Beware of services sending workers to Singapore

According to information from the Department of Overseas Labor Management (Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs), there are now companies sending workers to work in Singapore under illegal consulting and visa support contracts. Therefore, workers must be vigilant to avoid being scammed.

According to Mr. Tong Hai Nam, Director of the Department of Overseas Labor Management, among Southeast Asian countries, Singapore is a rather "difficult" market in accepting foreign workers. Foreign workers who want to be granted a visa to stay and work in Singapore must meet higher requirements than other markets in the region.

Previously, the Overseas Labor Management Department had allowed a number of Vietnamese enterprises to operate services to send workers to work in Singapore. Most Vietnamese workers were granted S Pass visas with a contract term of 2 years and worked mainly in the service sector.

There is currently information that some businesses send workers to work in Singapore under service consulting contracts and visa support with fees ranging from 50-150 million VND. Regarding this information, Mr. Tong Hai Nam said that according to regulations, any unit that wants to send Vietnamese workers to work in Singapore must be granted a License to operate the service of sending workers to work abroad by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

There is no Vietnamese law that allows businesses to send workers to work abroad under service consulting contracts or visa support contracts. Currently, only VIRASIMEX company has registered a contract to send 5 workers to Singapore to work in a restaurant in Singapore. The Department of Overseas Labor Management has allowed the recruitment of workers, but has not yet collected fees from the workers because the workers have not been granted an IPA (Letter of Agreement in Principle). When the workers have an IPA, the company must register the contract with the Department of Overseas Labor Management.

Therefore, if any other unit has not submitted a request to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs for a License to operate a service of sending workers to work abroad, it is not allowed to send Vietnamese workers to work in any country, including Singapore, under the form of signing a labor supply contract with the workers.

Mr. Tong Hai Nam noted that workers who wish to work abroad in general and Singapore in particular need to understand this and only register to work abroad through businesses licensed by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

Workers can find out about the list of businesses licensed to send workers to work abroad on the website of the Department of Overseas Labor Management (www.dolab.gov.vn).

In addition, when wishing to work abroad, workers can go to the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs of the province/city where the worker resides for advice or call the hotline of the Department of Overseas Labor Management (04-38249517 extension 512, 513) to get advice on the necessary information so that they can work abroad in the appropriate profession and market through a safe and legal channel./.

According to baohaiquan