As many as 400 migrant workers, primarily from India and Bangladesh, who have reportedly gone without salaries for three to four months, will receive financial assistance from Singapore’s labour movement and migrant worker support groups, authorities announced on Wednesday.
The assistance package includes SGD 100 in cash and SGD 100 in FairPrice supermarket vouchers for each affected worker. The support will be jointly provided by Singapore’s National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) and the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) to help workers manage their daily expenses while their employment issues are being addressed.
NTUC secretary-general and labour chief Ng Chee Meng said the labour movement had also identified about 150 job vacancies offered by nearly 40 employers over the past two days, providing alternative employment opportunities for those affected.
Speaking during a visit to Tuas View Dormitory, where most of the workers are currently staying, Ng said discussions were underway with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to help recover the unpaid wages owed to the workers. “The practice of abandoning workers and failing to pay their salaries is something the NTUC will not tolerate without taking action,” Ng said while addressing the media.
The wage dispute came to public attention earlier this week. On Monday, more than 100 migrant workers employed by KPA Engineering and its related company SK Industries sought assistance at the Ministry of Manpower’s services centre after allegedly not receiving salaries for several months. Workers also reported difficulties contacting their employers regarding the outstanding payments.
A day later, another group of about 100 workers from India and Bangladesh approached authorities with concerns over unpaid wages and accommodation arrangements, further highlighting the scale of the issue.
During Wednesday’s visit, Ng noted that many workers were also burdened with recruitment-related debts. “I understand they still owe agency fees, and some of them are in debt,” he said, adding that there were indications the employers involved might no longer be in Singapore.
Ng interacted with approximately 200 affected workers with the assistance of Tamil and Bengali interpreters. Most workers indicated that they were owed three months of salary, while some claimed they had not been paid for four months. Many also expressed a desire to remain in Singapore and secure alternative employment.
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Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash, who accompanied Ng during the dormitory visit, said the ministry viewed the matter very seriously and would take appropriate action following its investigations.
While acknowledging that the financial assistance was modest, Dinesh said it would provide temporary relief to workers facing financial hardship. He added that the MOM would issue special passes allowing the workers to remain legally in Singapore while searching for new jobs.
According to officials, most of the affected workers have experience in construction and air-conditioning installation sectors, where labour demand remains relatively strong. Authorities are therefore optimistic about helping many of them secure new employment opportunities.
Dinesh also said the workers would be relocated to the Ministry of Manpower’s onboarding centre in Sengkang once their stay at Tuas View Dormitory concludes. The MOM, along with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, is assisting the workers with salary claims and has been attempting to contact the employers involved.
KPA Engineering operates in the air-conditioning maintenance sector. Reports indicate that a common director established SK Industries in 2023 and later registered three additional companies in a single day in 2025, serving as the sole director of each entity. Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower has launched investigations into the companies for potential regulatory violations, with authorities expected to determine whether any employment laws were breached in connection with the unpaid wages and treatment of workers.
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