SINGAPORE, Sept 13 — Companies in Singapore have been told they cannot engage foreign freelancers for photography, videography, make-up and other creative services, even if the work is tied to weddings or events.

In an advisory issued on Thursday, the Visual, Audio, Creative Content Professionals Association (Vicpa) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) reminded businesses that such arrangements are illegal under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

“Foreigners on tourist or student visas are not allowed to perform such work in Singapore, and companies cannot engage them to provide services to clients, nor promote their services,” the statement said, as reported by The Straits Times.

The warning follows information received by MOM that some firms had hired foreign freelancers for wedding-related services. 

Vicpa later clarified in a Facebook comment that while the advisory was written “with the wedding industry as the primary reference point, it is relevant and applicable across other industries too”.

The penalties for breaching the law are steep: foreigners caught working without a valid work pass face fines of up to S$20,000 (RM65,500), imprisonment of up to two years, or both. Companies that engage them risk the same punishment. Offenders may also be barred from working in Singapore in future.

Vicpa, which is affiliated with the National Trades Union Congress, urged businesses to support the local freelance workforce instead. 

“Companies [should] engage local freelance creative professionals to support the growth and professionalism of local talents,” the association said.

Members of the public have been asked to report suspected breaches via MOM’s online portal, while foreign students can check their eligibility to work under specific exemptions.

Vicpa was established in 2021 to represent freelance and self-employed workers in Singapore’s creative content sector, with a focus on setting ethical standards and strengthening professional competencies.