MOM rejects 500 requests by employers daily for work pass holders to enter Singapore, bans 11 workers for breaching rule

SINGAPORE — For entering Singapore without the approval of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), 11 workers so far have had their work passes revoked. They were repatriated and permanently banned from working here, the ministry said in a press release on Monday (Feb 24).  

For their employers, MOM has suspended their privileges to apply for work passes and recruit foreign manpower for one year.

To abide by MOM’s rules, employers who have hired work pass holders — regardless of their nationality — must get approval from MOM before these workers can make travel plans to return to Singapore from China. This applies as well to those who have received in-principle approval for their work pass and have yet to enter Singapore.

The employers must also declare that they have sufficient housing for their workers to serve their 14-day leave of absence or stay-home notice once they return.

This came into force on Feb 9, after Singapore raised its risk assessment level of the Covid-19 outbreak here to Dorscon Orange, meaning infections are spreading but contained.

Since then, on average, MOM said that it has rejected 500 applications daily by employers to get work pass holders into Singapore. It has also approved about 220 such applications daily.

Mrs Penny Han, divisional director of MOM’s Work Pass Division, said, “The majority of employers have been compliant with our entry approval requirements, in spite of the short notice.

“They understand the need for such measures to help Singapore manage the evolving Covid-19 situation and we are grateful for their support. However, there remains a small minority who choose to blatantly disregard these safeguards.

“We would like to remind employers of the need to take these requirements seriously. The Covid-19 situation is still evolving and we cannot afford to be complacent.”

NOT STAYING HOME

MOM also said on Monday that in the last two weeks, it has taken action against nine employers by suspending their privileges to get work passes, because they had failed to ensure that they and their workers adhere to leave of absence requirements.

Six workers here have had their work passes revoked for breaching the conditions.

One of the workers went to a casino during his leave of absence, while two of the workers and their employers claimed that they did not know about the ruling. The three workers have since been banned from taking up jobs in Singapore.

The other three workers had their passes revoked when they could not be contacted during repeated checks by MOM’s officers.

CALLED BACK TO WORK

Besides these six workers, four other work pass holders were given stern warnings for working during their leave of absence.

MOM said that three of them were instructed by their employers to report for work.

The ministry has suspended the work pass privileges of their employers for three years. They were freight forwarding firm Element Logistics, architecture firm SCDA Design and manufacturing company Cham Brothers Engineering.

For the fourth worker, he was given a stern warning for being out of his residence for a prolonged period of time after his meal.

To contain the spread of Covid-19 infections, MOM had in January set out a ruling that work pass holders who had been to China in the two weeks before entering Singapore must take a 14-day leave of absence once they reach here.

Those on leave of absence should stay home and avoid social contact and crowded places and refrain from attending social or public gatherings. They are allowed to leave home for daily necessities or urgent matters, but they have to monitor their health closely and see a doctor immediately if they develop symptoms of acute respiratory illness such as fever, cough or shortness of breath.

However, from Feb 19, people returning to Singapore from China are served notices to stay home for two weeks. This was due to a tripling of Covid-19 coronavirus cases since January.

This is stricter than the leave of absence because they cannot leave home at all for two weeks and will be subject to checks by government agencies just like those on leave of absence.

This stay-home notice replaces the leave of absence requirement but those who have been on leave of absence still have to finish serving it.

To date, MOM has taken action against a total of 14 work pass holders and 15 employers for breaching leave of absence requirements.

Those with information on work pass holders or employers breaching the ruling can email MOM at mom_qops [at] mom.gov.sg or call 6438 5122.