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> The main goal of the government is to maximize the absolute number of people working.

Why? What? You know, they have to win elections?

They recently tightened migrant worker visas quite a lot.

The non-resident population of Singapore (which is a reasonable proxy for migrant worker population) is at the highest it's ever been, as is the total population.[0][1]

[0] https://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/reference/singapore...

[1] https://www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-workforce-numbers

The Singaporean government is responsive to public opinion to some degree, but it is so they can maintain their current status of not having to worry about winning elections.

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