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wage levels for the positions where the trainees work. This then give credence to the
complaints that foreign workers contribute to lowering overall wage levels.

178. Finally, there is evidence that non qualifying hotels and other businesses have also
taken on foreign trainees, who do not hold students passes or PVPs.

5.9.2 Policy recommendations for foreign interns and students

Overall Policy

179. The Independent Committee recommends that the regulation and management of
foreign interns and students be coordinated centrally by MOHR through the OPRM.

180. MOHR working with the current agencies involved and ESD through a subcommittee
will manage the foreign internships program. A module will be designed for management of
foreign interns to be integrated into the single online application and approval system.
Information from the foreign intern module will feed into the central database of the system.

181. With the online system, the SOP of all agencies with oversight and regulatory roles
will be standardised. An algorithm for approval including the use of a dependency ratio quota
mechanism (similar to the PLKS worker multi-tier levy system) will be developed and built
into the module to remove as much as possible discretion in the decision making process for
approvals. In particular, the criteria for determination of whether a firm (e.g. hotel ) is
qualified to take part in a structured internship program for interns and the strategic
importance of the industry taking interns for prioritised skilled occupations will need to be
identified and quantified within the decision algorithm.

182. Similar information to confirm the qualifying course of studies and foreign
educational institutions of the foreign intern applicant will be collated and codified in the
module.

183. The PVP to be issued to qualifying foreign interns or trainees will be in a digital form
and transmitted online. The online module will have the capability to issue a standard
digitalized Smart ID card specific for such foreign interns from the biometric information and
the unique ID number for each intern stored in the online database. All enforcement officers
must give recognition to this intern Smart ID card. Enforcement authorities must no longer
demand sight of hardcopy IDs like passports which absence currently constitutes an offence.

Enforcement actions

184. The foreign intern subcommittee will manage enforcement and evaluation actions to
confirm compliance of the firms taking part in the structured internship programs. They will
also follow up on actions to monitor the activities of foreign interns and evaluate the
effectiveness of the internship programs.

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