Announcement and status
Ang Peck Leang faced 33 counts of employing foreigners without valid work passes, announced on 4 July 2024. Between 2018–2021 she allegedly engaged them as part-time cleaners through a Viber chat group.
Case details and examples
The group comprised 27 domestic workers, five permit holders for other companies and one Dependant’s Pass holder. None had valid work authorisation for the stated cleaning work according to the release. Holding some form of pass is not the same as being authorised for that job.
Official advisory and follow-up
Employers convicted of illegal hiring may face S$5,000–S$30,000 or up to 12 months or both; foreigners working without a valid pass up to S$20,000 or two years or both. The release describes charges and possible restrictions, not a final judgment.
Work-pass authorisation and distinct liabilities
The release distinguishes a foreigner’s authorisation to work from an employer’s authority to hire that person. A pass for a different employer or occupation does not automatically cover another job. Where the release cites the general EFMA ranges, illegal hiring by an employer may attract S$5,000–S$30,000 or up to 12 months or both, while unauthorised foreign work may attract up to S$20,000 or two years or both. These are possible consequences upon conviction, not a finding that every investigated person committed an offence.
Official source
This report is independently written from the MOM release dated above. Case status, policy announcements and historical figures refer to that release.
Read the complete MOM release ↗