Demand for foreign manpower expected to increase in 2030

SINGAPORE: The demand for foreign manpower is projected to increase for the healthcare, construction and foreign domestic labour sectors in 2030, according to the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD).

The NPTD, a department in the Prime Minister's Office, made the projections in an Occasional Paper released on Monday.

It said the projections are not targets but illustrate the growth and change in demand for workers in these sectors based on certain assumptions drawn from the country's demographic and demand trends.

For example, with Singapore's ageing population, there will be fewer young people for each elderly person. The ageing population would require more healthcare services.

The demand for healthcare workers is expected to grow from 50,000 in 2011 to 91,000 in 2030. NPTD said of this total, 28,000 are projected to be foreign healthcare workers, up from 13,000 in 2011.

The demand for foreign domestic workers (FDWs) could rise from 198,000 in 2011 to 300,000 by 2030. This is due to the expected rise in the number of resident households with young and/or elderly persons and the number of households where both spouses are working.

The demand for construction workers is expected to remain strong, from 250,000 in 2011 to about 280,000 in the next two to three years.

NPTD said this is due to the increased construction workload as the government ramps up infrastructure development, such as expanding the rail network, launching more Build-To-Order housing projects, and building more nursing homes and hospitals to cater to the ageing population.

With projected improvements in productivity in the construction sector, NPTD said demand for construction work permit holders should be between 250,000 and 300,000 by 2030.