Cases of Abuse of In-principle Approval System by Employers to Prevent Migrant Workers from Seeking Other Employment in Singapore

Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry is aware of any abuse of the in-principle approval (IPA) system by employers to prevent migrant workers from seeking other employment in Singapore; and (b) if so, whether the Ministry intends to review the IPA system.

Migrant workers are not prevented from seeking employment in Singapore by other employers who abuse the in-principle approval (IPA) system. Employers are required to obtain the worker's written consent before submitting a Work Permit application. Workers who discovered that an IPA has been obtained without their consent can approach the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for assistance. MOM will require the employer to produce proof of consent.

In many of the cases where the worker alleged that consent had not been obtained, the worker had changed his mind about working for the employer and the employer was able to produce proof of consent. In a smaller number of cases, MOM revoked IPA as the employer was not able to produce such proof.

Depending on the circumstances of the case, MOM may also conduct further investigations and take enforcement actions. Employers who make false declarations on workers' consent when submitting Work Permit applications may face prosecution, which carries severe penalties, including imprisonment. MOM will continue to take in feedback to review and improve our processes.