

Answer:

1. As mentioned in response to several recent Parliamentary Questions, such as those filed by MPs Mr Yip Hon Weng and Mr Louis Chua at the 3 July and 4 August 2023 Parliament Sittings, we have been seeing strong demand for dormitory beds. This remains the situation today and is due to employers hiring more migrant workers as the economy recovers from COVID-19. The number of migrant workers in the Construction, Marine and Process (CMP) sectors is now about 120% of the number in 2019.

2. The government continues to work with the dormitory industry to increase dormitory bed supply. For large scale construction projects, Construction Temporary Quarters are being used to house workers where feasible.

3. As migrant worker numbers cannot keep rising, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) urges employers to adopt productivity measures to reduce their reliance on foreign workers, and to consider their ability to house their workers before taking on new projects. MOM also reminds employers to ensure housing has been secured for their workers before they enter Singapore. Since 19 September 2023, employers in the CMP sectors must provide proof of acceptable accommodation before they are allowed to bring their workers into Singapore.