Statute Details
- Title: Fees (Translation of Documents — Ministry of Manpower) Order
- Act/Instrument Code: FeA1920-OR41 (O 41)
- Type: Subsidiary legislation (sl)
- Authorising Act: Fees Act (Cap. 106), s 2
- Commencement: 9 October 1970 (as indicated in the instrument)
- Revised Edition: 1998 RevEd (15 June 1998)
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Key Provisions: s 2 (fees for certified translations), s 3 (uncertified translations), s 4 (payment in advance), s 5 (discretion to refuse or remit fees)
- Relevant Context: Translations for use in enquiries under Part XV of the Employment Act (Cap. 91)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Fees (Translation of Documents — Ministry of Manpower) Order sets out the official fees charged by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for translation services relating to documents that MOM supplies or certifies. In practical terms, it is a pricing and administrative framework: it tells lawyers, employers, employees, and translators what MOM will charge for certified translations, what it will charge (at a reduced rate) for uncertified translations, and when payment must be made.
The Order is made under the Fees Act (Cap. 106). That enabling legislation empowers the Government to prescribe fees for services provided by public authorities. Here, the “service” is MOM’s translation and certification of documents. The Order also links the fee schedule to the Employment Act context—specifically, documents used in enquiries held under Part XV of the Employment Act (Cap. 91). This matters because employment disputes and regulatory enquiries often require documents to be produced in English or accompanied by translations.
Although the Order is relatively short, it has real operational impact. It affects how parties prepare evidence for MOM processes, how they budget for document handling, and how they manage timelines—particularly because the fees are payable in advance and MOM retains discretion to refuse translation or remit fees in appropriate cases.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Certified translations: the core fee schedule (s 2)
Section 2 provides the fees “for certified translations of documents and the certification of translated documents” that are leviable by MOM. The distinction between “certified translations” and “certification of translated documents” is important: the Order is not merely about translating text; it is about MOM’s certification that the translation is an official, reliable version for use in its processes.
Section 2(a) addresses documents for use in enquiries held under Part XV of the Employment Act (Cap. 91). For those documents, the fee is calculated per “folio” (or part thereof): $3 per folio or part thereof, plus $1 for every additional folio or part thereof. In practice, this means the cost will scale with the length/volume of the document being translated for MOM’s employment-related enquiries.
2. Certified translations for other documents: language-direction and line/character thresholds (s 2(b))
Section 2(b) sets fees for “other documents” (i.e., not those specifically covered by s 2(a)). The fee structure depends on the direction of translation and the unit of measurement used to estimate work.
For translations from Chinese, Tamil, Malayalam or Malay into English (s 2(b)(i)), the fee is: $12 for the first 30 lines or less, and $6 for every additional 30 lines or part thereof. This is a line-based threshold approach, which is common in translation fee schedules where the “first block” is priced higher and subsequent blocks are priced at a lower incremental rate.
For translations from English into Chinese, Tamil, Malayalam or Malay (s 2(b)(ii)), the fee is: $16 for the first 100 Chinese characters or Tamil, Malayalam or Malay words or less, and $8 for every additional 100 characters or words or part thereof. Here, the measurement is character- or word-based, reflecting the different linguistic units and typical translation estimation methods.
3. Uncertified translations: reduced fees at one-third (s 3)
Section 3 provides that fees at one-third of the rates laid down in paragraph 2(b) shall be levied for uncertified translations which the Commissioner for Labour may, in his discretion, agree to undertake. This provision is significant for practitioners because it creates a lower-cost option, but only where MOM agrees to do an uncertified translation.
Two points follow from s 3. First, the reduced fee applies only to the rates in s 2(b), not to the folio-based rates in s 2(a). Second, the service is discretionary: the Commissioner for Labour “may, in his discretion” agree to undertake uncertified translations. Therefore, parties cannot assume that uncertified translations will be available on request; they must be prepared for MOM to require certified translations depending on the intended use.
4. Payment in advance (s 4)
Section 4 states that fees shall be payable in advance before translations are supplied. This is a procedural requirement that affects workflow and timing. For legal practitioners, it means that document submission and translation requests must be planned with payment steps in mind; otherwise, delays may occur before the translated materials are delivered.
5. Discretion to refuse or remit fees (s 5)
Section 5 confers discretion on the Commissioner for Labour. The Commissioner may either (a) refuse to undertake the translation of any document, or (b) remit any fee where, in his opinion, the document is directly connected with the work of MOM.
This discretion is legally and practically important. It provides a safety valve for exceptional circumstances. For example, where a translation request is closely tied to MOM’s regulatory functions or where remission is justified, the Commissioner may waive fees. Conversely, if a document is unsuitable for translation (for instance, due to format, illegibility, or other operational constraints), the Commissioner may refuse. Practitioners should therefore treat MOM translation requests as subject to administrative judgment rather than as an unconditional entitlement.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured as a short instrument with five sections:
- Section 1 (Citation): provides the short title of the Order.
- Section 2 (Fees for certified translations): contains the main fee schedule, split into (a) documents for enquiries under Part XV of the Employment Act and (b) other documents, with language-direction-specific rates.
- Section 3 (Uncertified translations): sets reduced fees (one-third of s 2(b) rates) and makes the service discretionary.
- Section 4 (Fees payable in advance): establishes the payment timing requirement.
- Section 5 (Discretion of Commissioner): allows refusal of translation and remission of fees in appropriate cases.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to parties who request MOM to undertake translations and/or certify translated documents. In practice, this includes employers, employees, legal representatives, and other stakeholders who need official translations for MOM processes, including employment-related enquiries under Part XV of the Employment Act.
It is also relevant to the internal administration of MOM and the Commissioner for Labour. The Commissioner’s discretion under ss 3 and 5 means that the availability of uncertified translations and the possibility of fee remission are matters of administrative decision-making rather than purely mechanical application.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
For practitioners, the Order matters because it directly affects the cost, timing, and evidential readiness of translated documents used in employment and regulatory contexts. Employment disputes frequently involve documents in multiple languages. When those documents must be presented to MOM or used in MOM enquiries, certified translations are often required to ensure that the translated content can be relied upon.
The fee schedule in s 2 is also a practical budgeting tool. The rates differ depending on (i) whether the documents are for Part XV Employment Act enquiries, (ii) the direction of translation (into English versus into specified languages), and (iii) the measurement unit (folios, lines, characters, or words). A lawyer advising a client on document preparation can use these distinctions to estimate translation costs more accurately and to plan submissions.
Finally, the administrative provisions—payment in advance (s 4) and discretion (s 5)—affect strategy. If a matter is time-sensitive, counsel should ensure payment is arranged promptly to avoid delays. Where cost is a concern, counsel may consider whether an uncertified translation could suffice for the intended purpose; however, because the Commissioner has discretion to undertake uncertified translations (s 3), counsel should verify whether certification is required by MOM for the specific enquiry or proceeding.
Related Legislation
- Fees Act (Cap. 106), s 2 (authorising provision for prescribing fees)
- Employment Act (Cap. 91), Part XV (enquiries context referenced in s 2(a) of the Order)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Fees (Translation of Documents — Ministry of Manpower) Order for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.