Chapter 6: ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS IN FACILITATING MIGRANT INTEGRATION

Migration has been an integral part of Singapore’s history and continues to be significant in an era of rapid globalisation. With the movement of people across borders there is a need to protect the well-being of those who leave their countries of origin, often in search of a better future. About two decades ago, Singapore began its rapid pursuit of becoming a global city, and adopted a liberal immigration policy. Immigration is also seen as an economic imperative considering the persistently low total fertility rates since the 1970s which have major ramifications to the country’s economic competitiveness as it faces the spectre of a rapidly ageing workforce (Department of Statistics Singapore, 2012). Welcoming labour migrants, albeit a stop-gap policy, was intended to bolster the strength and the vibrancy of Singapore’s workforce (“S’poreans have to understand need for immigrants: LKY”, 2012).