LET THERE BE CHANGE
I had been in the Employment Business since 2005 mainly doing foreign placement. In this Employment industry, if you have a License to operate, it is call Employment Agency, if you do not have the licence to operate than it is call Human Trafficking. At least this is the case in Singapore.
Throughout the years I realized there were many Dark Areas in this industry. Singapore Ministry of Manpower try to curb many of these issues throughout the years while agencies like us are trying to do the balancing act.
What are some of the Dark Areas？
Illegal agents
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They are usually the overseas agencies or agents that did not obtain any licence to operate.
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Some of them as middle person did operate illegally in Singapore while holding an employment under passes like Work Permit, S-Pass or even EP.
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Singapore Employment Agencies working with these illegal agencies and agents.
Overseas Domination of Industry in Singapore
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China Agencies plot to gain domination in Singapore by sending and helping China National to gain PR, after which the setting up of an Employment Agency.
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China Agencies collaborated with existing China people with Singapore PR status.
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India and Bangladesh Agencies collaborated with illegal middle person in Singapore that are usually under employment here.
LET THERE BE CHANGE
Most of these overseas agencies and agents had something in common, be it legal or not, they explored the workers in over charging the placement fee. Then they will relate to Singapore Agencies that they collected very minimum amount and, in some cases, offer us lower than what MOM allows us to collect as placement fee.
They then rendered very minimum service to the workers while Singapore Agencies do the necessary application and include settling them in every aspect from food to lodging when the workers arrive in Singapore. On top of that we need to complete all the MOM procedures online with payments, covering the insurance and medical fee ourselves and deliver the workers in top condition to their employer.
I feel that this Covid-19 Pandemic should change and have a whole new approach to how the industry should function in this case between Employing Companies, Singapore Employment Agencies and Foreign Workers. Due to the Pandemic, connectivity through technology usage had greatly improved to people globally.