Search
Contact
Login
Share this article
IMPACT – MEDIUM
What is the change? In another prosecution over work-pass fraud, a company director who falsely stated foreign workers’ salaries has been fined 21,000 Singapore dollars (about US$15,500) and banned from hiring foreign employees.
What does the change mean? This is the latest case in an ongoing campaign by the Ministry of Manpower to investigate companies for making false or fraudulent declarations regarding foreign workers. Since 2014, the ministry has prosecuted 55 employers in for falsely declaring the salaries of foreign workers.
Background: The case involved an engineering company whose owner filed 10 S-Pass applications stating that the workers would be paid the required minimum salary of SG$2,200 per month. After the S Passes were granted, the workers were paid SG$2,200 per month, but were forced to remit SG$800 per month to the company through a former employee.
The owner pled guilty and was fined SG$21,000 in default of nine months of imprisonment on three of the 10 charges. The remaining seven charges are under consideration. The owner and his company have also been barred from hiring foreign workers.
According to the ministry, the former employee will also be prosecuted for receiving kickbacks, an offense which is punishable by SG$30,000 in fines, two years’ imprisonment, or both.
BAL Analysis: Employers in Singapore should be aware of the heightened enforcement environment and conduct a review to ensure that they are in compliance with all regulations.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in Singapore. For additional information, please contact singapore@bal.com.
Copyright © 2016 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) announced it will fully decommission the legacy Permanent…
The government of Cuba has launched a new electronic visa platform, known as Evisa. Key Points: The new Evisa replaces…
The Qatari government has extended the validity period for the multiple-entry work visa (MEWV) for nationals of Bangladesh, India, Nepal,…
In this week’s episode, BAL’s Chad Li and Kyle McLaughlin discuss common questions about the PERM process and identify four…