PH Embassy in Singapore advises OFWs against ‘moonlighting’ 

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore has cautioned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that “moonlighting” or having side jobs outside of their regular employment is illegal in this Southeast Asian city-state and carries heavy penalties such as imprisonment.

In an advisory dated Sept. 2, the Philippine Embassy reminded Filipinos working or applying for jobs in Singapore that there are strict rules barring migrant workers from engaging in multiple jobs that are not part of their employment contracts.

“All foreign workers in Singapore must abide by the provisions of their employment passes. Engaging [in] another work or paid activity outside of the regular hours of the employment contract, including on nonworking days, may be referred to as ‘moonlighting,’” it said.

Permanent ban

Offenders could face imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine of up to SG$20,000 or around P80,000, it noted. They could also risk being permanently banned from working in Singapore.

Tourists and other short-term visitors are also covered by restrictions on foreign employment, except for certain “work-related activities” that are exempted, the embassy said.

Foreign students, on the other hand, must be able to secure a valid work pass and be enrolled in accredited learning institutions before they can legally work in Singapore, it added.

Foreign exchange students who are under a “training attachment program” must have a training work permit, a training employment pass or be in the work holiday program.

“It is an offense for a student under this category to work in Singapore without a valid work pass. All foreign students who wish to work while on leave of absence must apply for a work pass,” the embassy said.

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It urged OFWs and Filipino students to learn more about employment policies in Singapore by going to the website of the Singapore Ministry of Manpower.

Singapore hosts around 200,000 Filipino workers and residents, based on embassy estimates, with the majority of them employed as professionals or skilled workers.

In 2023, Filipino workers in Singapore represented 3.9 of the total migrant workforce, pegged at more than 2 million, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.