\nThe Migrant Workers\u2019 Law Centre @ MWC\u00a0in Serangoon Road is open five days a week.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: JASEL POH <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
In a February interview with The Straits Times at MWLC, Ms Shukrina said she felt a calling from a young age to help society\u2019s underserved.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there are not enough people helping them (migrant workers), then I lend my skills and resources to where they are required most,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Shukrina has been at MWLC since it opened in April 2025, taking a pay cut to join Pro Bono SG after working as a legal associate at a private law firm. The charity\u2019s full-time lawyers draw a monthly income and do not charge clients for their services.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince I graduated from law school, I\u2019ve set the expectation with my family that I\u2019m not going to be a rich lawyer, and that\u2019s okay,\u201d said Ms Shukrina, who also has a Master of Laws from Duke University.<\/p>\n
Candidly, Ms Shukrina let on that her father worries about her career progression and reminds her that she needs money for her own future.<\/p>\n
But Ms Shukrina, who is getting married in 2026, does not compare herself with her peers \u2013 some of whom are judges or work with senior counsel.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m getting paid to do what I love. In fact, when I got this job, I told a couple of close friends that I really feel I\u2019m living the dream,\u201d she said with a smile.<\/p>\n
Ms Shukrina has three to four consultations each day with migrant workers, except on Wednesdays when she sets aside time to work on cases. About one-third speak English, and she works with an interpreter for the rest.<\/p>\n
Common inquiries from workers include employment issues and legal representation for criminal cases. <\/p>\n
One memorable case involved securing a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for an Indonesian domestic worker who had been charged with helping a friend remit funds illegally. Ms Shukrina wrote to the prosecution that the domestic worker did not know the act was wrong, had not done it for profit and had cooperated with the police.<\/p>\n
A discharge not amounting to an acquittal means the accused will not be punished but can still be prosecuted for the same crime if new evidence emerges later.<\/p>\n
Ms Shukrina has also witnessed tragedy, such as when an Indian healthcare worker needed help to process an insurance payout for his wife, who died shortly after giving birth. Their baby was only six months old. During the consultation, the man wept out of grief and concern for his child\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
Though MWLC does not directly handle such cases, Ms Shukrina explained what the man could expect during the payout process and referred him to a directory of lawyers who could assist him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was able to move forward and at least get some direction; before that, he completely had no idea what to do,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\nLawyer Nur Shukrina Salam\u2019s work extends beyond MWLC to wherever the workers are, as she also meets them via video calls.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: JASEL POH<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Her work extends beyond MWLC to wherever the workers are, as she also meets them via video calls.<\/p>\n
Once, an Indian driver confided to her about his unpaid salaries and possibly getting a job transfer, while seated in his company\u2019s parked lorry. Suddenly, his colleague approached the lorry and asked what he was doing. <\/p>\n
\u201cI just had to mute myself, turn off my video and be quiet, because he clearly didn\u2019t want his colleague to know he was doing a legal consult,\u201d said Ms Shukrina.<\/p>\n
The driver hastily left the vehicle. When the conversation resumed, she gave him general legal guidance, and he was able to proceed on his own.<\/p>\n
Almost a year into the job, Ms Shukrina\u2019s enthusiasm has not waned. She hopes to spread awareness of MWLC\u2019s services to more migrant workers. <\/p>\n
When asked what she hoped Singaporeans would know about migrant workers, she said: \u201cBeyond the work they do here, they are individuals. They are sons, fathers, husbands. As much as there may be cultural differences… it\u2019s important to treat them like any other human being.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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