All Articles
Two loans and their interest rates
Two workers shared with us how much they borrowed to fund their recruitment. They also laid out their repayment schedules. With a bit of math, a stunning picture emerges.
Job search: a clash of operating systems
We heard that two years ago, a worker was penalised for being involved with recruitment, though he protested his innocence. This tiny tale tells us a a much bigger story.
For an experienced worker, some things improve, others remain the same
Khan got his latest job without paying an agent's fee, but he was still faced with an unreasonable and bullying employer. What are the reasons that produce such outcomes?
Acquitted, yet punished – Rahman’s story
Rahman was charged for rioting. He was innocent, and ultimately acquitted. Then he was punished. How did that happen?
Labour crunch during pandemic reveals hopeful possibilities for recruitment cost
When the construction industry faced a severe manpower shortage due to Covid-19 border closures, a funny thing happened to recruitment costs. Knowing the phenomenon would be ephemeral, a snapshot study was conducted.
Rana takes Law Society to court
What began as a personal injury case evolved into a complaint of unprofessional conduct against a lawyer, and when that complaint was handled badly, into a law suit against the Law Society.
Arranging bail
When a migrant worker is arrested by the police, put into remand and charged with a serious offence, what are the immediate issues that he is faced with? We recount one worker's experience.
How Singapore abets forced labour
Six worker cases illustrate how Singapore's work permit system constrains the freedom of workers to refuse a job, putting them at risk of having to serve an employer against their will.
“They are blackmailing me,” says Shariful. “They want to reduce my salary.”
Singapore allows employers to act in bad faith while pretending to have rules that allow retention of skills and experience.
From $20,000 to $510
For his first job in Singapore, Hossain Imran had to fork out $20,000. For his latest job, he dealt directly with his prospective employer. His experience tells us what recruitment reform should look like.