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Singapore Law Watch
24-06-2025
- Business
- Singapore Law Watch
Attempted misuse of work pass for foreign students or trainees ongoing for years: Industry insiders
Attempted misuse of work pass for foreign students or trainees ongoing for years: Industry insiders Source: Straits Times Article Date: 24 Jun 2025 Author: Tay Hong Yi The Manpower Ministry revealed on June 19 that it has received 120 reports related to the abuse of the Training Employment Pass in 2025. Errant employers and agents have for years attempted to illegally bring in foreign workers for rank-and-file roles such as dishwashers under a pass intended for foreigners to undergo short-term professional training here, said industry insiders. They told The Straits Times that the Training Employment Pass (TEP) attracts misuse in this manner because it does not impose a levy or quota on workers, unlike the work permit or S Pass, which are meant for lower-skilled or semi-skilled roles. The TEP has come under scrutiny of late, following allegations of such misuse. This included a blog post by advocacy group Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) in May flagging the issue, citing accounts from a rising number of low-wage workers holding the TEP who have approached it for help since December 2024. The affected TEP holders had come forward with claims of being paid below the stated salary for their pass, asked to work before receiving their passes, as well as registered as 'management executives' despite actually working in menial roles. Responding to queries from ST, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) revealed on June 19 that it has received 120 reports related to TEP abuse in 2025, but did not provide for comparison the number of reports received in past years. An MOM spokesperson also said an average of around 6,800 TEPs were approved each year over the last 10 years, with the majority of approvals for jobs in the services sector. The ministry has stepped up enforcement efforts against employers who misuse the TEP scheme to circumvent the work pass framework, said the spokesperson. The TEP allows foreign students or trainees from a company's overseas office or subsidiary to undergo practical training for professional, managerial, executive or specialist jobs here for up to three months. Trainees must earn a minimum fixed salary of $3,000 a month. The work attachment for student applicants must be tied to their studies. They must either be studying in an 'acceptable institution' or earning at least $3,000 a month. Trainee lawyers who are not permanent residents or Singaporeans are one group who have been approved to work here under TEPs, ST understands. Another group, mentioned in a written parliamentary answer by Manpower Minister Tan See Leng in 2023, are those in clinical fellowship training programmes. But Dr David Leong, managing director of human resources firm PeopleWorldwide Consulting, said some agents use the TEP to supply a steady stream of labour to employers grappling with acute manpower shortages, particularly in industries struggling to fill low-wage or undesirable roles. 'Some employers, unaware of the full extent of the agents' misconduct, are unwittingly drawn into these schemes, believing they are addressing legitimate staffing needs. 'Others, however, knowingly collaborate with agents, taking advantage of the lax oversight to exploit workers for cheap labour, often in grueling or irrelevant roles.' Dr Leong added he has consistently warned his clients against taking on workers brought in under a TEP, particularly for rank-and-file roles. He added that private education institutions may also sometimes act as fronts for channelling workers into low-wage, temporary jobs under the pretext of training. Speaking in his personal capacity, former MOM prosecutor Jason Chua noted that the non-renewable nature and short duration of the TEP makes it a relatively niche pass intended for skilled roles, compared to Employment Passes, work permits and S Passes. 'Also, the TEP is meant for foreign trainees to learn skills and apply it back to their home country.' In contrast, the fundamental purpose of more mainstream work passes lies more in allowing the foreign worker to contribute economically, rather than learn, here, he said. Reinforcing the intended scope of the TEP as being for skilled roles, Mr Chua said the TEP often gets confused with the Training Work Permit, which is reserved for eligible unskilled or semi-skilled foreign trainees or students to undergo practical training in Singapore. However, these are subject to a levy, and still count towards an employer's quota for work permit holders. The short duration of a TEP limits the type of roles that errant employers can practicably assign TEP holders. These are typically labour-intensive roles where high staff turnover does not matter as much. Mr Ethan Guo, TWC2's executive director, told ST the TEP holders who approached it for help often were forced by employers to sign pay slips indicating they received their full pay, but actually paid them less. 'We even saw one instance where the pay slips were not even issued to or signed by the workers, but instead doctored digitally. 'There are also those who were not given work and therefore didn't get any pay at all.' Still, attempts to bring in low-wage workers under this pass have continued. A TikTok video first uploaded earlier in 2025 and subsequently deleted soon after media reports surfaced on the TEP, re-emerged in June. In a voiceover, a male can be heard touting the 'advantages' of the TEP, including savings from not needing a levy, as well as 'more obedient' workers. 'The third (advantage) is that you don't need to keep on your payroll 'phantom workers', so you wouldn't need to live in fear of being caught, fined and have your finances frozen,' he said, adding that agents are able to help employers handle flights and accommodation as well. Even though he acknowledged the short duration of the pass can be disruptive, the man added: 'A lot of workers will be willing to come here.' Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
