Nearly 240 migrant workers owed up to two months’ pay; MWC steps in with support

On 19 and 20 October 2026, the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) engaged 230 migrant workers with unpaid salaries at its recreation centres in Soon Lee and Kaki Bukit.

The workers are employed by Process Maintenance Solutions Pte Ltd and Jurong Technical & Construction Pte Ltd, two companies in the process sector.

Many said they are owed one to two months’ pay.

One group that NTUC’s newsroom spoke to said they came to Singapore from Bangladesh on 17 July 2026. Months later, they say they are still waiting to be paid.

Some said they had forked out as much as $12,000 in costs just to come to Singapore. After all they have paid, they said, going home now is not an option.

MWC has been working closely with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) since it was alerted to the case, and has identified workers who need immediate help.

It is currently providing meals at dormitories for close to 90 workers who do not have meal support.

MWC Assistant Director (Operations) Xavier Joseph said: “We have met with a majority of the workers to understand what other issues they may have, so that we can provide timely intervention and support.”

Affected workers queue to speak with MWC officers at an engagement session at MWC Recreation Club @ Soon Lee on 19 October.

Anxious sole breadwinners

Mr Xavier said the workers are anxious, as almost all of them are their families’ sole breadwinners.

“Having lost their employment, the immediate concern is whether they will get cash on hand for their salaries owed,” he said.

MWC Director Michael Lim said: “We recognise that unpaid salaries can cause significant hardship for migrant workers, affecting their daily essentials and the families who depend on their income.”

Housing and new jobs

While the workers currently have a place to stay, MWC expects they may lose their shelter in the coming weeks. It is working with MOM to move them to centralised housing.

To help the workers find new jobs in Singapore, MWC and MOM are speeding up the change-of-employment process. MWC will guide workers through the steps and work with employment agency partners to find them suitable jobs.

Salary recovery

MWC is helping the workers file claims with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) for their unpaid salaries, including overtime pay. The amount each worker is owed is still being determined.

Mr Xavier said the employers may not be able to pay the outstanding salaries.

The Migrant Workers’ Assistance Fund (MWAF) will step in to support the workers.

MWAF is MWC’s humanitarian charity. It provides emergency assistance to distressed migrant workers, including shelter, daily essentials and help with salary arrears.

MWC officers attend to workers one by one to find out what support each of them needs.

Help is available

Mr Xavier urged other workers facing salary or welfare issues to seek help early.

“The sooner they come forward, the sooner we can provide support and provide the assurance,” he said.

MWC also urged employers to fulfil their obligations by paying their workers’ salaries on time.

MWC’s 24-hour helpline is available in 10 languages. Migrant workers who are owed salaries or facing workplace issues can call 6536 2692.