MOM Has Called Me for an Interview, and I Am the Employee: What Happens and What Should I Say?

By Johnathan Lee, Advocate and Solicitor (Singapore). Updated 6 November 2026.

If the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has asked you, as an employee, to attend an interview, you should go, and you must tell the truth. Under section 16 of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990, an employment inspector can order you in writing to attend, examine you orally, and write down what you say; you are “bound to state truly” what you know, and the statement is read back to you, corrected and signed. A workplace accident is investigated under section 43 of the Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006, which works in a similar way. Being called does not mean you are accused: many employees are interviewed as complainants or witnesses. But if you may yourself have broken a rule, consider advice before you attend.

Why has MOM called me, and do I have to go?

Employees are usually called because they made a complaint (for example, about unpaid salary or kickbacks), because they witnessed something the employer is said to have done (such as declaring a false salary in a work pass application), or because MOM is looking at something they are said to have done themselves (working for another employer, false information in their own application, or a workplace accident). The letter often does not say which. Ask the officer politely, before the interview, whether you are a witness or under investigation.

The powers depend on the law being enforced:

Law	Used for	What it says about answering
Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990, s 16(1)(e) and (f)	Work pass matters: illegal employment, false declarations, pass conditions, kickbacks	You are “bound to state truly” the facts you know. The statement is written down, read over, corrected and signed. The section does not contain the self-incrimination words found in the two laws below.
Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006, s 43	Workplace accidents	You are bound to state truly, but may decline to make a statement that would tend to expose you to a criminal charge, penalty or forfeiture.
Criminal Procedure Code 2010, s 22	Police investigations	You are bound to state truly what you know, but “need not say anything that might expose the person to a criminal charge, penalty or forfeiture”.

The Employment Act 1968 gives the Commissioner for Labour and inspecting officers separate powers (section 103). Whichever law applies, do not ignore the request; if the date does not work, ask in writing for another.

What happens at the interview?

An investigation officer asks questions and writes your answers into a statement, usually in the first person (“I started work on…”). At the end, the law requires the statement to be read over to you, corrected where needed, and signed (EFMA s 16(1)(e); WSHA s 43(3)). Expect questions about:

• your pass, your job, your actual duties and where you actually worked;
• your salary, how it was paid, and any money you paid back to anyone;
• who gave you instructions, and on which dates;
• documents you signed, such as contracts, payslips or declarations.

The reading back matters most. If a sentence is wrong, incomplete or puts words in your mouth, ask for it to be corrected before you sign. A signed statement is hard to undo.

What are my rights during the interview?

• An interpreter. If you are not comfortable in English, ask for an interpreter in your own language before the interview begins. For police statements, the law says a written statement must be interpreted to a person who does not understand English (CPC s 22(4)). Do not sign a statement you cannot read or have not had interpreted.
• A lawyer. None of these laws gives you a right to have a lawyer sit in on the interview. In practice, whether a lawyer may attend is usually a matter for the officer, so do not assume it. You can speak to a lawyer before the interview and after it.
• Corrections. The statement must be signed “after correction”. You are entitled to ask for errors to be fixed. If the officer will not correct something that you believe is wrong, say so clearly and ask that your disagreement be recorded.
• Questions that incriminate you. The WSHA and the CPC expressly allow you to decline to say things that would expose you to a criminal charge. Section 16 of the EFMA does not contain those words. If an EFMA interview may touch on something you did, take advice before you attend.
• A copy. You may ask for a copy of your statement; do not assume you will receive one.

You must not give false information (EFMA s 22(1)(d)) or obstruct the officer. Declining to answer where the law allows it is different from lying.

How should I prepare?

• Gather documents. Your passport, work pass card or e-pass, employment contract, in-principle approval letter, payslips, bank statements showing salary, timesheets, and any messages with your employer or agent.
• Write a timeline. On one page, set out the key dates: when you arrived, when you started, any change of workplace, any payment you made, when the problem began.
• Do not guess. If you do not remember a date or an amount, say “I do not remember” or “about March, I am not sure”. A wrong guess can look like a false statement.
• Do not speculate about others. Say what you saw, heard and did. If you are asked what your supervisor was thinking, or why the boss did something, say that you do not know.
• Do not rehearse answers with your employer. If your employer or agent tells you what to say, you can tell the officer.

For the employer’s side of the same process, see MOM investigations: your rights and what to do, and the MOM investigation checklist.

What if I was part of the breach myself?

