Woman charged with employing 33 foreigners as cleaners without valid work passes

SINGAPORE: A 64-year-old woman was charged on Thursday (Jul 4) with 33 counts of employing foreigners without valid work passes.

From 2018 to 2021, Singaporean Ang Peck Leang allegedly employed 33 foreigners to be part-time cleaners via a chat group on Viber, a mobile app.

Of the 33 foreigners, 27 were maids, five were on work permits for other companies and one was on a Dependant’s Pass, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a press release on Thursday.

None of them possessed valid work passes to be employed as cleaners, added the ministry.

Ang indicated on Thursday that she intends to plead guilty. The case is set to return to court on Jul 25. 

Anyone convicted of employing a foreigner without a valid work pass may be jailed for up to 12 months, fined between S$5,000 (US$3,700) and S$30,000, or both. They may also be barred from employing foreigners.

Foreigners who work in Singapore without valid work passes may be jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$20,000, or both. They may be barred from working in Singapore.

Members of the public who are aware of suspicious employment activities should report the matter to MOM, the ministry said.

Editor’s note: The gender of the person being charged in this story has been corrected.