A study by SMU School of Social Sciences’ Assistant Professor of Sociology Nicholas Harrigan and SMU alumna Koh Chiu Yee revealed that 62 per cent of lower-skilled South Asian migrant workers in Singapore awaiting salary or injury claims and 13 per cent of regular workers are likely to suffer from serious mental illness. The main drivers of distress were housing, debts and threats of deportation. The study surveyed 801 workers, mostly from India and Bangladesh. It proposes recommendations such as allowing Work Permit holders who have their work passes terminated to be given guaranteed access to the 30-day Short Term Visit Pass. Assistant Prof Harrigan expressed surprise at the rate of predicted serious mental illness amongst foreign workers with injury and salary claims, as it is significantly higher than the regular migrant worker population.