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Singapore has a strict caste hierarchy, which looks like this: * Citizen. * Permanent resident (PR). Previously given out in boxes of cereal, particularly if
by dustintrex 5y ago
Singapore has a strict caste hierarchy, which looks like this:
* Citizen.
* Permanent resident (PR). Previously given out in boxes of cereal, particularly if of Chinese descent, now very difficult to attain. Military service required for male children.
* Employment pass. Professional expats with high qualifying salaries (depends on age, educational qualifications etc, but generally $5000/mo minimum). Pass tied to job, 30 days to get out of the country/find new sponsor if job ends.
No subsidies for education, health etc, but can bring in families, marry locals, eventually apply for PR.
* S-pass. Semi-professional roles (eg. construction foreman), strict limits on how many can be employed.
* Work pass. Disposable laborers in construction, factories, landscaping, etc. No path to become residents, cannot marry Singaporeans (edit: without explicit government approval), generally brutally exploited and for the past two years 100% confined to their dormitories and worksites.
* Foreign domestic workers aka maids/helpers. Disposable laborers living and working in Singaporean households. Not covered by employment legislation, so can be legally forced to work 365/24/7 with no holidays whatsoever. Not uncommonly physically confined (locked in) to the employer's apartment, denied means of communicating with the outside world, and have both their passports and salaries confiscated for "safekeeping".
- dendriti 5y agoWork pass holders can absolutely marry Singaporeans. It just takes an extra step. I know you're trying to portray Singapore in the worst possible light, but false claims are not necessary to do so.
- dustintrex 5y agoEP holders, being upper caste, can marry Singaporeans and I noted so above. WP holders require approval, which is granted or not on opaque grounds and frequently denied. https://www.mom.gov.sg/faq/foreign-worker/as-a-work-permit-holder-how-do-i-apply-for-approval-to-marry-a-singaporean-or-permanent-resident https://www.mom.gov.sg/faq/foreign-worker/as-a-work-permit-h... https://www.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20121105-381617.html https://www.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/S...
- usaar333 5y agoWhat's the reason for this? I assume it's to combat marriage fraud, but is that not the case?
- dustintrex 5y agoLee Kuan Yew's theories of eugenics and fear of maids having anchor babies and breaking upstanding Singaporean nuclear families. https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/06/16/when-pregnancy-is-a-crime/ https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/06/16/when-pregnancy-is-...
- EP_in_SG 5y agoAnybody with experience of Singapore knows that despite the shining-libertarian-city facade, certain things are deliberately opaque. There are no "extra steps" for the first caste, EPs get processed blindingly fast. But when "extra steps" are put in, they are circuit-breakers with the "intent to deny" and no explanation required. The "health measures" to protect Singapore during COVID were implemented by the Ministry of Manpower. The "optics" as Singaporeans would say, are bad on the face of it. The reality is worse. I, with my November 2007 account, feel the need to use a sock-puppet on HN!
- cheesecake_luvr 5y agoYour description of "maids" does not seem to match what is on the official Singapore government site: (https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/employment-act/who-is-covered https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/employment-act/w...). I don't think Singapore is exploitative as you describe it. Maybe you are thinking of Dubai.
- shell0x 5y agoSingapore is the same as Dubai, just Singapore is better at PR
- worrycue 5y agoI believe “maids” are “domestic workers” and don’t fall under the Employment Act but are governed by a separate set of regulations (best I could find): https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-foreign-domestic-worker/employers-guide https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-fo... Anyway most of what he says about “maids” is wrong - weekly rest day, must be paid monthly (no keeping of salary), … etc. as stated in the aforementioned link.
