The meaning of an employment kickback
The publication describes kickbacks as money collected from migrant workers in connection with their employment or employment-related costs. Workers should not be charged for the employer’s work pass and employment obligations simply to obtain or retain employment.
Seven employment-related costs identified by MOM
The source identifies seven categories that employers must not recover from their migrant workers: work pass application, issuance, renewal and reinstatement fees; security bond costs; foreign worker levy; medical insurance; medical examinations; compulsory training; and repatriation costs. A charge’s label does not change the underlying employment cost it represents.
An offence under the foreign manpower rules
The publication states that collecting kickbacks is an offence under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and that MOM takes firm enforcement action. This is a warning about employer conduct, rather than permission to negotiate a smaller unlawful collection.
Penalties and hiring restrictions
MOM’s poster gives a maximum fine of S$30,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both, for each charge. Employers may also be barred from employing migrant workers. The per-charge qualification matters: the poster does not describe S$30,000 as a single overall cap for every case.
Official source
Written independently from official MOM source material.