SINGAPORE’S tight labour market is fertile ground for new employment agencies. But the resulting competition does not faze Mr Patrick Ee, 40, director of Eelit Placement Agency. “It’s a matter of how genuine you are and the kind of services you are providing.”
After all, what spurred his entry to the industry was not just market forces but the chance to set up a “cleaner” sort of agency. Eelit recruits foreign workers in general, but its primary focus is placing foreign domestic workers. The Government has been mandating better terms for maids, such as a monthly rest day. It is also “doing a cleanup” of the foreign employment landscape, with the law being changed last year to crack down on errant agencies and employers.
Against this backdrop, Mr Ee and his wife saw an opening. As former maid employers, they felt that the sector had “a lot of hidden agendas and hidden costs”. For instance, many maids have to take large loans – sometimes up to several months’ salary – in order to get a job here, said Mr Ee.
So, late last year, the couple set up Eelit, which promises clean-dealing and lower fees for maids. It received its licence last Christmas. Quipped Mr Ee, a former sales director in the information technology industry: “I also got a bit tired of IT.” Still, contacts gained then may prove useful, he added: “In my past experience, I dealt with quite a number of corporate customers. And they also hire Filipinos, or workers from India and China.” He hopes to tap that potential client pool for Eelit’s general recruitment arm.
By Janice Heng – The Straits Times | Posted: 25 January 2013