Record Number of EA Licences Revoked
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has so far revoked the licences of 11 employment agencies (EAs) in this year. The revocations, together with forfeiture of their security deposits
1, are due to infringements under the Employment Agencies Act or the Employment of Foreign Manpower (EFMA) Act. These infringements range from assisting unlicensed EAs to submit work permit applications, to abetting the illegal deployment of foreign domestic workers (FDWs). Please refer to Annex for facts of the cases.
2. As a result of MOM's stepped up investigation, this is the highest number of EA licences revoked in the last three years
2. Besides the forfeiture of security deposits, the licensees and directors of the EAs are prohibited from holding EA licences and office appointments in other EAs. The duration of the debarment will vary depending on the severity of infringement committed.
3. Mr Aw Kum Cheong, Divisional Director of the Foreign Manpower Management Division, MOM said "The activities of unlicensed EAs compromise the welfare of foreign workers brought in. Foreign workers recruited by such unlicensed EAs could also end up working illegally. Licensed EAs who collude with unlicensed EAs by submitting work permit applications on their behalf are abetting the circumvention of the law. We remind employment agencies not to risk their licence for the sake of ill-gotten benefits.”
4. The Ministry would like to remind employers to verify that an employment agency is licensed before engaging its services. A list of employment agencies licensed by the Ministry as well as other important regulatory information can be found on the Ministry's website at www.mom.gov.sg.
There were 7 revocations last year and 4 each in 2007 and 2006.
Annex
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Name of Employment Agency and Licensee
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Offence
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Accreditation
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Licence Revocation Date
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Smart Employment Agency
Sangeetha Rai
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Licensee was fined $4,000 for falsely declaring in a WP application that one FDW would be under her employment, when this is untrue. she was also fined $10,350 for aiding and abetting the illegal employment of the same FDW. In addition, the licensee was fined $5,000 for aiding and abetting one employer to falsely declare that he would be the employer of one FDW, when it was not true.
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AEA(S)
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5 Sept 2009
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Goodlink Employment Agency
Jenny Lee Hui Peng
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Licensee was fined $800 for allowing an unlicensed EA to use her company's seal and WP Online account to carry out unlicensed EA activities.
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AEA(S)
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1 Sept 2009
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AB Employment Services
Ng Geok Hwa
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Licensee was fined $5,000 for facilitating the placement of an FDW knowing that the employer's intention was to deploy the FDW to support a dessert business.
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CASETrust
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21 Aug 2009
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HR Evergreen Pte Ltd
Lin Zhuo @ Lin Ning
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Licensee was fined $3,500 for illegally deploying an employee of her EA to work as a cleaner in a restaurant.
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Not Accredited
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20 Aug 2009
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Josco International (S) Pte Ltd
Lemuel Morgan Colond
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Licensee assisted an unlicensed agent in the processing and the application of WPs on several occasions and was fined $4,000.
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AEA(S)
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7 Aug 2009
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Sroya & Sroya Management Resources
Ryanjeet Singh
s/o Dedar Singh
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Licensee was fined $1,000 for assisting a FDW to work without a valid work permit.
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Not accredited
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4 Aug 2009
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Golden Employment Agency
Emily Ng Tng
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Licensee assisted an unlicensed agent in the processing and the application of WPs on several occasions and was fined $2,000.
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AEA(S)
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15 July 2009
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CYG Management Services
Chua Yeow Guan
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Licensee was fined $1,000 for assisting in the illegal deployment of an FDW.
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AEA(S)
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23 Jun 2009
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GlobalOneSg Pte Lte Ltd
Yong Ming Swan
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Licensee was not involved in the running of the EA which was left to the managing director, Tang Eng Chye. GlobalOneSg Pte Ltd was found to have operated without a licence for a 6-month period in 2006.
Tang Eng Chye and Low Kong Hon (director and marketing manager) both pleaded guilty to operating an employment agency without a licence. Tang was fined $3,500, while Low was fined $4,000.
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Not Accredited
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17 Apr 2009
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Global Pacific Manpower Consultancy
Yeo Boon Loong
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Licensee continued to operate his EA though its accreditation status had been revoked by the Association of Employment Agency (Singapore). This contravened EA licence condition which stated that the EA had to cease placement of FDWs with immediate effect, until valid accreditation certification was re-acquired.
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Not Accredited
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1 Apr 2009
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Workforce International Pte Ltd
Wilson Wang
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Licensee was fined $5,000 for making a false statement to MOM. He made a false declaration on the employer of the FDW knowing that the information in the application form was incorrect.
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AEA(S)
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12 Mar 2009
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