Singapore says it needs foreign tech talent and ‘fun’ education

SINGAPORE (Sept 21): Singapore, grappling with an aging population and a shortage of high-tech workers, says it needs to bring in foreign talent in areas including software programming while the country rebalances its education system to meet future demands.

A key issue is whether Singapore has a critical mass of workers to make itself a vibrant economy that will attract investments and encourage enterprise, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said. The nation will maintain little restriction on foreign labour for high-end jobs such as in artificial intelligence, while keeping a quota system for lower-skilled industries including construction.

“Talent is very short everywhere in the world -- AI talent, software programmers,” Ong said in an interview in the city-state. “We let them in because we require a critical mass for the sector to take off, while we continue to train Singaporeans for those jobs.”

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