With One Pass, it’s less about giving firms access to talent, but more about attracting them

WHETHER as part of tax breaks or eased rules, pandemic packages or Budget bonanzas, any sufficiently targeted measure will elicit a common reaction: “This does not help me.” That refrain is likely to be heard too, in response to the new Overseas Networks and Expertise (One) Pass for top foreign talent.

For a start, this pass – announced on Monday (Aug 29) – may not help employers who are struggling to bring in the talent they need. After all, not many firms worry about getting approval for workers on monthly salaries of S$30,000 or more. The much-bemoaned talent crunch takes place across salary levels, including much lower ones.

Besides, any individual who qualifies for a One Pass could certainly qualify for other existing passes. As the Manpower Ministry itself noted, the One Pass is for talent comparable to the top 5 per cent of Employment Pass holders – and thus unhelpful to anyone seeking to employ “regular” talent.