From short-term work use to errant abuse: How the Performing Artiste Work Permit scheme was misused

The Work Permit (Performing Artiste) scheme has been around for the last 17 years, but recent enforcement operations have uncovered widespread abuse by syndicates.

Here is a timeline and what to know about it, and

how it has been misused.

2008: The scheme was introduced to allow licensed public entertainment outlets such as bars, hotels and nightclubs to hire foreign performing artistes of any nationality on a short-term basis of up to six months.

Issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the permit was non-renewable and was one of two passes rolled out to replace the former Professional Visit Pass issued by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to foreigners working in Singapore on short-term assignments.

The other pass is the Miscellaneous Work Pass, for eligible foreigners on short-term work assignments, such as speakers at a seminar, religious workers or journalists.

March 2023: In response to a parliamentary question from then MP Louis Ng, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said in a written answer that MOM had put in place education and enforcement measures to safeguard the employment standards of all work permit holders, including performing artistes on work permits.

Mr Ng also asked if MOM would consider requiring the holder of a work permit for performing artistes to attend a settling-in programme, similar to those currently conducted for migrant domestic workers and work permit holders from certain sectors.

Suspects being taken into custody during an enforcement operation at two public entertainment outlets on Oct 23.

PHOTO: MINISTRY OF MANPOWER

Dr Tan replied that non-Malaysian work permit holders in the construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard and process sectors, as well as migrant domestic workers, attend the settling-in-programme. MOM will review this from time to time, but had no plans currently to extend it.

In addition, Mr Ng asked Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam how many criminal cases with reference to holders of work permits for performing artiste were reported, prosecuted and convicted in the last three years, as well as what the top three offences were.

Mr Shanmugam replied in a written answer that the police do not track data on offences specifically by holders of work permits for performing artistes.

September 2024: Thirty-two people were arrested for their suspected involvement in illegal employment, after an islandwide enforcement operation by MOM and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) at 27 locations. They included a man, 33, suspected to be part of a syndicate that operated 28 shell public entertainment outlets that had allegedly hired work permit holders as performing artistes when these companies were non-operational.

Also arrested were 16 men and 15 women for their alleged involvement in making false declarations in work pass applications when the companies did not require their employment.

Investigations against all those arrested are ongoing.

MOM later noted that there was a growing trend of the scheme’s abuse, and said it would be reviewing the scheme.

A man arrested for suspected involvement in illegal employment, after an islandwide enforcement operation on Sept 23, 2024.

PHOTO: MINISTRY OF MANPOWER

February 2025: In a parliamentary question, Mr Ng reiterated his question about whether performing artistes on work permits undergo the settling-in-programme, and asked for the reason why, if they did not.

Dr Tan replied in a written answer that the programme is prioritised for first-time work permit holders in the construction, marine shipyard, process and manufacturing sectors. There were no plans to extend it to the services sector at this time, he added.

In another written answer, Dr Tan shared that the top three nationalities for work permits (performing artiste) from 2020 to 2024 were Vietnamese, Chinese and Filipino. MOM does not provide a breakdown of the number of foreign workers by nationality, he added.

September 2025: Seventeen people were arrested for their suspected involvement in illegal employment and making false declarations in work pass applications, following MOM enforcement operations at multiple locations.

Among them were five Singaporean men, aged between 31 and 37, who were current or former sole proprietors of seven public entertainment outlets, and a Singaporean woman, 34, who was a Singapore employment agency’s key appointment holder.

They were suspected of being part of a syndicate that allegedly hired foreign performing artistes for non-operational public entertainment outlets. The foreigners were suspected to have been subsequently released to work as freelance hostesses in other public entertainment outlets.

The remaining 11 people arrested were female work permit holders, arrested for their alleged involvement in making false declarations of employment in work pass applications. Their work permits have been revoked, and investigations against all parties are ongoing.

October 2025: Fifty-eight individuals were arrested after officers from MOM, SPF and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) conducted a joint enforcement operation at two public entertainment outlets.

Of these, 32 were foreigners hired as performing artistes under the Work Permit (Performing Artiste) scheme, but found to have worked illegally without valid work passes at the two public entertainment outlets.

The remaining 22 foreigners and four Singapore permanent residents were arrested for employment-related offences.

In addition, two more individuals were caught for possessing e-vaporisers, and six e-vaporisers were seized. Investigations against all parties are ongoing.

Officers taking statements during an enforcement operation at two public entertainment outlets on Oct 23.

PHOTO: MINISTRY OF MANPOWER

Dec 1, 2025: MOM announced that the Work Permit (Performing Artiste) scheme will cease from June 1, 2026.

It noted that recent enforcement operations uncovered syndicates of non-operating public entertainment outlets that hired foreign performing artistes under the scheme and subsequently released them to work at other public entertainment outlets and locations.

In view of the scheme’s widespread abuse, MOM, in consultation with relevant agencies, assessed that the scheme was no longer serving its original purpose, and would cease the scheme.

June 1, 2026: MOM will stop accepting new applications to hire foreign workers

under the scheme.

Businesses will not be able to apply for new foreign performing artistes on this work pass, but can retain their existing workers until their passes expire.

Businesses can engage entertainment services from service providers instead of hiring performers directly, or continue to hire eligible foreign performing artistes on a regular work pass.

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