The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, the National Federation of Employers Singapore, and the Federation of Business and Industry of Singapore jointly established an action alliance to promote the integration of foreign professionals, aiming to explore how the business community, as a community, can better assist foreign experts in integrating into local society.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry and Minister of Administration of Culture, Community and Youth, Chen Shenghui, announced the news Monday (March 10) when the Congressional Appropriations Committee debated the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth expenditure budget.

The Alliance for Action on the Integration of Foreign Professionals (AfA), jointly led by Chen Shenghui and the All-China Employment Federation Honorary Finance Lin Fuchun, brings together 17 representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and Business Group, as well as finance, information and communication technology, sustainable development and other industries.

From February to September, the alliance will discuss how to better integrate foreign experts into the local workplace and community.

Over the past few months, the Action Alliance has spoken with business leaders, middle managers and employees from different companies to understand their views on promoting the integration of foreign professionals. Initial advice includes providing more spending to help them integrate not only into the workplace but into the community.

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Chen Shenghui said that at present, the authorities have learned that local employers are committed to fair and equal recruitment opportunities and they hope to better promote employees' interactions in the workplace. Foreign experts also want to understand Singapore’s cultural norms and establish friendly relations with local colleagues.

The Action Alliance will develop recommendations for promoting integration and plans to submit recommendations in the second half of this year.