In a landmark case, a High Court judge ruled that in-principle approval letters or IPAs can be used to establish a foreign workers’ rightful pay. TSMP represented the worker pro bono.

Melvin Chan, head of litigation and dispute resolution, said Justice Lee Seiu Kin’s decision is important as it shows that without a written contract agreed on by both parties, the amount in the IPA letter is what the worker should receive.

“It establishes a certain enforcible right for the worker,” he added.

The decision was also cheered by non-governmental organisations helping migrant workers. They often come across similar cases of a large discrepancy between what a worker is promised before he migrates and what he is paid later, they said.

Read more at The Straits Times