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Oral Answer by Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower, to Parliamentary Question on safeguard for employers of FDWs

Foreign manpower

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1488 OF 2019 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 15 JANUARY 2019

QUESTION NO. 2535 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Mr Murali Pillai

To ask the Minister for Manpower what safeguard can be provided to employers of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) who are required by employment agencies to make advance payment of the FDW's monthly salary purportedly to settle loans or outstanding dues owed by the domestic workers to foreign parties.

Answer

  1. Foreign domestic workers (FDWs) incur expenses in their home countries when they seek opportunities to work overseas. For instance, they may be required to pay their employment agency (EA) a fee. This cost is typically paid by their employers on their behalf in the form of advance salary payments facilitated by the EA.
  2. To protect employers and FDWs, EAs are required by law to fully disclose the terms and conditions of their services, including the amount FDWs are charged and their refund policies on advance salary payment by employers. In the event that the employer terminates the FDW employment contract early and sends the FDW back to the EA, or the FDW commits an offence and has to be repatriated, the EA would usually refund any outstanding advance salary payment made by the employer.
  3. MOM expects EAs to fully discharge their duties and obligations to employers and FDWs, and safeguard the interests of these parties. In addition to conducting regular inspections, we also act on feedback received and will not hesitate to take irresponsible or errant EAs to task.