MOM Charges Agency and Individuals for False Work Pass Declarations

All employment agencies and employers in Singapore must ensure that work pass applications contain truthful declarations regarding worker roles and salaries.

1. Employers must accurately declare the specific occupation of migrant workers; falsely declaring a worker as a "food processing worker" while deploying them to a massage parlour can lead to charges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA).
2. Making false declarations in work pass applications carries a fine of up to $20,000 and/or up to two years of imprisonment per charge.

While specific salary declarations are required, collecting kickbacks (e.g., $500) from workers as a condition for employment is also a punishable offence under the EFMA.

Tip: Conduct regular internal audits of work pass applications to ensure that the declared occupation matches the actual work site and activities of all migrant workers.

Source: https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2026/0528-2-singaporeans-and-an-employment-agency-charged-for-efma-offences