Moves to impose curbs on immigration and the size of the foreign worker population are not because the government has decided to be populist, but are a recognition of real problems that can affect Singapore society, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, reports news.asiaone.com.

It’s not just about how foreign workers and immigrants are fitting in and affecting "the tone of our society", Mr Lee said; adding that the space, infrastructure, and "carrying capacity" of the country were also important factors.

"Last year, the inflow was the slowest it has been in a very long time and I think that is necessary,"

The Singapore government has adopted a series of measures over the past year in an attempt to better balance the proportion of migrant workers with domestic jobseekers.

The Fair Consideration Framework (FCF), which came into force on 1 August 2014, requires any company employing more than 25 people and filling a role that pays a base salary below SGD 12,000 (USD 8,741) per month with a foreign worker to prove that it gave qualified Singaporeans a chance to apply.

If a foreigner is hired, the company must prove that the job was advertised on the government’s National Job Bank for a least 14 days.

Last month it was announced that companies will have to disclose the salary ranges of their professional, managerial, and executive (PME) jobs when they advertise their vacancies on the job bank.

Firms that fill vacancies that pay at least SGD 4,000 (USD 2,914) per month with unemployed locals can also be eligible for wage subsidies for 12 months.

On managing immigrants and foreign workers, Mr Less said that "there are no easy choices".

"There are trade-offs. If we have no foreign workers, our economy suffers, our own lives suffer. We have a lot of foreign workers, the economy will do well, [but] we have other social pressures, other problems...”

“We may be able to find a spot where, all things considered, this is something which balances our needs as well as our identity, as well as our economic requirements, and enables us to move forward."

The government will review the situation after a few years and adjust policies if necessary, he added.

He described resolving the issue as one of "squaring a circle". Many Singaporeans might want to see the foreign presence here diminish, but most have ties with foreigners and would not want their helpers or colleagues to be sent home. This same conflicting dynamic arises among professionals, managers, executives and technicians, and businesses.

"I can understand the sentiments. I think we have to watch to make sure that when we bring in people, we also take care of Singaporeans who may be in that sector and who cannot easily move out of it," he concluded.