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To tackle the problem posed by visitors as I mention earlier, we screen those who have a greater propensity to engage in illegal work with extra care at their entry point. Those who cannot show proof of sufficient means of support during their visit, or are found to have doubtful intention of visit, are often granted a shorter stay than they requested or can even be refused entry.
Review of the General Labour Importation Scheme
As members are aware, we have started our comprehensive review of the In the General Labour Importation Scheme and will complete it by October. meantime, no new quota will be allocated. We will take full account of the latest employment conditions in our labour market to see whether any changes should be made to both the number and types of workers permitted under the Scheme. This review will cover all the operational aspects of the Scheme, including the quota ceiling, the quota allocation formula as well as the vetting and monitoring procedures. We need to ensure that the Scheme will continue to meet the needs of the market and at the same time not erode the job opportunities of local workers. We will consider the proposal from yesterday's summit for a tripartite committee on importation of labour comprising government, employers and employees. We will also consult the Panel on Manpower of this Council and the Labour Advisory Board on the results of the review before implementation.
Medium Term
In the medium term, we need to monitor closely the economic restructuring process and its effects on our labour force, in particular, the changes in the distribution of jobs between different sectors of industry. We also need to identify the characteristics of the core group of displaced workers with low employability.. We also need to study whether discriminating practices might be contributing to the difficulties which displaced workers faced.
Long-Term measures
In the long-term, we are committed to improving both the productivity and efficiency of our manpower resources through education and training. This is in line with our employment policy to provide a well-trained workforce to meet the demands of our dynamic economy. We already have in place a well-established system of tertiary and continuing education provided by our tertiary institutions, as well as technical and vocational training through the Vocational Training Council and other training bodies. We will be reviewing our long-term manpower planning strategies regularly so that this system is geared towards the needs of the labour market.