Fake job ads, AI-driven change, and whistleblower safeguards: MOM’s latest responses in Parliament
Summary
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) set out recent actions and positions in Parliament covering five areas: enforcement against fictitious recruitment records for Employment Pass (EP) applications; how AI-linked retrenchments are recorded; increased use of the SnapSAFE reporting tool; the role of “ghost jobs” in job mobility; and stronger safeguards for whistleblowers in workplace bullying cases.
MOM emphasised enforcement against employers who submit fake job adverts or false information when applying for foreign-worker passes, explained that AI-related job losses are captured under business restructuring data, reported a rise in SnapSAFE reports with a high follow-up enforcement rate, said ghost jobs are not the main cause of lower labour mobility, and outlined upcoming protections under the Workplace Fairness Act due end-2027 to shield whistleblowers and require formal grievance processes.
Key Points
- MOM took enforcement action against an average of 140 employers per year (2023–2025) for failing to fairly consider local candidates, including cases involving fictitious job ads; penalties range from warnings to debarment up to 24 months.
- Foreign hiring managers complicit in fraudulent recruitment practices may face work-pass revocation and debarment from employment in Singapore.
- Retrenchments related to AI are recorded within the broader “business restructuring” category, which accounted for about 60–70% of retrenchments since 2024; MOM will continue studying technological impacts on employment.
- SnapSAFE received roughly 1,700 reports in 2025; around 70% of reports across 2024–2025 resulted in enforcement actions (warnings or follow-up), while others lacked sufficient information or did not identify lapses.
- Lower job mobility is mainly due to reduced resignations and eased post-pandemic labour-market tightness, not primarily “ghost jobs”; MOM will investigate token postings when flagged.
- The Tripartite Advisory and TAFEP currently support whistleblowers; the Workplace Fairness Act (from end-2027) will require formal grievance handling, confidentiality protections, a ban on retaliation, and possible financial penalties for offenders.
Why should I read this?
Quick heads-up: if you manage hires, restructures or HR policy in Singapore, this is worth your eyeballs. MOM’s cracking down on bogus job ads, tracking AI-linked changes under restructuring, and beefing up whistleblower protections — with real penalties coming under the Workplace Fairness Act. It’s the kind of regulatory nudge that should make HR teams tidy up recruitment records, review grievance processes, and keep an eye on how tech changes roles.
Author note (punchy): This matters — don’t treat it like background noise. If your org hires foreign talent, uses AI for productivity, or handles harassment complaints, the details here could affect compliance and risk management.