You can use our online feedback form to provide feedback on possible infringements by employment agencies.

MOM takes a firm stance against excessive fees charged to foreign workers to safeguard workers from exploitation. Any fees beyond the stated caps are exploitative and against the law.

Employers are responsible for paying administrative costs, including levy and fees for work pass applications and renewals, as they are part of the cost of employing a foreign worker. They are not allowed to recover the fees (directly or indirectly) from their foreign employees.

Likewise, EAs should not be recovering such fees from workers. EAs that do so would be considered to be committing or abetting an offence.

EAs are also not allowed to charge agency fees for work pass renewals.

Foreign workers who are pressured to pay money to their employers or EAs to continue working in Singapore should seek help from MOM immediately. They should contact MOM to report the matter. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

No.

You must have the same CEI certification as your EA’s licence type, regardless of your area of specialisation within your EA.

Find out more about the different CEI certifications.

If a foreign worker’s employment is terminated within 6 months, the worker is entitled to a refund of at least 50% of the agency fees paid to the Singapore employment agency (EA).

If an EA is no longer in operation, it must still ensure that it fulfils all its obligations to workers, including the responsibility to refund fees.

Foreign workers who need help recovering their fees can contact MOM for assistance.

Yes, employment agencies (EAs) under surveillance are allowed to renew their licence. They would, however, remain on MOM's surveillance when their licences are renewed. For example, if an EA is placed on surveillance 2 months before the end of its current licensing period, the EA would be allowed to renew its licence, but will be remain on surveillance for a period of 4 months after its licence is renewed.

You should only appeal if there is new and valid information in the appeal. Otherwise any appeal is unlikely to be successful. Demerit points are issued only after investigations into the infringement have been completed and the infringement has been established.

Yes, you can. Please note that the operating address is where you are operating your business from. If you are operating from your residence, you need approval from the respective authorities (e.g. HDB or URA).

Yes. If you pass the CEI (KAH) test, you will have attained CEI (KAH), and you can be either a key appointment holder or other EA personnel performing EA work. However, the CEI (KAH) test is more difficult than the CEI (Basic) test.

No, you are not required to have an office to operate an employment agency (EA). However, you must obtain approval from the relevant authorities to use any premises to operate an EA. Examples include the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) for private residential premises, and HDB for Housing Board flats.

Nonetheless, MOM reserves the right to step in for exceptional cases (e.g. if sharing premises with an objectionable trade such as a massage parlour or KTV lounge).

Yes, you must pay licence fees if you change from any of the three Comprehensive Licence types to a Select Licence, or vice versa.

However, if you change one type of Comprehensive Licence to another type of Comprehensive licence, there are no charges. You can log in to GoBusiness Licensing to make this change. Your request to change will be processed within 7 working days.

To reprint an employment agency (EA) licence, log in to GoBusiness Licensing.

You need to hold one of the following positions to reprint the licence:

• For a business – owner or licensee.
• For a company – director, managing director or agent.
• For a limited liability partnership (LLP) – partner or manager.

You need to add a new branch location using GoBusiness Licensing.

You can begin operations when MOM approves your application.

The employment agency (EA) retention rate is the percentage of migrant domestic workers (MDWs) placed by the EA who have remained with the same employers for at least one year.

After investigations are concluded, the employment agency (EA) concerned will be informed by letter of the number of demerit points that it has been given for that infringement.

The letter will also indicate the cumulative number of demerit points it has chalked up to date.