Third-Class Citizens in a First World Country: Migrant Workers in Singapore
Caroline Kim, Print Staff Writer
July 22, 2020
Singapore’s Central Business District vs. Foreign Worker Dormitories
Singapore confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on January 23rd, 2020. As the world struggled to contain the virus, it seemed like Singapore had it under control. By the end of February, the number of confirmed cases was 98, and by mid-March it only just surpassed 200. Singapore was internationally applauded for its swift and rigorous approach to testing and tracing, however, the health disparities caused by the overwhelming neglect of marginalized communities served to undermine Singapore’s strategically-sought success story.
A partial shutdown was enacted at the beginning of April to combat the sudden surge of local COVID-19 transmissions. On April 30th, 16,169 cases were confirmed and just one month later, that number had risen to 34,366. The exponential rise is a direct effect of the overcrowded conditions that migrant workers are subject to in Singapore. While Singapore was focused on testing and tracing their citizens, permanent residents, and residents returning from overseas, it failed to consider how the local conditions of foreign work permit holders made them extremely vulnerable to a highly contagious virus. There are 720,800 work permit holders in Singapore, of whom 320,000 live in dormitory complexes. These complexes house up to 20 people in one room, and 24,000 in one complex, with a minimum living space of just 4.5 sqm designated for each resident. The overcrowded and often unhygienic conditions resulted in 90% of COVID-19 cases affecting a group that comprises only 5.5% of the total population.
The utilitary complexes serve as a symbol for the discrimination against migrant workers in Singapore. They are geographically isolated on the outskirts of the island, representing the social and economic exclusion of their residents. Singaporean residents can be separated into four different classes - citizens, permanent residents, employment pass holders, and work permit holders. The latter two classes are composed of foreign workers, separated by the type of work they conduct. Unskilled and low-skilled migrant workers are considered work permit holders, employed under the stratified visa scheme that gives businesses the opportunity to access and utilize the cheap foreign manpower that largely constitutes the construction and cleaning industries. It is also important to note that Singapore does not have a minimum wage, which means that these workers are often exploited. Although Singapore is internationally known for its glittering high-rises and pristinely clean streets, it works hard to hide and exclude the very people who have contributed to their international success.
One of the daily COVID-19 updates from the government-controlled WhatsApp channel. Each case is differentiated by the type of resident. It is further differentiated by cases among residents living in dormitories.
The exclusion of migrant workers from integrating in Singapore is ensured in various fashions. The visa scheme gives total power to the employer, who is able to cancel a work permit with or without cause. Under the visa scheme, migrant workers are barred from seeking work or entrepreneurship opportunities that are not stated on their initial visa application. This enforces their identity as transient workers who are limited in economic and educational growth. The amount of time they spend under this visa scheme does not count towards fulfilling residency requirements for permanent residency, which means they could spend up to 20 years working in Singapore and be asked to leave the country at any given time. They are not allowed to sponsor dependents, meaning they are unable to bring their families with them, and they are not allowed to marry a Singaporean citizen or permanent resident without approval from the Ministry of Manpower’s Controller of Work Passes. Marriage to a Singaporean citizen or permanent resident could eventually grant them the right to stay in Singapore permanently, a situation the Singaporean government wants to avoid to ensure a flexible labour market. The efforts to exclude migrant workers as part of the nation are defended by the Ministry of Manpower as a strategy to “manage our limited resources and to ensure that those legitimate Singaporeans would be well looked after and would not exact too much of our social system.”
COVID-19 exposed the disparities between migrant workers and other residents in Singapore. For example, migrant workers often lack access to proper medical care, face unhygienic conditions in living spaces such as lack of soap, and are crammed into dormitory complexes whilst public housing developments are continuously funded to ensure proper living spaces for ‘legitimate Singaporeans’, despite living in a country that is a world leader in medical advancements and one of the cleanest countries in the world. But more than that, the pandemic exposed Singapore’s dependence on migrant workers for continued economic and social success. The lack of attention and care for this vulnerable population has resulted in overwhelming outbreaks of a virus that was previously well-contained, placing the country on a continued lockdown that had serious economic repercussions.
The relationship between socioeconomic sustainability and the protection of migrant rights is clearly intertwined. If Singapore wants to continue its success as an economic powerhouse, it must stop casting a shadow over its migrant worker population and instead focus on protecting and celebrating their essential work. A crucial initial step has already been made to rectify the situation: the construction of new dormitory complexes that includes larger minimum living spaces and a new cap on the number of beds per room. This will help decrease the density of the dormitory complexes and ensure a better standard of living. However, more can be done in terms of social and economic inclusion. Cultural celebration through increased visibility of foreign worker minority groups, inclusion of their foods and traditions, and educational initiatives to advance language acquisition can help integrate them into society, instead of pushing them aside. Singapore must learn from the consequences of ignoring marginalized people during the COVID-19 pandemic and focus on stabilizing socioeconomic conditions among its migrant workers to ensure sustainable economic and cultural development.