Written Answer by Minister for Manpower on Measures To Ensure Employers Have Obtained Work Pass Holder's Written Consent Before Applying for Work Pass Renewals

NOTICE PAPER NO. 549 OF 2021 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 26 JULY 2021

QUESTION NO. 908 FOR WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

MP: Mr Leon Perera

To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how does the Ministry ensure that employers have obtained a work pass holder’s written consent when applying for the renewal of his work pass; (b) to date, how many complaints have been received by the Ministry from work pass holders objecting to renewals of their work passes; and (c) what penalties have been imposed on employers who are found to have applied for work pass renewals without first obtaining the work pass holder’s written consent.

Answer: 

1. Employers must obtain their workers’ written consent when they apply to renew their work passes. For workers on work permits, employers are required to upload the workers’ written consent when submitting the application for renewal. For workers on employment passes or S passes, employers must declare that they have obtained the written consent and may be called upon to furnish proof of such consent to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
2. In 2021 to date, MOM has received disputes from 23 migrant workers objecting to renewals of their work permits. Most of these disputes were resolved with the work permit holders deciding to either terminate their employment or continue their employment with the existing employer. There are currently three cases under investigation.
3. Employers found to have falsely declared that they have obtained the workers’ written consent may be prosecuted under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and fined up to $20,000 or jailed for up to two years or both. Similarly, workers found to have furnished false information to the authorities may have their work pass privileges curtailed. In 2021 to date, no such penalties have been meted out to employers or migrant workers.