Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower has launched investigations into the alleged misuse of the Training Employment Pass (TEP), a short-term visa designed to offer foreign students and corporate trainees professional training exposure in the city-state.

The ministry has confirmed that several probes are already completed, with others still ongoing, though it has not disclosed any outcomes yet.

TEPs were introduced to allow non-residents to undertake practical training in professional, managerial, executive or specialist roles for up to three months.

Employers can apply to bring in foreign students enrolled in approved institutions as part of their studies, or trainees from overseas branches or subsidiaries. Regardless of category, each trainee must receive a fixed monthly salary of at least SG$3,000 (US$2,330).

To prevent misuse, MOM said it conducts extra checks on selected applications, requesting proof of training programmes and documentation confirming links with foreign offices.

Employers found circumventing the rules face a menu of sanctions – from suspended work pass privileges to fines and criminal prosecution. “MOM will not hesitate to take enforcement action against errant employers who misuse TEPs,” the ministry said, encouraging affected workers to reach out directly for assistance.

Allegations point to widening abuse of trainee scheme

Concerns around the scheme came to light after a report by the non-profit Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) titled “Management executives washing dishes,” was published in May.

The group detailed 13 cases of suspected TEP misuse involving workers from India, Bangladesh and Myanmar between 1 December 2024 and 26 April 2025.

TWC2 said it was “unprecedented” to see so many individuals on TEPs in such a short span.

The workers had reportedly paid between SG$3,000 and SG$5,000 to agents in their home countries, lured by promises of high-paying, white-collar roles in Singapore.

On arrival, however, many found themselves deployed to food courts, warehouses, cleaning services, and a tour coach agency. Their actual duties bore little resemblance to the job titles listed in official documents – positions labelled as “management executive” turned out to involve dishwashing or packing boxes.

Notably, many were put to work immediately, even before their passes were formally issued by MOM. In some cases, employers delayed the official issuance by up to 30 days, extracting nearly four months of labour under a visa designed for only three months. Workers were often clocking 14-hour shifts, seven days a week, for cash payments as low as SG$1,600 – barely half the legal requirement.

Legal gaps and limited protections leave workers vulnerable

Unlike Work Permit holders, TEP workers fall into a grey zone when it comes to protection. Employers are not legally obliged to provide housing, food, medical benefits, or cover repatriation expenses at the end of the training period. These gaps leave workers exposed and with few avenues for recourse.

TWC2 raised additional red flags over the legal risk to workers, noting that many were unaware of the documents submitted on their behalf. In some cases, false educational qualifications or declarations may have been submitted digitally, with workers unknowingly signing off on tablets during rushed onboarding processes. “They often don’t know what they’ve agreed to until it’s too late,” the NGO said.

By the time their passes near expiry – and promised renewals fail to materialise – many face mounting problems: unpaid wages, punishing schedules and little knowledge of their rights.

A loophole that undercuts Singapore’s foreign manpower framework

TWC2 contends that some employers are deliberately gaming the TEP scheme as a workaround to stricter Work Permit quotas and levies. Unlike Work Permits, TEPs carry no quota limits, levy payments or legal requirements for employee welfare. For unscrupulous employers, it’s a cheaper, faster and less regulated route to accessing low-wage labour.

Some also allegedly profit from recruitment fees collected upfront; underpay workers upon arrival; and delay pass issuance. All while betting that complaints will go unheard.

The NGO has called for greater scrutiny of TEP applications, starting with a thorough review of employers’ stated reasons for hiring and whether job descriptions align with actual tasks.

Without stronger enforcement, TWC2 warned, Singapore risks opening the door wider to abuse, damaging the integrity of its work pass framework and its reputation abroad.