Under a new law enacted by parliament on Tuesday, dormitories for foreign workers with a minimum of 1,000 beds must have a license by the second half of 2015, media reports said.
The Foreign Employee Dormitories Bill also requires these dormitories to have certain amenities like ATMs, minimarts and game rooms, as well as sick bays and quarantine areas.
During the presentation of the bill, Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said the objectives of these provisions are to regulate such facilities and improve the living conditions of about 200,000 foreign workers residing in big dormitories.
Dorm operators who break each licensing condition can be imprisoned for up to one year and/or pay a maximum fine of $50,000. But those who operate large-scale dormitories without a licence would face harsher penalties, such as a maximum jail term of two years and/or a fine of up to $500,000.
Additionally, the new legislation enhances the existing guidelines on safety, hygiene and minimum living space for all foreign worker dorms in Singapore.
To enforce this, the government will appoint a commissioner with wide-ranging powers like, for instance, arresting operators who violate these rules.
Operators of dormitories with at least 1,000 beds have six months to obtain the licence, which is valid for up to three years.
With this new regulation, the percentage of foreign workers staying at large dormitories is projected to increase, said Mr Tan, adding that existing dorm operators will receive financial help to refurbish their premises so that they can fulfil the minimum standards.
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Singapore Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
