The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has announced plans to start recruiting foreigners to supplement the emergency medical services (EMS) workforce beginning March 2025. This decision comes in response to the escalating demand for emergency medical services, largely attributed to the aging population in Singapore.
In 2024, SCDF responded to a staggering 245,279 EMS calls, signaling a 57% surge in call volume from 2014. The increasing demand is particularly evident among patients aged 65 and above, with almost half of all EMS calls originating from this demographic.
As the demand for medical calls is projected to continue rising alongside the aging population, the SCDF is facing a shortage of local manpower, particularly in the roles of paramedics and emergency medical technicians. In light of this shortage, the SCDF will initiate the recruitment of foreigners from March 2025 onwards to complement the local EMS workforce.
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, emphasized the necessity of this approach, stating that the recruitment strategy aligns with those practiced across the broader healthcare sector. Initially, the SCDF will focus on recruiting EMS staff from other Southeast Asian countries, and should the need arise, they will broaden their recruitment efforts beyond the region.
It should be noted that Singaporeans will continue to represent the majority of SCDF’s workforce. Additionally, all foreign hires will undergo rigorous training to ensure that they meet SCDF’s standards for accreditation and professionalism in providing emergency medical services.
SCDF has highlighted several measures it has implemented over the years to address the escalating demand for emergency medical services, including augmenting its EMS fleet through engagement with private ambulance operators in 2009, introducing a tiered-response framework in 2017, and implementing a non-dispatch policy in 2023, wherein ambulances are only deployed when deemed necessary by the 995 operations center.