Some employees are both a witness and a possible offender. Common examples:

• Working for someone other than your employer. A work pass is valid only for the employer and employee named in it (EFMA s 12(1)). A foreign employee must not be employed without a valid work pass (s 5(2)); the maximum penalty is a $20,000 fine, 2 years’ jail, or both (s 5(7)). MOM has stated that a foreigner convicted of working without a valid pass may be barred from working in Singapore.
• Taking a job on someone else’s pass or false papers. False information to MOM in connection with a work pass is an offence under s 22(1)(d). A foreign employee who submits a statement or document about qualifications that he or she knows, or ought reasonably to know, is false in a material particular commits a separate offence under s 22(3).
• Kickbacks. Section 22A makes it an offence for a person to demand or receive money from a foreign employee as a condition of employment (maximum $30,000 fine, 2 years’ jail, or both). The section is aimed at the person who takes the money; it does not expressly make the employee who pays liable. Abetting an offence under the Act is itself an offence (s 23), so if you paid, take advice on where you stand.

If this is you, get advice before you attend, so that you understand which law applies, what you must answer and the possible outcomes. If the police are also involved, or you have been arrested, read arrested or charged as a foreigner in Singapore.

What happens after the interview?

Investigations can take months, and you may be called back. For a person under investigation, outcomes include:

• No further action or, in practice, a warning. Neither is a conviction.
• Composition. The Controller (the MOM official the Act names) may compound an EFMA offence by collecting a sum from a person reasonably suspected of it, capped at the lower of half the maximum fine or $5,000. Once paid, no further proceedings may be taken for that offence (EFMA s 27(1) and (3)).
• Prosecution in court.

If you are a witness and MOM charges your employer, you may be asked to give evidence in court as a prosecution witness.

If your work pass has been cancelled. MOM has explained that people “required to remain in Singapore to assist in investigations or as prosecution witnesses” are issued a Special Pass, and are generally allowed to work under the Temporary Job Scheme unless there are concerns over public safety or interference with investigations. Special Pass holders who face issues with their upkeep can approach MOM for assistance. If your employer has dismissed you and cancelled your pass, see work pass holder dismissed for breach of pass conditions.

If you are owed salary. An MOM investigation into your employer does not by itself recover your money. Salary claims are made to the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM), which states that you must file within 1 year from the first date of owed salary if you are still employed, or within 6 months of your last date of employment if you have left. MOM’s own guidance is to file at TADM as early as possible, and not to be put off if your employer threatens to send you home. See employment disputes: TADM and ECT options.

When should I speak to a lawyer?

Many witnesses attend without a lawyer. Advice before the interview is worth considering if:

• the officer says you are under investigation, or the questions are likely to be about something you did;
• you worked somewhere other than for the employer on your pass, or your application contained information that was not true;
• you were involved in a workplace accident in which someone was badly hurt or died;
• your employer or agent has told you what to say, or has threatened you;
• you have already signed a statement that you now believe is wrong;
• your pass has been cancelled and you are unsure whether you may stay, work or leave;
• you have been arrested, or the police are also involved.

More on how I help employees is on the employment law page.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I refuse to attend an MOM interview?

An employment inspector can require your attendance by written order under section 16(1)(f) of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990. If you fail to attend, the inspector can report this to a Magistrate, who may issue a warrant. If the date is a problem, ask for another date in writing.

Can my lawyer sit in on the MOM interview?

The Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 and the Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006 do not give you a right to have a lawyer present during the interview. In practice, whether a lawyer may attend is usually a matter for the officer. You can take advice before and after the interview.

Do I have to sign the statement?

The law requires the statement to be read over to you and signed after correction. Ask for every error to be corrected before you sign. If something you believe is wrong is not corrected, say so clearly and ask for your disagreement to be recorded.

What happens if I give MOM wrong information?

Giving an inspector information that you know, or ought reasonably to know, is false in a material particular is an offence under section 22(1)(d) of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990. The maximum penalty is a fine of $20,000, 2 years’ jail, or both. If you are not sure of a fact, say so instead of guessing.

Can I stay in Singapore if my pass was cancelled during the investigation?

MOM has said that people required to remain in Singapore to assist in investigations or as prosecution witnesses are issued a Special Pass. Special Pass holders are generally allowed to work under the Temporary Job Scheme, unless there are concerns over public safety or interference with investigations.

This article is general information, not legal advice. It states Singapore law as at November 2026. Speak to a lawyer about your specific situation.