Employment Pass numbers down for first time since 2003

The number of foreigners on Employment Passes has fallen for the first time since 2003. 

There were 173,800 EP holders last month, down 1,600 from 2011. 

These foreigners hold higher-skilled jobs. 

Writing in his blog, Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said this is likely in part due to the tighter EP framework. 

But he noted the increase in S Pass numbers to 142,400 over the year, compared to 113,900 in 2011. 

MR Tan said while some are workers who were downgraded from EP to S pass, the overall growth in S pass numbers is cause for concern. 

He said the S Pass framework is being reviewed. 

Mr Tan said policies to moderate foreign worker inflows have yielded some results but there's a need to continue to slow the growth.