Forgery of In-principle Approval Letters for Migrant Workers

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry investigates potential collusion between employers in Singapore or local employment agencies with overseas agents for forgery of in-principle approval letters for migrant workers; and (b) if not, whether the Ministry will start doing so.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) conducts thorough investigations to identify the parties involved in all our cases. As part of the investigation process for the forgery of in-principle approval (IPA) letters, MOM will establish whether there is any collusion between the local employer or the employment agency with the overseas agent.

From our investigations into all these reports, for the period 2018 to 2022, only one local employer was charged and convicted in Court for this offence. MOM will not hesitate to take enforcement action against any errant local employer or employment agency, who is found to be complicit in forging the IPA letters.