Such shortages have been met largely through the use of illegal migrant workers from Indonesia, South Thailand and the southern Philippines. Policies to facilitate temporary labor migration in key sectors are being developed. The Experience of Singapore. Singapore has emerged as one of the major importers of temporary workers in East Asia, particularly from Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, and has developed policies to maximize the benefits of foreign labor while minimizing its social and economic costs. Government policies restrict unskilled foreign workers to approved sectors and prohibit settlement in Singapore.
Illegal workers are subject to imprisonment and the controversial punishment of mandatory caning.
On the other hand, policies toward highly qualified and professional workers are exceptionally liberal, with new rules designed to attract skilled people from Hong Kong. As regional labor flows grow, Singapore's dependence on skilled and unskilled foreign labor will go beyond the primacy of a domestic focus and lead to an increased emphasis on managing labor problems through skillful diplomacy and migrant protection. Issues related to social security protection are discussed from the point of view of the sending country as well as the receiving country. Common problems include equality of treatment between nationals and non-nationals, inadequacy of coverage, and the status of workers with multiple foreign employment. The social security programs of 36 Asia-Pacific countries are compared and recommendations made to increase the protection available to migrant workers in the region.