📝 The Résumé Looked Great — Until the Police Got Involved
Two foreign workers in Singapore were recently sentenced to jail for submitting forged university degrees in their Employment Pass (EP) applications. On the surface, they were regular employees working at a local retail chain — Mr. Fix, operated by CL Enterprise.
They showed up for work.
They did their jobs.
They smiled at customers.
They got paid each month.
And then — more than a year later — they went to jail.
🎓 A Case of Quiet Fraud
Both women had declared monthly salaries of over S$5,000, the threshold required to qualify for an EP.
In reality, they were being paid less than half that amount.
One of them admitted to paying a Philippine agent S$4,500 to “handle” her application, a detail that suggests the forgery wasn’t isolated, but part of a wider underground service.
Everything looked legitimate until MOM conducted a random inspection 15 months after the passes were issued. That’s when the truth surfaced: the university certificates were fake, and the salary declarations were false.
The result? One was sentenced to six weeks in jail. The other, four weeks.
🤔 Was the Employer Involved?
Right now, there’s no public evidence that the employer, CL Enterprise was charged. But the case raises hard questions:
Did the company know the documents were fake?
Were they aware the declared salaries didn’t match actual pay?
What controls were in place to verify applications before submission?
Whether the employer was complicit or simply unaware, this case shows us something important:
Even if you didn’t submit the false documents, you are still responsible for what’s declared under your company’s name.
🔍 The Hidden Risk in "It Looks Fine"
Many employers rely on agents or HR vendors to manage work pass applications. You trust the paperwork is in order. You assume that if MOM approves the pass, everything’s clean.
But what if that trust is misplaced?
What if a random inspection happens, and suddenly your organization is linked to forged credentials or falsified declarations? It doesn’t take malicious intent. It just takes one oversight, one shortcut, or one blind spot, and the consequences could unfold months later.
✅ How Employers Can Protect Themselves
Whether you hire 1 foreign worker or 50, here’s what you must start doing now:
Verify academic credentials using certified or MOM-endorsed platforms
Ensure declared salaries match actual payments in payroll records
Audit your HR vendors and agents to confirm they're not cutting corners
Create internal compliance checks for every EP or S Pass application
Train your team to spot red flags in documentation and job offers
🎓 Stay Ahead of the Law
Cases like these aren’t isolated. As MOM continues to step up enforcement, employers who hire foreign manpower must be extra vigilant in verifying credentials and ensuring accurate, honest declarations.
🧭 Achieving Compliance with the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act
Join us for our upcoming live online workshop where you’ll learn:
What your legal responsibilities are under EFMA
How to manage risks around salary declarations, remote work, injury claims, and repatriation
Stay compliant — without guesswork
📅 29 August 2025 (Friday)
🕘 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM (via Zoom)
This case is a wake-up call.
Not just for employees who forge documents but for the employers who unknowingly sign off on them.
👉 You may not be the one holding the pen but you’re still the one held accountable.
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