Other Users of Parliament (MPs) asked about planned adjustments for the FCF job advertising duration, which usually applies to all EP and S Move applications.
MP Patrick Tay (PAP-Pioneer) asked if a shorter duration of 14 days would take away the need for employers in order to exhaust all strategies to hire local PMEs, while MPs Louis Chua (WP-Sengkang) and Ang Wei Neng (PAP-West Coast) requested more data about the efficacy of the FCF job advertising requirement.
On that, Dr Tan said the FCF work advertising requirement has been set at fourteen days when it was first presented in 2014. This was because, based on data from MyCareerFutures. sg, the majority of job programs were submitted within the first two weeks of the job posting.
Authorities later extended the job advertisement principle to 28 days during the COVID-19 outbreak due to “unprecedented slack in the labour market”.
Noting how the ratio of job vacancies to unemployed persons reached a minimal of 0. fifty five in June 2020, the minister said: “We wanted to give local jobseekers additional time to respond to job openings and companies more time to evaluate the increased number of programs. ”
The situation has since reversed, Dr Tan ongoing, pointing out that this ratio of vacancies to unemployed persons has risen to more than 2 . four, meaning there are now a lot more jobs than nearby jobseekers.
“Companies, including local businesses, have been giving opinions that in the tight labour market, the 28-day requirement is certainly causing them to get rid of good candidates because they are unable to offer all of them employment contracts quickly, ” he added, noting that it is “timely” for the adjustment back to 14 days.
“But members of the House make no mistake, employers are still expected to pretty consider all applicants who apply within this window. This continues to be unchanged, and the employers understand this, ” he said.
MOM will also be presenting a five-year EP to experienced professionals filling tech work opportunities requiring highly specialized skills currently in shortage in the local workforce.
These will be specified in the upcoming COMPASS Shortage Profession List. They also have in order to earn a salary of at least S$10, 500, and are subject to COMPASS criteria.
Dr Tan said government bodies have decided to restrict this to technology roles for the time being, provided the acute shortage of talent globally.
“But which is not to say that other sectors cannot advantage. Almost all sectors need tech talent to drive transformation. This includes the financial services and production industries, as well as up-and-coming sustainability sectors, ” he said in response to a question from MEGAPIXEL Rachel Ong (PAP-West Coast) about regardless of whether this can be extended in order to non-tech professionals in the sustainability sector.
“We are watching the sustainability area closely as it grows, and we will refine our policies when needed, ” the minister added.