Update on Foreigners Working as Outsourced Workers in Food and Parcel Delivery Sectors
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns whether the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) actively requests lists of outsourced foreign workers from food and parcel delivery platforms and the number of such workers, as asked by Mr Pritam Singh to the Acting Minister for Manpower. In response, it was stated that while platform operators are expected to share these lists upon request to verify valid Work Passes, enforcement findings have shown no cases of illegal foreign workers originating from outsourced companies. Consequently, MOM has not found it necessary to request the lists of outsourced foreign workers from platform operators thus far. Instead, MOM has partnered with the Singapore Police Force to target foreigners illegally renting local platform workers' accounts to moonlight. This collaborative enforcement recently resulted in dismantling a syndicate that supplied modified applications and accounts to facilitate illegal delivery work.
Transcript
34 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Acting Minister for Manpower in view of the Platform Workers' Trilateral Group's recommendations that platform operators should share the list of outsourced workers with the Government for checks when requested (a) whether the Ministry has been actively requesting such a list of foreigners working in the food and parcel delivery sectors; and (b) if so, how many foreigners are working in these sectors, respectively.
Ms Jasmin Lau: The Platform Workers Trilateral Group had recommended that food delivery platform operators strengthen the prevention and detection of illegal activities in the sector, including outsourced companies employing illegal foreign workers. As part of this, food delivery platform operators should share their list of outsourced workers with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) when requested, so that MOM can verify that the outsourced foreign workers hold valid Work Passes and are not engaged in illegal arrangements.
Based on MOM's ground operations and enforcement findings, none of the cases of foreigners working illegally have stemmed from outsourced companies. MOM has therefore not found it necessary to request the list of outsourced foreign workers from platform operators thus far. Instead, MOM has been working with the Singapore Police Force to tackle foreign workers renting local platform workers' accounts to moonlight illegally, including recently taking down a syndicate that provided modified apps and accounts to facilitate such illegal activity.