Anita's story

Anita was a migrant domestic worker (MDW) who was primarily tasked with looking after an elderly person, as well as completing the household chores.

Anita's passport was kept by her employer, despite this practice being illegal. After some time, she informed her employer that she wished to return home, as she had not seen her family for a long time as a result of the pandemic. Her employer responded that she could return home after a replacement worker was found, but no progress was made.

Anita's employer also informed her that her passport had expired. She asked her employer and agent for help to get it renewed, but nothing was done. Anita felt helpless as her passport was not in her possession.

Over the course of her employment, Anita’s interactions with her agent also waned and eventually ceased.

Feeling stuck, Anita turned to HOME. After her case was raised to the authorities, Anita discovered that her passport had been invalid for more than 2 years, and that her work permit had not been renewed after it had expired a full year prior. In other words, Anita had been working without a valid work permit for a year.

The withholding of passports and identity documents restricts freedom of movement, and acts as a barrier for MDWs to leave unsavoury living and working conditions. Many MDWs who seek assistance from HOME have their passports or work permits withheld either by employers or employment agents.

Migrant workers who are employed without legal documentation are also reluctant to report abusive or exploitative conditions, for fear of being prosecuted or repatriated and barred from future employment.

In the migration process, workers are often dependent on a host of actors, from recruiters, agents and their employers, to take care of their recruitment needs. In this process, they often lose agency and may become detrimentally dependent on others to ensure the regularity of their employment.

Practices that entrench this dependency must be removed. There must be strong, proactive enforcement against confiscation of identity documents. Workers should also be allowed to switch employers freely, with clearly defined notice periods. In the long term, MDW must be given a live-out option to reduce their isolation and be able to seek avenues for timely help.