Migrant Workers Unpaid Wages: 240 Workers in Singapore Owed Two Months’ Pay

Close to 240 migrant workers in Singapore have gone without pay for up to two months, and the case of migrant workers unpaid wages is now the subject of a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) investigation. The workers, mostly from Bangladesh and employed in the process sector, say they are owed one to two months’ salary, including overtime, by two companies.

The scale of the case, and the speed with which unions and the government moved once it surfaced, has put a spotlight on how Singapore handles unpaid salary claims — and on what happens to workers who paid thousands of dollars just to get here.

Migrant workers unpaid wages: what happened

The Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) engaged 230 migrant workers with unpaid salaries at its recreation centres in Soon Lee and Kaki Bukit on 19 and 20 October 2026. The workers are employed by Process Maintenance Solutions Pte Ltd and Jurong Technical & Construction Pte Ltd, two companies in the process sector.

Many said they are owed one to two months’ pay. One group told NTUC’s newsroom they came to Singapore from Bangladesh on 17 July 2026 — and months later, they say, they are still waiting to be paid. Some said they had paid as much as $12,000 in costs just to come to Singapore, and that going home now is not an option after spending that much.

NTUC deputy secretary-general Desmond Choo raised the case publicly on 23 October 2026, saying close to 240 workers in the process sector were affected. In his post, he said NTUC was working with MOM to arrange centralised accommodation, job-matching assistance and help with salary claims, including overtime pay, with financial assistance provided where needed.

MOM investigates the two companies

MOM said on Saturday 24 October 2026 that it is investigating the two companies over unpaid salaries owed to migrant workers. The ministry said it is working closely with the MWC and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) to help the affected workers with their wage claims and immediate needs, including housing and other employment arrangements.

MOM warned that it takes a serious view of non-payment of salaries and that investigations into the companies are ongoing. Appropriate enforcement action will be taken if breaches of employment laws are established, the ministry said.

What support the workers are getting

The immediate response has focused on food, shelter and the salary claims themselves:

• Daily meals for close to 90 workers who do not have meal support, provided through the Migrant Workers’ Assistance Fund.
• Centralised housing, arranged with MOM, for workers who may lose their shelter in the coming weeks.
• Salary claims, including unpaid overtime, filed with TADM with MWC’s help.
• Job matching and transition assistance, with employment agency partners, to help workers find new jobs in Singapore.
• Financial assistance where needed, including a token sum from the assistance fund if employers cannot pay what they owe.

MWC assistant director for operations Xavier Joseph said the centre has met with a majority of the workers to understand what other issues they may have, so that timely intervention and support can be provided.

Why the missed paydays hit so hard

Almost all of the affected workers are their families’ sole breadwinners, according to MWC. That is why a missed payday in Singapore is felt immediately by relatives back home — and why workers who paid up to $12,000 to take up these jobs cannot simply walk away.

MWC director Michael Lim said unpaid salaries can cause significant hardship for migrant workers, affecting their daily essentials and the families who depend on their income. Choo urged anyone who knows a migrant worker facing wage issues to encourage them to contact MWC’s 24-hour helpline at 6536 2692, which offers help in 10 languages.

Migrant workers unpaid wages: the legal route in Singapore

Under Singapore law, an employer must pay salaries on time even when the business is in financial difficulty — cash flow problems do not remove the obligation. Workers who are not paid can seek help through several channels:

1. TADM — the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management is the primary avenue for salary claims, including mediation and, if needed, referral to the Employment Claims Tribunals, which can order an employer to pay what is owed.
2. MOM — workers can report suspected breaches of employment law, such as late salary payment or unpaid overtime rates, and MOM can investigate and take enforcement action.
3. Priority in liquidation — if an employer cannot pay its debts, unpaid salary claims are generally given priority when a company is liquidated, subject to limits and the company’s available assets.

For workers in this case, the practical path is the one already under way: claims filed with TADM, backed by MWC and MOM, while meals, housing and job matching cover the gap.

What happens next

Three questions will decide how the migrant workers unpaid wages case ends. First, whether the two companies pay the arrears or whether enforcement action follows the MOM investigation. Second, whether the workers who cannot recover their wages find new employment in Singapore or have to return home. Third, whether the case prompts tighter scrutiny of process-sector employers with large migrant workforces.

For now, the facts are stark: close to 240 workers, up to two months without pay, and a support operation spanning meals, housing, claims and job matching. As Choo put it, no worker should face this alone — and the test of that promise is whether these workers get paid.

Meyka is an AI-powered stock and crypto research platform covering 10 global markets. Readers following Singapore can track the market through Meyka’s Singapore stock screener and its top gainers in Singapore. For another recent Singapore story, see our report on Ding Hui Yun’s 19-year immigration overstay case and the Singapore Airlines Time To Fly sale.

Sources: NTUC report on MWC support for the unpaid workers, October 2026; MOM investigation report, 24 October 2026; legal rights of migrant workers facing unpaid salaries in Singapore.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.