390,300 local jobs, 534,600 foreign jobs – 550,000 new citizens/PRs?

February 10, 2016

I refer to the article “Technology posts among hardest to fill last year: MOM” (Straits Times, Feb 10).

67% of IT job vacancies could not be filled by locals?

It states that “About two-thirds of the openings for software, Web and multimedia developers could not be filled by Singaporeans or permanent residents. Consequently, more than 20 per cent of the vacancies could not be filled for six months or more. Such jobs were among the top 10 professional, managerial, executive and technical (PMET) positions left vacant for so long.

There were also no Singaporeans or permanent residents to fill more than 40 per cent of the systems analyst posts.

60,000 job vacancies

All in all, companies reported 60,000 vacancies in September last year”.

Can’t find “management executives” for more than 6 months?

Don’t you find it rather odd that occupationss like “Management executive” are among the “Top 10 PMET occupations left vacant for at least 6 months”?

99.7% of jobs growth to foreigners?

A possible clue to this “oddness” may lie in the jobs growth statistics – which can now be updated after the 2015 job statistics were released last month.

390,300 local jobs vs 534,600 foreign jobs?

With 99.7 per cent (31,700) of the jobs growth last year going to foreigners – the jobs growth of 390,300 local jobs from 2007 to 2015, was against an increase in 534,600 foreign jobs.

550,000 new citizens/PRs?

If the number of new citizens and PRs last year was about the same as the  50,202 (20,348 new citizens + 29,854 new PRs) in 2014 –how many of the 390,300 local jobs went to Singaporeans, against the 552,136 (estimated) new citizens and new PRs granted?

Reciprocate trust with more transparency?

Since the people have given their trust and mandate – shouldn’t we reciprocate by being more transparent?

Leong Sze Hian

 

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About the Author

Leong
Leong Sze Hian has served as the president of 4 professional bodies, honorary consul of 2 countries, an alumnus of Harvard University, authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been a radio talkshow host, a newspaper daily columnist, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for theonlinecitizen and Malaysiakini, executive producer of Ilo Ilo (40 international awards), Hotel Mumbai (associate producer), invited to speak more than 200 times in about 40 countries, CIFA advisory board member, founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of 2 countries. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors degrees and 13 professional  qualifications.