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.