Employment Pass holders tour ACM under new orientation programme to integrate foreign professionals
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The orientation programme on July 10 for Employment Pass holders included a guided tour of the Asian Civilisations Museum.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
- About 70 Employment Pass holders attended an orientation programme at the Asian Civilisations Museum to learn about Singapore’s history and mingle with locals.
- The Alliance for Action on Integration of Foreign Professionals launched five initiatives, including cultural sensitivity courses and integration resources, to help foreign workers adapt to Singapore.
- More than 50 firms joined pilot programmes, with government and trade associations emphasising efforts to create inclusive workplaces and help foreigners understand local norms.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – When Leo Yang moved to Singapore from Hong Kong in February 2025, he was surprised by how often he got to interact with people from different backgrounds and ethnicities daily.
He also experienced a difference in work culture, with his Singaporean colleagues drawing clearer boundaries between work and home, said the 48-year-old tax partner.
He is one of about 70 Employment Pass holders who attended an orientation programme, organised by tech association SGTech, on July 10 at the Asian Civilisations Museum. The programme, meant to help foreign professionals integrate into Singapore society, included a guided tour of the museum focusing on Singapore’s history and opportunities to mingle with local professionals.
Another participant Dhilip Kumar Raju said he learnt about kueh through a conversation with other participants that led to each of them naming a sweet dessert from their homelands.
The 36-year-old human resources consultant, who moved to Singapore from Chennai in 2018, then shared about adhirasam, which is prepared mainly with rice and jaggery.
Human resources consultant Dhilip Kumar Raju (centre) said he learnt about kueh through a conversation with other participants.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
The orientation programme is part of broader efforts proposed by the Alliance for Action on Integration of Foreign Professionals, a committee tasked to boost the integration of foreign workers into Singapore’s workplaces and communities.
It released its full report with recommendations on July 10, about one year after it was convened in 2025 by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), the Singapore Business Federation and the Singapore National Employers Federation.
The report focuses on five initiatives that were first raised during the debate on MCCY’s budget in Parliament in March, including workplace courses on cultural sensitivity; a guidebook on workplace integration; an EP Journey programme to give participants an understanding of local norms and cultures; and a repository of integration resources for foreign professionals.
Financial crime risk manager Maximilien Azorin, who moved to Singapore from France in January, said one thing that stood out in his new workplace was that it would celebrate religious festivals such as Hari Raya and Deepavali.
Azorin, who attended the EP Journey programme in May, said he was surprised to receive a hongbao during Chinese New Year, as he was unfamiliar with the tradition and did not expect to receive money in a professional setting.
“It’s just a very frictionless environment where everybody can live very respectfully with one another, and that is something that is quite priceless,” said the 31-year-old.
Between January and June, more than 50 firms participated in the pilot initiatives, with local HR staff members and team leaders joining EP holders, said the report.
The number of EP holders in Singapore grew from 177,100 in December 2020 to 203,300 in December 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Manpower.
In the process of putting together the report, the committee spoke to a wide range of individuals including local employees who highlighted the importance of respecting and adapting to local customs and social norms.
Foreign professionals were in favour of early practical support that would help them better integrate with their colleagues and local community.
Speaking at the launch of the orientation programme, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Dinesh Vasu Dash said integration requires deliberate effort from the government, trade associations and chambers, and employers.
“We recognise that integrating into a new environment, especially one that is different from that of one’s home country, does not happen on its own,” said Dinesh.
He added that the alliance’s initiatives focus on helping new foreign professionals understand the norms of living and working in Singapore, as well as helping firms build inclusive workplaces where locals and foreigners can thrive together.
Mathew Mathews, head of the Institute of Policy Studies social lab, said the cultural sensitivity training course helps participants understand their unconscious biases by using eye trackers.
The course also uses forum theatre – a form of theatre that involves acting out difficult situations to find resolutions – and virtual reality experiences to teach human resource practitioners and leaders how to create an inclusive workplace.
Five trade associations will be rolling out similar programmes from the third quarter of 2026, with more to come, said Dinesh, who is also Minister of State for Manpower.
These associations are the American Chamber of Commerce, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC), and the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association.
SICC chairman Wong Joo Seng said: “Our focus is to make sure that we bring the right talent with the right mindset and properly assimilate them into Singapore culture, in order for them to do their best work here.”
