Foreign Designer Files Complaint Over Salary Discrepancy & Canceled S Pass

A Singaporean manager is facing backlash after allegedly attempting to lower the agreed salary of a foreign designer and later canceling the designer’s S Pass application when questioned about the discrepancy. The incident, which was brought to light on Reddit by the designer, has sparked widespread criticism, with many urging the applicant to report the matter to Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

The foreign designer, who shared the story on the Singapore Raw subreddit, posted a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation between himself and the manager, identified as Sim. The screenshot revealed that the designer noticed the salary on the contract was lower than what had been initially agreed upon. When the designer sought clarification, the manager responded negatively and threatened to cancel the S Pass application.

The designer explained that he had been in communication with the company regarding the S Pass process but received no updates for two months. Despite his continued interest in joining the firm, he wanted clarity on the salary before starting the job. However, the manager accused him of being difficult and indicated that he would cancel the application.

Frustrated by the situation, the designer revealed that he had filed a complaint with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), an organisation that handles such employment issues in Singapore.

The incident has raised concerns about employment practices within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore. Many have expressed that such actions could harm Singapore's reputation as a fair and transparent place to work, especially for foreign talent.