SINGAPORE — Larger-sized dormitories – offering 1,000 beds or more – will have to be licensed from the second half of next year, should new legislation to manage foreign worker housing be passed in Parliament.

The Foreign Employee Dormitories Bill, which was introduced in the House today (Nov 4), comes with several licensing conditions. They underscore the operator’s obligations to manage public health and security risks, provide and maintain amenities, and provide for the social and recreational needs of foreign workers.

Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said the Government has been speeding up the construction of dormitories which provide adequate living space and come with self-contained amenities and recreational facilities for foreign workers.

There are presently some 50 purpose-built dormitories, with a maximum capacity of 200,000 beds. “As more of these dormitories come onstream, which given their size, are more complex to manage, we need to impose tighter controls … to ensure they are managed effectively,” he said.

Currently, there are about 770,000 non-domestic foreign workers in Singapore. Half of them require accommodation in dormitories. Of these, nine in 10 live in institutionalised housing, such as purpose-built dormitories, factory-converted dormitories and worksite dormitories. The remaining one in 10 foreign workers reside in Housing and Development Board flats and private residences.

Once legislation takes effect, proprietors and operators caught running an unlicensed dormitory could be fined up to S$500,000, jailed up to two years, or both. If they flout the licensing conditions, they could be fined up to S$50,000, jailed up to one year for each breach, or both. The Manpower Ministry will also be able to suspend or revoke licences, and ban people from operating larger dormitories.

Dormitories will have up to six months to apply for the licence, once the laws are passed. Each licence is valid for up to three years.