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SINGAPORE : Work permit holders in the retail, food & beverage, and hotel sectors will need to pass an English language proficiency test from the third quarter of next year in order to qualify for skilled levy status.
This was announced by Minister of State for Manpower, Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan at the graduation of the first batch of foreign workers from a basic English course organised by the Migrant Workers Centre.
Wayne Huang is one of the 40 graduates of the basic English course.
The 29-year-old native from China, who is an assistant housekeeper at Hilton Hotel, said "practice makes perfect".
Come the third quarter of next year, the service industry will see more workers like Mr Huang.
Mr Lee said that employees would increasingly need to be able to communicate in English to be effective in their jobs.
He said: "We want to encourage employers to look at it as building a more productive workforce, comprising both local and foreign workers. So if they look at it from that point of view, and if they look at how much better service they can provide, that should incentivise them to send the workers for the programme."
Employers will enjoy cost savings from the lower skilled workers levy which stands at S$150 a month compared to the unskilled levy of S$240.
The CEO of NTUC Learning Hub, Zee Yoong Kang, said the hub is anticipating a two to three times increase in demand for English classes and is prepared to meet the demand by increasing its pool of teachers.
Mr Zee said: "We have 80 trainers and we intend to increase the group to more than 100."
Some 500 migrant workers are currently being taught basic English at the Learning Hub. - CNA/ms
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