Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower conducted a two-day island-wide enforcement operation from 16 to 17 May 2023, and arrested 27 people for suspected involvement in illegal employment, making false declaration in work pass applications and inflation of a firm’s migrant worker quota by making CPF (Central Provident Fund) contributions to Singaporeans not working for the company.

Ministry officers raided 19 locations, including food stalls, residences and an office belonging to the accused people who had allegedly brought in 290 migrant workers through fraudulent means. According to the Ministry, 80 digital devices such as laptops, mobile phones and storage devices, as well as payment records, were seized during the enforcement operation. Investigations against the arrested persons are ongoing.

The Ministry noted that the involved syndicate makes CPF (Singapore’s savings and pension plan) contributions to Singaporeans to fraudulently inflate the shell companies’ quota to hire foreigners. These Singaporeans, or ‘phantom workers’, are not employed by these companies. Based on the inflated quota, the companies would apply for work passes for the foreigners through false declarations. These foreigners would then enter and remain in Singapore via these illegally obtained work passes.

Jeanette Har, Director of Investigation at the Ministry of Manpower’s Foreign Manpower Management Division, said, “Ministry of Manpower takes a serious view of attempts to evade work pass controls set up to manage the number and criteria of foreigners permitted to work in Singapore and complement the local workforce, and will apprehend and prosecute such offenders.”

The Ministry added that all employers and work pass applicants must make accurate, complete and truthful declarations to the Controller of Work Passes in work pass applications under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.