Beginning in the first quarter of 2025, migrant workers in Singapore will have free legal assistance and representation.
Migrant workers who need help with issues such as unpaid salaries, work injury compensation disputes or other employment-related challenges will be offered on-site legal assistance at the Migrant Workers’ Law Centre located at Migrant Workers’ Centre’s (MWC) Serangoon office.
A full-time community lawyer and programme coordinator will staff the centre.
The Migrant Workers’ Law Centre will also include volunteers from Pro Bono SG, SG Cares Volunteer Centres, and other community organisations that specialise in migrant worker support.
The initiative comes after NTUC and Pro Bono SG signed a partnership on 15 December 2024.
The signing happened on the sidelines of an International Migrants Day celebration at Jurong Lake Gardens.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), MWC, the Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach, and the Salvation Army organised the event.
The collaboration aims to expand Pro Bono SG’s capacity to provide legal awareness, advice, and advocacy for migrant workers.
It will also enhance community-based integrated legal care, bridging the gap between legal services and other forms of social support for migrant workers.
MWC Executive Director Michael Lim said MWC understands that migrant workers face challenges in accessing legal services, such as the lack of resources to engage lawyers and language barriers.
He added: “With this partnership, we want to bring better legal access to our migrant workers as part of our commitment to championing their rights. The Migrant Workers’ Law Centre is a significant step towards ensuring every worker in Singapore feels supported and valued.”
Migrant worker Kyaw Myo Naing, who has been volunteering with MWC since 2020, said he often meets migrant workers seeking help with salary matters.
He added that many migrant workers fear bringing up salary-related issues, such as receiving their salaries late or non-payment of overtime, because they are afraid of losing their jobs.
Kyaw said that while he has helped more than 10 migrant workers with salary matters, the most important thing is spreading the message that help is available should they need it.
The International Migrants Day celebrations featured recreation activities to create bonds among the local and migrant communities.
At the Jurong Lake Gardens, MOM’s ACE Group and MWC co-organised a large-scale event where over 10,000 members of the migrant community engaged in cultural activities organised by embassies and associations and received goodie bags.
Highlights of the event included captivating performances by local and international artists and the Kabbadi tournament finals.
Manpower minister Tan See Leng, who was at the Jurong Lake Gardens celebrations, said that the event is an annual opportunity to recognise and celebrate the valuable contributions of all migrant workers.
He added: “The migrant community is an essential part of Singapore's story. All of you here, you build our homes, you care for our loved ones, and you contribute to Singapore's growth and progress.”
Seven recreation centres and several dormitories also hosted various activities to celebrate International Migrants Day.
The activities include talent showcases, carnival games, Zumba sessions, sports tournaments, health screenings, and safety and mental health awareness programmes.
MOM also announced that it is calling for proposals in the first half of 2025 to appoint external partners to operate the Kaki Bukit and Woodlands migrant worker recreation centres as it takes them over from the Singapore Land Authority.
MOM is also planning to revitalise some of the existing recreation centres.
Currently, nine recreation centres located near large migrant worker dormitory catchment areas are operated by various organisations.
MOM said that the goal is to transform spaces in the centres into vibrant, inviting environments that cater to the social and recreational needs of migrant workers.
For example, new functions and training class spaces will be added to the Penjuru recreation centre, which NTUC operates.
MOM has also designated the Soon Lee and Kaki Bukit recreation centres as testbeds for new and innovative design concepts.
The Soon Lee recreation centre, operated by MWC, will be redeveloped into a recreation hub.
The enhanced facility will include a larger space that can provide more access to government services and offer a wider variety of F&B and retail options that cater to the diverse preferences and tastes of migrant workers.
MOM is currently in the initial phase of collaboration with design thinking firms to explore ways to develop design concepts and features for both Soon Lee and Kaki Bukit recreation centres.
The redevelopment project is tentatively scheduled for completion by the early 2030s.
For more information, or if you are a migrant worker seeking assistance, visit the MWC website.
