In the west of Singapore, about 20km from the central business district, migrant workers gather at the Migrant Workers’ Centre Recreation Club.
In the west of Singapore, about 20km from the central business district, migrant workers gather at the Migrant Workers’ Centre Recreation Club. Surrounded by a 2-metre-high fence, this is one of the few places they are allowed to freely spend their time outside their dormitories. Despite the easing of Covid-19 restrictions for the general population, these workers face ongoing constraints that limit their freedom.
Persistent Lockdown for Migrant Workers
Singapore's government has lifted most Covid-19 measures, including those affecting travel and nightlife, drawing applause from businesses and high-earning professionals. However, the stringent controls on migrant workers, who are essential to the city-state’s economy, remain in place. These workers, primarily from poorer Asian countries, perform crucial manual labor and domestic tasks but continue to live under severe restrictions.Approximately 280,000 workers reside in dormitories, with only a fraction permitted to leave during the week. Up to 25,000 can travel outside their recreation centers or workplaces on weekdays, provided they notify authorities and limit their outings to eight hours. On weekends, this number increases to 50,000. The government argues that these measures protect the workers, despite the high vaccination rates within this group.
Struggles and Regulations
Migrant workers in Singapore, who number around 849,700, significantly outnumber the 161,700 foreign professionals and the local population of about 3.5 million. Their interactions with the local population are heavily regulated, and they even require government approval for personal matters such as marriage with a Singapore citizen.The plight of these workers gained international attention during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic when the virus spread rapidly through their cramped living conditions. The government’s response involved strict quarantines, which led to deteriorating mental health and reports of attempted suicides among the workers.
Promised Improvements and Continued Surveillance
Authorities have promised to improve living conditions in response to the outcry. New dormitory sites have been announced, where each room will house no more than 12 men, providing each individual with a minimum space of 4.2 square meters. Despite these improvements, concerns persist about the stringent surveillance and control measures still in place.Migrant workers must register their presence in dormitory rooms twice daily, and their movements are monitored via an app called DormWatch. This level of surveillance contrasts sharply with the relaxed measures for the rest of the population, who no longer need to use contact tracing apps.
Government's Stance and Workers' Reality
Lawrence Wong, Singapore's prime minister-in-waiting and co-chair of its Covid task force, has defended these restrictions as protective measures for migrants. The Ministry of Manpower claims that applications by migrants to visit the community are almost automatically approved and that activities at dormitories and recreation centers have resumed.Despite these assurances, the reality for migrant workers in Singapore remains one of limited freedom and stringent controls. While the rest of the city-state moves towards normalcy, these essential workers continue to endure conditions that highlight a stark disparity in the treatment of different segments of the population.
