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Unlicensed Employment Agent Convicted Of Placing Foreigners To Work At Various Pubs, Fined $30,000

Foreign manpower Employment practices
  1. An unlicensed employment agent, 51-year-old Singaporean man, Lim Soo Chye (林赐财) was convicted in the State Courts yesterday. He was involved in the placement of 20 foreigners at various pubs in Singapore without having a valid employment agency (EA) licence. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a fine of $30,000, in default two month’s imprisonment.
  2. Lim was charged with one count of conducting employment agency activities without a valid EA licence. Under the Employment Agencies Act (EAA), no person shall perform any employment activity without a valid EA licence issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

    Facts of the Case
  3. Investigation revealed that from July 2011 to April 2012, Lim performed EA activities in connection with the employment of 20 foreigners at various pubs to work as performing artistes. Lim did not possess a valid EA licence authorising him to carry out EA activities. He was paid by the pubs for services such as submitting online work pass applications and acting as a minder for the foreigners, etc. Besides receiving payments from the pubs, Lim also obtained agency fees between $8,000 and $11,000 from three of the foreigners.
  4. It is an offence to perform EA activities without a valid EA licence. MOM will not hesitate to prosecute offenders, who upon conviction can be fined up to $80,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 24 months.

    MOM’s Advisory: Do not use unlicensed employment agencies
  5. MOM advises job seekers to use only MOM-licensed EAs. This can be verified through the EA Directory on MOM’s website at www.mom.gov.sg/eadirectory. It is an offence to engage an unlicensed EA. Under the EAA, any person or company who uses the services of an unlicensed EA has committed an offence and is punishable with a fine of up to $5,000 per charge.
  6. Should the public have any information on unlicensed EA activities, they should report the matter to MOM at mom_fmmd@mom.gov.sg or call 6438 5122.