Social Worker in Singapore
Running Head: The Recruitment and Retention of Singapore’s Social Workers.
The Social Worker in Singapore’s Voluntary Welfare Organisations
Diploma in Organisational Psychology – Organisational Development
Abstract
In recent months, the Social Service sector has received much limelight. Much attention is on this sector because our government has realized that with the falling birth rates and a rapidly ageing population, there is a growing social need to reach out to the less fortunate. Realising the problem, several ministers have weighed in with some strategic changes to this sector. To mitigate the shortage of Social Workers, as similar to all other service-intense industry, is to import foreign talents. With the recent untimely revision of Ministry of Manpower (MOM) rules on foreign skilled labour, adjustment of minimum monthly salary of new E-pass holders will be raised from $3,000 to $3,300 starting next year, does not bode well for the recruitment of these professionals. *From August 2014, organisations with more than 25 employees must advertise a vacancy for professional or managerial jobs paying less than S$12,000 a month on a new jobs bank administered by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency for at least 14 days. Only after that period can the company apply for an employment pass to bring in a foreign national. Reuters – Mon, Sep 23, 2013 12:10 AM EDT
One may argue that instead of issuing an E-pass to a foreigner who wishes to take up the role of a Social Worker here, an S-pass may be considered. Because of the Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) of 15% for service industries stipulated by MOM, many Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) find it difficult to conform to this ratio as current salaries offered are below market rates. Shortage of staff for these organisations often lead to them looking beyond our shore for recruitment.
*Today, salary levels of various social service professionals lag that of their
The Social Worker in Singapore’s Voluntary Welfare Organisations
Diploma in Organisational Psychology – Organisational Development
Abstract
In recent months, the Social Service sector has received much limelight. Much attention is on this sector because our government has realized that with the falling birth rates and a rapidly ageing population, there is a growing social need to reach out to the less fortunate. Realising the problem, several ministers have weighed in with some strategic changes to this sector. To mitigate the shortage of Social Workers, as similar to all other service-intense industry, is to import foreign talents. With the recent untimely revision of Ministry of Manpower (MOM) rules on foreign skilled labour, adjustment of minimum monthly salary of new E-pass holders will be raised from $3,000 to $3,300 starting next year, does not bode well for the recruitment of these professionals. *From August 2014, organisations with more than 25 employees must advertise a vacancy for professional or managerial jobs paying less than S$12,000 a month on a new jobs bank administered by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency for at least 14 days. Only after that period can the company apply for an employment pass to bring in a foreign national. Reuters – Mon, Sep 23, 2013 12:10 AM EDT
One may argue that instead of issuing an E-pass to a foreigner who wishes to take up the role of a Social Worker here, an S-pass may be considered. Because of the Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) of 15% for service industries stipulated by MOM, many Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) find it difficult to conform to this ratio as current salaries offered are below market rates. Shortage of staff for these organisations often lead to them looking beyond our shore for recruitment.
*Today, salary levels of various social service professionals lag that of their
References: Reuters – Mon, Sep 23, 2013 12:10 AM EDT, reported by Kevin Lim, edited by Richard Borsuk. Retrieved from: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/singapore-announces-tighter-rules-hiring-041034777.html Funding & Remuneration in Social Services- 18th Feb. 2011, an article by Irene Y.H. Ng and Helen Sim from The Department of Social Work in National University of Singapore. Retrieved from: http://www.fas.nus.edu.sgswkdocsw_prof_report_20110218.pdf http://socsc.smu.edu.sg/programmes/bachelor-social-science/community-service Occupational Wages by Industry (2012) Retrieved from: http://stats.mom.gov.sg/Pages/Occupational-Wages-Tables-2011.aspx