Foreign Worker:
The foreign labour market is to maintain a controlled and revolving
pool of foreign workers to supplement the local workforce due aging population and fast economic growth. The approved sources
for foreign workers for Singapore work permits issued by the Ministry of Manpower includes South Korea, Taiwan,
People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macao, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, indonesia
and Phillipines. There is no nationality restrictions to work in Singapore under Singapore Employment Pass or S Pass
issued by Singapore Ministry of Manpower. There are about 560,000 foreign workers in Singapore.
Work Permit Holders
The Employment of Foreign Workers Act defines a foreign worker
as one who is not a citizen of Singapore and who seeks employment with, or is offered employment by, or is in the employment
of, an employer at a salary of not more than S$2000 a month. A foreign worker with a basic pay of S$2500 or below needs a
work permit from the Controller of Work Permits before coming to Singapore. The WP is normally issued for 2 years basis.
Employment Pass Holders
An EP is a must for a qualified or skilled foreign professional who may be
employed if his Singapore employer can pay him or her a basic monthly salary of S$2501 or more (wef 1st Dec 2001) Applications
to Singapore Ministry of Manpower should be supported by certified copies of academic or professional qualifications, working
testimonials and reasons why a foreigner is required for the job. EPs are generally issued for 1 to 3 years.
In 1996 50,000 of the 560,000 foreigners in Singapore are Employment Pass
Holders who have tertiary or professional qualifications or are paid at least S$2001 basic salary a month. The inflow
of EP holders over the past few years is about 2,000 a year but with the Singapore Government's policy of attracting top talents
from around the world number of EP applications may rise.
Dependent Pass holders require
only a Letter of Consent from the Employment Pass Department of Ministry of Manpower to work in Singapore if the salary is
S$2501 or more . The DP holder has to apply for a Work Permit at the Work Permit Dept if the salary is less than S$2500
Singapore Laws
Foreigners working, living or visiting Singapore are
subject to Singapore laws. Singaporeans and foreigners are accorded the same protection under Singapore Laws. The trafficking
and possession of illicit narcotic drugs carries the mandatory death sentence. Overstaying or entering illegally in Singapore
is a serious offence and on conviction the penalties may include mandatory imprisonment and caning. Employers hiring illegal
workers are also severely punished with huge fines plus possible caning for repeat offenders.
- Illegal workers fine up to S$5000 or to imprisonment up to 1 year or both
- Anyone caught employing foreigners without a valid work permit will be charged in
court even if that foreigner has entered into Singapore legally as a Student or as a Social Visitor e.g. tourist. The first
time offender faces a minimum fine of up to 24 months of foreign worker's levy and a maximum fine of up to 48 months levy
for each illegal worker employed or to imprisonment of up to 1 year or both. For the second or repeat conviction the penalty
will be a mandatory jail sentence of 1 to 12 months in addition to the above fines.
- Those found guilty of employing over stayers / illegal immigrants face
a jail sentence of 6 months to 2 years and a fine of up to S$6000 plus compulsory caning if he employs more than 5 immigration
offenders as workers.
