An estimated 3,600 migrant workers are expected to benefit from the first three months of the Foreign Workers Settling-in Programme (SIP), said the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) on 23 September 2018.
The objective of the SIP, which will kick off in October this year, is to familiarise migrant workers with Singapore’s laws, and cultural and social norms.
All first-time non-Malaysian Work Permit (WP) holders in the construction sector are required to attend the SIP within 14 days of arrival to Singapore.
The programme will be subsequently rolled out to work permit holders in other sectors such as marine, process, manufacturing and services.
MWC added that it will deliver the SIP in six languages – English, Chinese, Tamil, Bengali, Thai and Burmese.
The programme will cover understanding local practices and social norms, employment laws, employment and work injury compensation rights, SG Secure and other key laws.
The MWC conducted a three-day trial run of the SIP for 110 migrant workers in Singapore in September 2018.
According to MWC, most of the attendees for the pilot run said that the programme was useful and that they wished the information had been shared when they first arrived in Singapore.
At the sidelines of a Mid-Autumn festival celebrations for migrant workers on 23 September 2018, MWC Chairman Yeo Guat Kwang said: “It is important to integrate our migrant worker friends into society as they are far away from home and may not know how to navigate their new environment when they first arrive.
“With the SIP, we hope to ease some of the anxieties that come with settling in a foreign land, and ensure our workers know they are not alone should they encounter any issues during their time in Singapore.”
MWC organised the Mid-Autumn Celebrations at Westlite Dormitory for migrant bus captains as part of efforts to bring cheer to them.
Union leaders from the National Transport Workers’ Union and senior management from SMRT also joined in the celebrations.
About 50 migrant bus captains participated in making mooncakes and wrote wishes on lanterns. MWC also gave out mooncakes to some 600 SMRT bus captains who were not able to attend the celebrations.
Take Note: Employers or employment agencies can create an account on the MWC SIP website from 1 October 2018 to register their workers for SIP once they confirm the workers’ In-Principal Approval and date of arrival.
Employers who are unsure of whether their workers need to be signed-up for SIP can look at the In-Principal Approval letter from MOM, which will indicate if SIP is required. Employers should register for the SIP early to ensure that their workers get a training slot.
