Singapore’s Exports Recovery Limited by Worker Shortage: Economy

Alcotec Precision Engineering Pte. owner Colin Kua turned down almost a third of his customers’ orders last year as he grappled with Singapore’s labor shortage. This year may be tougher.

“In the future it may be worse -- to venture out to other countries may be the only solution,” said Kua, who had to cut the number of foreign employees making items from sockets to semiconductors by half as the government tightened the inflow of overseas workers. “We don’t really dare to bring in more orders because the manpower isn’t enough.”