SINGAPORE: The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has reported a sharp increase in arrests for harbouring and hiring immigration offenders in the first nine months of 2024, with cases rising by 31.6% compared to the same period in 2023.
From January to September 2024, 166 individuals were arrested for providing lodging to immigration offenders, while 138 were arrested for employing them.
This marks a significant rise from 231 cases in 2023. Most of those arrested were Singaporeans.
As reported by state media The Straits Times, ICA expressed concern over the trend, highlighting potential security risks if immigration offenders engage in illicit activities while overstaying in the country.
Overstaying and illegal employment
According to ICA, most immigration offenders were individuals whose work passes had expired or been cancelled.
Instead of leaving Singapore, they overstayed and, in many cases, took up illegal employment.
Overstayers were found working in various sectors, including hawker centres, food stalls, and pasar malams. Some also worked while on social visit passes.
Superintendent Goh Wee Kiat, senior assistant director at ICA’s intelligence division, noted that many harbourers were relatives, friends, or employers of offenders who provided accommodation for financial gain.
“Some of them claimed to have overlooked verifying the immigration status of the foreigner, while others said they made checks when the foreigner sought to rent the place but did not follow up thereafter, and the pass expired,” Supt Goh said.
Case studies of overstayers and offenders
In August 2024, a 43-year-old Chinese national was sentenced to six weeks in jail and three strokes of the cane after overstaying in Singapore.
His work permit had expired in October 2023, and he had been paying S$450 per month for accommodation in Toa Payoh. The individual who harboured him was fined S$3,000.
In another case, a 36-year-old Chinese national, identified as S1, was arrested during a raid at a food stall in Toa Payoh in September 2024.
Investigations revealed his visit pass had expired in February 2022.
S1 admitted to working at the stall without pay while in a relationship with the employer.
He was sentenced to 14 weeks in jail and three strokes of the cane, while his employer received a 12-month conditional warning.
The harbourer who rented him accommodation in Geylang for S$350 monthly was fined S$3,500.
Inspector Mark Chai, deputy officer-in-charge of ICA’s intelligence division, emphasised the seriousness of such cases, ” “This trend can potentially be dangerous because we would not know if these immigration offenders are committing any illicit activities here.”
““If employers and those who provide lodging for them fail to ensure that they are here on a legal basis, it could become a security risk.”
ICA’s enforcement efforts and penalties
ICA conducts about 60 intelligence-led operations monthly to tackle overstaying and illegal employment.
These operations rely heavily on tip-offs from the public and ground investigations.
The penalties for harbouring or employing immigration offenders are severe. Offenders face up to 24 months in jail, fines of up to S$6,000, or both.
Meanwhile, overstaying is punishable by up to six months’ imprisonment. Male offenders are additionally subjected to at least three strokes of the cane.
Supt Goh stressed, “We have made it clear the channels which can be used for verification,” he added that ICA has reiterated that ignorance of immigration laws is not a valid excuse.
Checking immigration and work pass statuses
To prevent such offences, ICA advises homeowners and employers to verify the immigration status of tenants and employees.
This can be done through official ICA platforms. Employers and landlords must compare original passes with the foreigner’s passport to ensure authenticity. Photocopies of documents should not be accepted.
Around 450 overstayers arrested annually, 500-600 remain at large: MHA
Last month, Workers’ Party MP for Aljunied GRC Sylvia Lim posed questions in Parliament regarding overstaying in Singapore.
She asked the Minister for Home Affairs for data on the average number of foreigners who overstayed after their visit passes expired and the total number of overstayers not yet apprehended.
In a written response, Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam stated that an average of 450 overstayers had been arrested annually over the past two years.
Among them, approximately 270 were holders of Short-Term or Long-Term Visit Passes.
He further estimated that 500 to 600 overstayers remain at large, representing less than 0.001% of Singapore’s annual visitor arrivals.
Minister Shanmugam attributed the inability to immediately arrest overstayers to challenges such as changes in contact details or residential addresses.
However, he emphasised that ICA continues stringent enforcement and collaborates with other law enforcement agencies to address the issue effectively.
