Type of work pass: S-Pass
15
10, 2026
Fantastic salary, easy job. What can go wrong?
An office worker paid $12,000 and comes to Singapore believing he will be a construction supervisor. Naturally, many things go wrong.
3
09, 2026
What happens when lower-skill workers are hired on mid-salary S-Passes?
A case study of lower-skill construction workers hired on S-Passes at inflated salaries, and who then find that no such salaries are forthcoming. Any route to justice?
21
02, 2026
Bad policy design left Xoan with nowhere to sleep
A case study of how bad MOM policy makes life a living hell for a victim of salary non-payment. He is broke, homeless, with no money for food. There is no social safety net. Deliberately so?
21
11, 2025
Singapore opens S-Pass jobs to illiterate rickshaw pullers
A group of construction workers with no experience, no training and no skills were hired on S-Passes with salaries over $3,000 a month. This was no accident. When they were not paid, there was no safety net for them.
25
10, 2025
Seven joyless workers, part 1
There's a loophole in the law by which a migrant worker with absolutely no training in basic construction skills can become a construction worker. It's a backdoor via the S-Pass.
16
08, 2025
Boss made worker accept salary reduction of 85 percent
One year into his job, for which salary was already inconsistently paid, Husaib's boss insisted that he sign a new document slashing his monthly salary. Having paid $9,000 to get the job, could Husaib refuse?
4
04, 2025
The man who rejected a promotion to ‘mechanical engineer’, Part 1
In every one of three jobs, a driver was short-paid his salary. It took a while before he had the confidence to use the claims system. As typically the case, as soon as he filed a complaint, the sack awaited.
27
12, 2024
Survey finds 5.6 percent still paid salaries in cash
From a survey of mostly Indian Tamil migrant workers conducted in October 2024, 5.6 percent was still paid salaries in cash. 12.2 percent were paid later than permitted by law.
15
07, 2023
Despite law, some workers still paid in cash
It's been the rule for years now, but we keep seeing workers who were paid in cash rather than through bank accounts. Is there any enforcement?
7
08, 2021
Danny and Lin needed medical care but their employers ducked, part 2
The doctor said he had to operate, telling the patient not to worry about the cost since the employer should have insurance cover. "What?" she said. "I didn't know."