S'PORE JOBS BANK IS A BIG WAYANG, NO REAL PROTECTION FOR S'POREANS FIRST POLICY

Dear ASS Editors,

In my honest opinion, Jobs Bank is one of the biggest wayang ever. Employers do not flout regulations. Because there are none to flout. The only regulation required is that they post the Job openings on Jobs Bank for 14 days before they allowed to hire an FT. And that's it.

There are no regulations for employers to screen Singaporeans first, interview Singaporeans first, or even consider Singapore first. All employers need to do is to put up the opening on Jobs Bank for 14 days, don't respond to any Singaporean application, don't read any resume, don't arrange any interview, and that's it. They get to hire an FT. Legally endorsed.

Let me spell it out for you. THERE ARE NO REGULATIONS SAYING THAT THE EMPLOYER MUST SCREEN THROUGH EVERY SINGAPOREAN! THE EMPLOYER SIMPLY NEEDS TO WAIT 14 DAYs! Then they get to hire an FT that is cheaper than an SG.

Anyone who has used the Jobs Bank will tell you it's a colossal waste of time. No matter how many CVs you spend, the employers simply just don't respond. They are not required by law to actually give a damn about you.

The PAP could have done more. They could have regulated it such that employers must have at least properly screened all potential SG candidates and arranged for interviews before they can even consider an FT. They could regulate such that the employer must wait for more than 60 days if they are not willing to hire an SG.

But they won't. Because you are just not that important enough. And did I mention that foreigners use the Jobs Bank too? Looks like it's not completely useless after all...

S'pore Honest Critic
A.S.S. Contributor