‘Wish Papa was here’: The pain of long-distance parenting for S’pore’s foreign workers

Singapore's foreign workforce has grown from 1.2 million in 2021 to 1.65 million in June 2026, with a significant number being parents who must work away from their families. Many migrant workers, such as Bangladeshi Sayeed Md Abu, miss the birth of their children and the moments they share, expressing their longing through phrases like "Wish Papa was here."

Foreign and domestic workers face guilt, worry, and helplessness, often keeping these emotions to themselves. Some organisations have begun free programmes to assist long-distance parents. The Centre for Fathering's I.C.A.N. Fathering Workshop, with over 80 migrant workers attending since 2025, encourages traits like involvement, consistency, awareness, and nurturance.

A peer support group, "Dads in Dorms," was established in response to workers' stress over family issues. Steven Say, a trainer, emphasizes the importance of fathers playing a crucial role in their children's upbringing despite their physical absence. Pallikondaperumal Jeyasekar, a construction tiler from Tamil Nadu, realised the significance of fatherhood beyond financial provision after participating in the workshop and buying his daughters bicycles after learning they desired to cycle like other children.

Mothers, like Evelyn Obillo, a Filipina domestic helper and mother of four, also grapple with guilt, feeling responsible for providing for their families while their children are left behind. USL has piloted an online long-distance parenting programme for migrant domestic workers, addressing emotional wellbeing, conflict prevention, self-care, and guidance on explaining their absence to their children.