Budget must address urgent foreign worker crunch but stay firm on long-term weaning

Singapore

THE immediate shortage of foreign labour will likely be tackled in upcoming Budget measures, watchers told The Business Times, although policymakers are expected to keep weaning businesses off foreign manpower in the longer term.

That's as employers clamour for more warm bodies in a labour market where vacancies now far outstrip job seekers. There were 2.09 openings for each unemployed person in September 2021, the latest period for which data is available.