Temporary by design: how Singapore keeps some migrants from settling

What is it about?

Cities that receive many migrants are often described as "arrival cities": places where newcomers find housing, jobs and networks, and gradually build a new life. We asked whether this picture fits Singapore. We compared two very different groups of migrants there: low-wage migrant workers from Thailand on Work Permits, and highly skilled professionals on Employment Passes or permanent residence. We looked at four moments of migrant life: arriving, settling in, meeting people locally and across borders, and planning ahead. The professionals could choose where to live, move around the city, build local contacts and think about staying or leaving. The workers, by contrast, started work almost immediately, lived in dormitories at the edge of the city, had very little free time, and spent their social energy mostly on staying in touch with home. Their contracts and residence rules kept their stay temporary, even when they worked in Singapore for ten years or more. We therefore suggest that Singapore is better understood as a "transient space" than as an arrival city.

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Photo by Kirill Petropavlov on Unsplash

Photo by Kirill Petropavlov on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Migration policies and company practices do not only regulate who may enter a country. They also shape whether people can put down roots, meet others and plan a future. This paper shows that the same city can offer very different chances of belonging, depending on a person's visa category, skills and employer. It also shows that everyday technologies, such as access scanners, cameras and work phones, can structure migrants' time and movement and limit their room to settle. For urban planners, policymakers and employers, this means that "integration" is not just a matter of migrants' willingness. It is often deliberately made easier for some groups and harder for others. Taking this into account matters for any debate about fair treatment of migrant workers in cities worldwide.