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The four individuals allegedly employed or housed foreign nationals who had overstayed in Singapore, with ICA reminding employers and landlords of their responsibility to verify immigration status before offering work or accommodation.
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has charged three Singaporeans and one Indian national over separate cases involving the alleged employment and harbouring of immigration offenders.
The four individuals were charged on 30 July 2026 following investigations into three foreign nationals who had remained unlawfully in Singapore after the expiry of their work permits or visit passes.
Case of Thomas Lee Kum Chuen and Foo Cher Fatt
The first case involved 58-year-old Singaporean Thomas Lee Kum Chuen and 76-year-old Singaporean Foo Cher Fatt.
Lee was charged for allegedly employing 49-year-old Chinese national Xiao Shufang, who had remained unlawfully in Singapore after her work permit expired on 3 March 2013.
According to ICA, Lee allegedly employed Xiao as a part-time cleaner from March 2013 to April 2026. Investigations found that he failed to carry out further verification of her immigration status after learning that her work permit had expired.
Foo was charged for allegedly harbouring Xiao by allowing her to stay at his Bukit Batok unit from sometime in 2012 to April 2026. ICA said he had allegedly failed to conduct due diligence checks to ensure she held a valid pass to remain in Singapore.
Xiao was subsequently convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Upon completing her sentence, she was deported and is barred from re-entering Singapore.
Case of Durairaj Singamuthu
The second case involved 34-year-old Indian national Durairaj Singamuthu.
He was charged for allegedly employing 39-year-old Indian national Krishnakumar Ravi, who had remained unlawfully in Singapore after his visit pass expired on 20 August 2025.
ICA's investigations found that Durairaj allegedly employed Krishnakumar as a delivery assistant from February to April 2026 without conducting due diligence checks to ensure he possessed a valid work permit to work and stay in Singapore.
Krishnakumar was subsequently convicted and sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment and three strokes of the cane. He has since been deported and is barred from re-entering Singapore.
Case of Yan Mun Wai
The third case involved 51-year-old Singaporean Yan Mun Wai.
Yan was charged for allegedly harbouring 42-year-old Filipina Leilanie Ragasa Alog, who had remained unlawfully in Singapore after her visit pass expired on 2 July 2012.
According to ICA, Yan allegedly allowed Leilanie to stay at his Teck Whye Lane unit from sometime in 2018 to January 2026 without verifying her immigration status or conducting due diligence checks to ensure she had a valid pass to remain in Singapore.
Leilanie was subsequently convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined S$2,000. Following the completion of her sentence, she was deported and is barred from re-entering Singapore.
ICA reiterates employers' and landlords' responsibilities
ICA said it takes a firm stance against any person who employs or harbours immigration offenders.
Under Singapore law, anyone found guilty of employing overstayers or illegal immigrants may be sentenced to between six months' and two years' imprisonment, along with a fine of up to S$6,000.
Those found guilty of recklessly or knowingly harbouring overstayers or illegal immigrants face the same penalties. Meanwhile, those convicted of negligently harbouring immigration offenders may be fined up to S$6,000, imprisoned for up to 12 months, or both.
The authority also reminded those renting out their premises to exercise due diligence before taking in foreign tenants. This includes checking the tenant's original immigration or work pass, cross-checking the details against their passport, and verifying the validity of the pass with the relevant issuing authority, namely the Ministry of Manpower for work passes and ICA for immigration passes.
The latest cases serve as a reminder that employers and landlords have a legal responsibility to verify the immigration status of foreign workers and tenants before offering employment or accommodation.
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