Straits Times
16-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Headstart On Record Podcast: Forging careers at all ages, for all seasons
Wefie for the record: The Straits Times' Tay Hong Yi (left), poses in front of a live audience at swish nightspot Rasa with senior career coach Parameswari Seenivasan and telecommunications system engineer Noel Png. The Straits Times Headstart On Record Podcast Forging careers at all ages, for all seasons Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times. Developing a vibrant, resilient career in this age will require consistent effort to make deeper and more frequent changes. Mastering what we do in the here and now, does not suffice. Instead, we need to cast an eye towards what our jobs may become and even consider entirely new ones. From left: Guest speakers Mr Noel Png and Ms Parameswari Seenivasan with Headstart On Record host Tay Hong Yi, as they touch on what it takes to thrive at each stage of our careers. PHOTO: Desmond Wee In the third ST Podcast Live session recorded on June 3 at swish nightspot Rasa at Republic Plaza, we touch on what it takes to thrive at each stage of our careers, against a backdrop of economic upheaval. This special episode of Headstart On Record is in partnership with Workforce Singapore, in support of Career Health, a SkillsFuture initiative. We speak to a young engineer - Mr Noel Png - who did not let poor school grades deter him from an engineering career that took him to Britain and back home to Singapore. He is now a telecommunications system engineer at ST Engineering. Did I mention he has helped put a satellite to space with SpaceX, and has met Elon Musk? He shares about his unorthodox approach to networking, how he found mentors who helped him find his direction in life and his thought process to take uncertainty in his stride. Joining him on the podcast couch is veteran senior career coach Parameswari Seenivasan. A trained counsellor with over 15 years' of experience from Workforce Singapore, she has helped over 2,000 clients in her work. She helps us draw principles and good practices from Mr Png's career experiences. The third ST Podcast Live session is part of a series of events to celebrate 180 years of The Straits Times. PHOTO: Desmond Wee The ongoing series of ST Podcast Live sessions are being held to celebrate 180 years of The Straits Times in 2025, with three more events planned for the rest of the year. Highlights (click/tap above): 3:23 How a chance encounter led Noel to work in the space industry 5:51 Taking stock of your strengths and values 10:47 How career coaching can help you gain clarity on next moves 16:53 The broader range of options you can explore 19:08 Making sure each transition builds on the next 24:48 Parames' and Noel's proudest moments in their careers Find out more about WSG's Career Health plan: More about WSG: Read how the live podcast went down: Read Tay Hong Yi's articles: Follow Tay Hong Yi on LinkedIn: Host: Tay Hong Yi (hytay@ Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Lynda Hong & Joanna Seow Follow Headstart On Record Podcast channel here: Channel: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Feedback to: podcast@ Get business/career tips in ST's Headstart newsletter: --- Follow more podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: ST Podcasts website: ST Podcasts YouTube: --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: Google Play:
Straits Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Headstart On Record Podcast: Can you earn a living on a skilled trade?
An entrepreneur shares his hard-earned lessons on working with one's hands. ST GRAPHICS: NATASHA LIEW Headstart On Record Podcast Can you earn a living on a skilled trade? Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times. For much of human history, manual work and the skilled trades have been the default way to earn your keep. Even in a small, advanced economy such as Singapore, there remains a need for this work to be done, that requires a mix of hard graft and mindfulness. To piece together how to be successful in the trades, ST correspondent Tay Hong Yi speaks with his guest, an entrepreneur who slogged to build businesses across landscaping, hospitality and outdoor education. His guest is: Mr Clarence Chua, co-founder of The Sundowner Nature Experience Centre Highlights (click/tap above): 1:53 Did Clarence always know he would be working a skilled trade? 10:07 What is the most satisfying part of Clarence's job? 11:18 Tips for those hoping to pursue a skilled trade 21:06 Dealing with parental disapproval Read about Mr Chua's work here: Read Tay Hong Yi's articles: Follow Tay Hong Yi on LinkedIn: Host: Tay Hong Yi (hytay@ Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim & Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Lynda Hong & Joanna Seow Follow Headstart On Record Podcast channel here: Channel: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Feedback to: podcast@ Get business/career tips in ST's Headstart newsletter: --- Follow more podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: ST Podcast website: ST Podcasts YouTube: --- Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: Google Play: Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Live PM Wong at May Day Rally 2025
Welcome to The Straits Times' live coverage of May Day Rally 2025 Good morning readers. Our colleagues Tay Hong Yi and Ng Wei Kai are on the ground reporting this year's May Day rally from the refreshed D'Marquee in Downtown East. Some 1,600 labour movement leaders and tripartite partners are gathering at the annual rally to celebrate workers' contributions to Singapore's economy and nation-building. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will deliver the keynote address at 10.15am. You can watch his speech on The Straits Times' YouTube channel, and get the latest from the rally here.
