Don't blame it all on workers

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Feb 21, 2011
LYING FOR WORK PASSES
Don't blame it all on workers
THE report ('More caught for lying in work pass applications'; Feb 11) does not present a complete picture of workers who have been convicted of declaring false information and submitting fake education certificates to obtain an SPass or an employment pass.

We have encountered cases where the fake education certificates were, in fact, procured by the recruitment agent in Singapore or the country of origin without the worker's knowledge.
The workers found out about this only after they had arrived in Singapore. They had no intention of violating our laws.
Some employers are also complicit in such unethical practices because they do not meet the criteria to hire lower-skilled workers on a work permit pass. Therefore, they resort to hiring them on work passes meant for higher-skilled workers.
Even when the worker finds out that the submitted certificates are false, he may feel compelled to continue working and not report the matter to the authorities for fear of having his employment terminated.
The worker would have paid thousands of dollars in recruitment fees with no hope of a refund, since many employment agencies do not refund fees paid by workers. Employers and recruitment agents may also threaten workers with repatriation should they report the offence to the authorities.
Such threats are effective in intimidating workers into compliance, considering the huge debts they have incurred for the opportunity to work here.
Pointing fingers at only the workers in such situations misses the full picture and would only prove insufficient in dealing with the problem. Recruitment agents and employers need to be held accountable too.
Jolovan Wham
Executive Director
Humanitarian Organisation for
Migration Economics (Home)
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Story/STIStory_637124.html

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22Feb2011: Don't blame it all on workers