S’pore foreign labour woes

Manpower crunch: A vehicle travels past a construction site in Singapore. Construction firms say the shortage of workers has led to an increase in subcontractor labour costs by about 20% to 30%. — Bloomberg

SINGAPORE: With tighter border controls amid the coronavirus pandemic limiting the entry of new foreign workers into Singapore, sectors dependent on foreign labour are being squeezed more than before.

More than 10 employers in the construction and food and beverage (F&B) sectors told The Sunday Times that their manpower costs have gone up significantly in the past few months. While some have tried to adjust and adapt, challenges remain.