Singapore: 58 Arrested in Raids on Public Entertainment Outlets for Employment Offences
A total of 58 people were arrested for employment related offences during operations at two public entertainment outlets on Oct 23.
They include 32 foreigners found to be working illegally as performing artistes.
The enforcement operations were conducted by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), MOM and the police said in a joint statement on Oct 24.
The 32 foreigners were hired as performing artistes under the Work Permit (Performing Artiste) scheme but were found to have been working without valid work passes at the two outlets.
The scheme is intended for the employment of foreign performing artistes to work only in eligible public entertainment outlets for up to six months.
The remaining 22 foreigners and four Singapore permanent residents were arrested for employment-related offences, the agencies said.
In addition, two more people were caught in possession of e-vaporizers, and six e-vaporizers were seized.
Investigations are ongoing.
MOM has been closely monitoring the hiring of foreign performing artistes under the Work Permit (Performing Artiste) scheme through regular compliance and enforcement checks.
“In the light of the persistent abuse, MOM has reviewed the scheme and will be announcing changes to it soon,” the statement said.
Mr Adrian Quek, divisional director of the ministry’s foreign manpower management division, said that it will not tolerate any abuse of the work pass framework.
“Foreign workers must be engaged in legitimate employment. We will continue to take strong enforcement action against those who abuse the system and undermine the integrity of our work pass controls,” he said.
Those convicted of employing a foreigner without a valid work pass may face a fine of between $5,000 and $30,000, jailed for up to one year or both.
Self-employed foreigners without a valid work pass may be fined up to $20,000, jailed for up to two years or both. They will also be barred from working in Singapore upon conviction.
Earlier in October, MOM said an average of 420 employers were hauled up each year from 2021 to 2024
for hiring foreign workers without a valid work pass in Singapore.
About 200 of them were prosecuted or fined annually.
The rest, mainly cases involving first-time offenders or illegal employment over a short period, were given a warning.
