The Economic Development Board (EDB) and Enterprise Singapore have collaborated on an initiative for attracting foreign talent to our tech industry.
Tech@SG, a two-year pilot programme, is established with the goal of networking “high-profile” tech firms with international organisations and through that attracting and generating a talent pool within Singapore’s tech industry.
These foreign talents will work alongside Singaporeans and add on to the knowledge and skills within the industry.
This programme will commence in the fourth quarter of this year. It will be catered at companies from the digital, medical technology, biotech, cleantech, agricultural technology, and fintech sectors.
There will be more flexibility in the consideration and issuing of Employment Pass applications. Factors such as deep skills apart from academic qualifications will be considered for the foreign talents who are to be invited to be a part of the programme.
Some of these talents include professionals with skills under technologies such as Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and, the Internet of Things.
Chng Kai Fong, EDB’s Managing Director, said that this Tech@SG programme will instil confidence within firms to hire the foreign talent and expertise they seek.
He added that it will put Singapore on a competitive edge and generate opportunities for Singaporeans to “work in globally competitive teams alongside top engineers and entrepreneurs” from around the world.
Enterprise Singapore’s Assistant Chief Executive Officer Edwin Chow said that this programme will be highly beneficial to tech start-ups and other high-growth companies by providing them with the expertise and knowledge for building on their tech capacity and boosting their business.
This is line with the nation’s efforts of making Singapore a tech hub with skills and expertise so that we remain competitive in international markets.
OpenGov had reported a similar initiative by Enterprise Singapore on a collaboration venture between Singapore and Vietnam.
This collaboration will see the expansion of the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) network to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). The aim is to help Singapore tech start-ups to create alliances and expand its network within Vietnam.
This will also boost more collaborations between companies of the two countries and create more internship opportunities for Singapore students in start-ups and innovative companies in Vietnam.
Singapore start-ups can establish, testbed and commercialise their solutions and form business partnerships in HCMC. Vietnamese start-ups will also receive support to set up bases in Singapore.
Enterprise Singapore, Quest Ventures and Saigon Innovation Hub (SIHUB) signed this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).