The Government believes importing foreigners is the answer to demands for labour in the construction industry over the next few years.
It also believes sufficient protection has been outlined in the Construction Labour Importation Scheme to ensure local workers get priority in employment.
For instance, a special register will be set up to list all those locals who have passed a half-day practical intermediate trade test. Unemployed local workers hoping to join the industry will be encouraged to take the test to confirm their skills and experience.
Officials say employers who wish to import foreign labour will have to employ all those listed in the register first.
However, no matter how attractive the measures may appear to officials, local workers - especially those who have not had any experience of tests - are likely to interpret the registration system as an attempt to make life difficult for them.
What makes them even more suspicious is that a similar test is not applicable to foreign labourers.
The double standard and a lack of a credible system to check potential abuses by foreign labourers and their respective employment agencies are bound to generate more labour disputes and undermine the effectiveness of the scheme.