- dustintrex 5y agoCurrently, there is no legal mandate for a rest day, since the maid can oh-so-voluntarily "choose" to give up their rest days for an extra day of salary (~$20). Effective end-2022, they will finally get at least one day per month of mandatory rest: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/maids-mandatory-rest-day-policy-manpower-ministry-employers-2041696 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/maids-mandatory-re... You're correct in that employers are not supposed to confiscate salaries or passports, but rest assured, both are very common practices, as are things like working in multiple households, having to work outside the home, etc. More reading: https://www.home.org.sg/ https://www.home.org.sg/
- worrycue 5y ago“From 1 January 2019, as an FDW employer, you must not keep your FDW’s salary or any other money belonging to her, even if she requests for it. You must not keep her bank book or bank card.” https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-foreign-domestic-worker/employers-guide/salary-guidelines https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-fo...
- paganel 5y ago> cannot marry Singaporeans I thought we had left this back in the Middle Ages. It always surprises me how come some journalists still praise Singapore.
- dendriti 5y agoDon't worry, it's not actually true.
- refurb 5y agoThey do need permission. "If you are a current or former Work Permit holder who wishes to marry a Singapore citizen or PR, you must apply for approval from MOM." https://www.mom.gov.sg/faq/foreign-worker/as-a-work-permit-holder-how-do-i-apply-for-approval-to-marry-a-singaporean-or-permanent-resident https://www.mom.gov.sg/faq/foreign-worker/as-a-work-permit-h...
- allarm 5y agoThere’s also PEP - personalized employment pass. It’s something in between of pr and ep.
- paulmooreparks 5y agoThere's a long-term visit pass (LTVP), which is what I hold. LTVP holders may be given a pre-approved letter of consent (PLOC) which allows them to seek employment basically as freely as a PR (I also hold a PLOC).
- lanbanger 5y ago"To be eligible for a Letter of Consent, you need to be one of the following: An LTVP/LTVP+ holder who is married to a Singaporean or PR. An unmarried child (under 21 years old) of a Singaporean or PR, who holds an LTVP. " https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/letter-of-consent/eligibility https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/letter-of-consent/...
- c_o_n_v_e_x 5y agoAs opposed to EPs, you only get one PEP issued and they last 5 years. Once your time is up, you're either meant to be a PR or your back onto an EP. They upped the minimum salary requirements to 12k/month a few years ago.
- allarm 5y ago3 years. I was holding a PEP, it’s 3 years. It used to be 5 I guess.
- c_o_n_v_e_x 5y agoIt looks like the validity was reduced in 2020.
- baybal2 5y agoThere used to be a "red card," or a 10 year renewable visa for high net worth individuals (1m+ if I remember correct)
- hoseja 5y agoSounds like ancient Greek city-states. Wild.
- MomoXenosaga 5y agoMilitary service? Aside from the coastguard what kind of army does Singapore even need?!
- logicchains 5y agohttps://www.businessinsider.com/singapore-military-best-air-force-navy-southeast-asia-2018-4 https://www.businessinsider.com/singapore-military-best-air-... Singapore has one of the best armies in the world, ostensibly to protect itself from Malaysia/Indonesia.
- barry-cotter 5y agoThe same kind as Switzerland, one big enough to make it obviously not worthwhile to try and conquer. It takes 30 minutes by road from Johor to the heart of Singapore.
- raxxorrax 5y agoThere was plently of conflict with Malaysia. Don't know about the current situation though.
- dehrmann 5y agoIt's in an important strategic location. Ships going between China and Europe generally pass through the straight.
- logicchains 5y agohttps://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/06/16/when-pregnancy-is-a-crime/ https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/06/16/when-pregnancy-is-... is an interesting example of how maids/helpers are treated. If wonder if it had anything to do with Singapore kicking Yale out of the Yale-NUS partnership?
- c_o_n_v_e_x 5y agoPerhaps you've seen it as well but there's definitely a "reverse caste" amongst the FDWs/helpers of who (in terms of nationality) they want to work for.
- hellbannedguy 5y ago"Foreign domestic workers aka maids/helpers. Disposable laborers living and working in Singaporean households. Not covered by employment legislation, so can be legally forced to work 365/24/7 with no holidays whatsoever. Not uncommonly physically confined (locked in) to the employer's apartment, denied means of communicating with the outside world, and have both their passports and salaries confiscated for "safekeeping"." Reminds me of Soylent Green.