On Wednesday ( October 16 ), long-term visit pass ( LTVP ) holders in Singapore applauded the lifting of hiring restrictions, but some said there were still significant manpower issues.
Starting January 1, hawkers can hire LTVP holders who have been approved to work as stall assistants in Singapore, according to the National Environment Agency ( NEA ).  ,
Singapore residents and permanent residents are already permitted to serve as stallholders or to work as stall assistants in hawker centers run by NEA and its nominated operators.  ,
But, NEA allows stallholders to assign their families who have been given permission to work in the country as their stall helpers.  ,
Ms. Elayne Ang, who runs a chicken rice barn at Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre, stated that she hopes to be able to find an LTVP employee next month, which will increase the number of her full-time employees to three.  ,
” I need to get one more so that it’s easier to manage when one of the full-timers goes on left”, she said.  ,
She added that it took a while to locate the two full-time employees at her barn because few Singapore and Submission would want to work in such circumstances.  ,
” It’s never easy to hire full-time Taiwanese or PR staff because it’s a back-breaking work and the culture can be tough so there’s certainly a stigma ( with working in hawker centres )”, she said.  ,
” As opposed to what we can currently only use Singaporeans and PRs,” she said,” by allowing us to get LTVPs, the pool of people will undoubtedly grow.”  ,
Mr. Richard Toh, who runs a chicken wings and satay stand at the Newton Food Centre, has tried unsuccessfully to find another employee to supplement his share of three full-timers.  ,
” Younger as well as middle-aged Singaporeans do n’t want to work such long hours and in such an environment, so I cannot find anyone to hire”, he said.  ,
Because I’m getting older already and so I need more people in the stall so that I do n’t have to come in all the time, said the 70-year-old, “hopefully it will be easier to find someone.”
Mr. Jimmy Teo, who owns a bak chor dish kiosk at Commonwealth Crescent Market and Food Centre, said having the option to use LTVP employees widens the pool of workers that are available.  ,
He claimed that LTVP employees had previously approached him for function, but that he turned them down due to the strict regulations.
They would ask for work, but it was n’t very common because these people were aware that the government was very strict about illegal employment and that they were aware of this. So it’s not worth the risk for the companies to want to get these people”, he said.  ,
With only one full-timer and a small number of part-timers working, Mr. Teo stated that he might look into employing another person following year as the hiring scheme is relaxed.  ,
The 32-year-old said,” Personnel turnover is quite high because some people leave after only three to six months, which means we have to get more workers afterwards, which is difficult, and then train them again,” adding that.  ,
” In F&, B ( food and beverage ), you will always need manpower, that’s why we are always on the lookout for more manpower” . ,