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Source:
www.mom.gov.sg |
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58 Foreign Workers Nabbed In
Illegal Employment Scam |
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On 22 September 2005, the Ministry of
Manpower (MOM)¡¯s Employment Inspectors raided various parts of Singapore
and arrested 58 foreign workers believed to be working as conservancy
cleaners without work permits. |
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This is the largest number of foreign
workers nabbed in a single raid in the conservancy sector in 2005. |
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The Ministry has been monitoring the
employment activities of eight companies, which are allegedly involved
in an illegal employment scam. |
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The eight companies illegally deployed 45
foreign workers with work permits valid for work in the marine sector to
the conservancy sector. The remaining 13 foreign workers held special
passes1 which does not allow them to work. |
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Employing foreigners without valid work
permits is an offence under the Employment of Foreign Workers Act. |
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The first-time offender faces a minimum fine
equivalent to two years of the foreign worker levy and a maximum fine up
to four years¡¯ levy for each foreign worker, or imprisonment of up to
one year, or both. |
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For the second and subsequent conviction,
the penalty will be a mandatory jail sentence of one to 12 months in
addition to a minimum fine equivalent to two years of the foreign worker
levy and a maximum fine up to four years¡¯ levy for each foreign worker. |
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The foreign workers arrested and their
employers are currently being investigated by the Ministry for possible
violation of the Employment of Foreign Workers Act. |
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Illegal employment in the Conservancy
Sector |
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From Jan 2005 to Sep 2005, MOM has
investigated a total of 81 companies with 393 foreign workers being
arrested for working illegally in the conservancy sector. 75% of the
foreign workers were from the Marine sector. |
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The Ministry has lately been stepping up its
enforcement against illegal employment and taken stern action against
errant employers who hire or deploy foreign workers in sectors where the
workers are not supposed to work2. |
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For the conservancy sector, this strict
enforcement action ties in with the NTUC and Government¡¯s efforts to
encourage employers to redesign jobs to make them more attractive to
locals, instead of relying on illegal foreign workers. |
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The Ministry urges anyone with specific
information on such cases to contact the Ministry of Manpower at Tel:
6438 5122 or email at
mom_fmmd@mom.gov.sg. |
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Source:
www.mom.gov.sg Press Release 29 Sep
2005 |
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FrontPage Edition: Thu 6 Oct 2005
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