Amendments to The Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) in effect from 9 November 2012

1. The Employment of Foreign Manpower (Amendment) Bill was passed on 11 September 2012, and the amendments, together with consequential changes to the related subsidiary legislation, will come into effect on 9 November 2012 (Friday).
2. These amendments will strengthen the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM's) enforcement capabilities, and ensure compliance with our work pass rules. This will ultimately level the playing field for law-abiding employers and ensure that Singaporeans remain at the core of our workforce.
3. The EFMA will be amended in three ways:
   
   a) Establish a new administrative penalty regime. This will allow for more expeditious and effective punishment for those who bend the rules. Commissioners for Foreign Manpower will be authorised to impose administrative financial penalties of up to $20,000 per infringement and/or any directions to comply.
   
   b) Create new offences and infringements with higher penalties. This is to achieve greater deterrence, and to ensure that penalties are commensurate with potential profits by errant employers.
   
   c) Include new presumption clauses and enhance investigatory powers to step up enforcement against syndicates and errant employers.
4. MOM will continue to closely monitor and enforce against errant employers and syndicates that try to gain an unfair advantage by bypassing MOM's rules. MOM is currently also working on the second tranche of the EFMA review, which will focus on improving the well-being of workers, and ensuring a fair balance of rights and responsibilities between employers and workers.
5. Click here for more information on the amendments to the EFMA.