Three jailed 10 weeks for using fake certificates to apply for work passes

Three jailed 10 weeks for using fake certificates to apply for work passes

By Chew Hui Min, The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - Four foreign workers were charged on Thursday (April 6) over submitting fake educational certificates for their work pass applications, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said.

The four used forged academic certificates to obtain and renew their Employment Passes (EP) and S Passes, and held jobs such as restaurant manager, assistant manager, chef and facility executive.

They include two men from India, aged 35 and 27, a 28-year-old woman from the Philippines and one Vietnamese man, 24.

The three men pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 10 weeks' jail each.

The Filipino woman's case was adjourned to April 27.

MOM said it verified with the academic institutions that the certificates were forged.

"Using forged educational certificates to obtain work passes is a serious offence. We will prosecute the foreigners and permanently bar them from working in Singapore," said Mr Kandhavel Periyasamy, director of employment inspectorate at MOM.

MOM reminded employers to ensure that their selection and recruitment processes of foreigners are rigorous.

"They should check the authenticity and quality of their work pass applicant's academic qualifications," the ministry said in its statement.

As an additional safeguard, MOM conducts additional checks and verifications on applications.

Anyone convicted of submitting forged academic certificates may be fined up to $20,000, and/or jailed for up to two years.

In the last two years, 73 foreigners were convicted and permanently barred from working in Singapore.