Speech at The Official Launch of Contact Singapore

Mr Leo Yip, Permanent Secretary, Raffles City Tower

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng

Acting Minister for Manpower Mr Gan Kim Yong

Distinguished guests

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Afternoon

Let me first of all extend our deep appreciation to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng for gracing today's launch of the new Contact Singapore.

2.   The name Contact Singapore was first used in 1997 by the Foreign Talent Unit (FTU) then under the Prime Minister's Office, for its overseas offices. In 1998, the FTU was renamed the International Talent Division and came under the Ministry of Manpower when it was restructured from the Ministry of Labour. Since then, Contact Singapore as its name suggests, has been at the forefront of efforts to provide a contact point for overseas professionals interested in employment and career opportunities in Singapore.

3.   Through its interactions with overseas skilled personnel and students, Contact Singapore gathers useful feedback about the attractiveness of Singapore as a destination to work, invest and live. This includes feedback about the Ministry of Manpower's policies and schemes for foreign manpower to work in Singapore. Through its overseas offices, Contact Singapore also gathers important information about the sources of skills and talent catchments that companies in Singapore could tap on. This helps to inform and strengthen our talent outreach efforts, to fill manpower and skills gaps in Singapore.

4.   The Ministry of Manpower's alliance with the Economic Development Board (EDB) to form the new Contact Singapore is an exciting development. EDB and MOM officers will work together as one team under the new setup. This arrangement will strengthen the link between understanding the manpower needs of new businesses and investments, under EDB, and facilitating the supply of manpower and skills by both Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans, under MOM, to enable companies in Singapore to expand and grow. Talent attraction strategies and operations will be more closely co-ordinated from a whole of government objective. The focus of Contact Singapore under MOM in attracting industry professionals and skilled personnel to Singapore will be given fresh impetus.

5.   The new Contact Singapore will be mounting a series of fresh initiatives and programmes to reach out to global talent including Overseas Singaporeans who might be keen to work in Singapore. One example is the new job portal, which Singaporeans at home and overseas, as well as foreigners, can match their career interests with companies who are hiring.

6.   Other new initiatives by the new Contact Singapore include the "Careers@Singapore" events for Singapore-based employers to meet with overseas professionals and students interested in working in specific industry sectors in Singapore, and the "Careers@Home" events for Overseas Singaporeans to be updated on employment opportunities back home and to meet with Singapore-based employers.

7.   To conclude, let me also extend our thanks to all our other partners for working closely with my Ministry and the EDB, in this effort to strengthen  Singapore's position as a good place to work and invest in.