SINGAPORE - A nightclub boss was jailed for 16 months and fined $35,000 on Tuesday for offences involving 17 foreign workers from the People's Republic of China.

Lim Leong Chye, 50, pleaded guilty to three charges of illegal importation of labour, four of receiving kickbacks and three of instigating another person to submit false information to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

Another 29 charges were taken into consideration.

The managing director of Club De Colors solicited payments of between $460 and $10,000 from the foreign workers as a condition of their employment in his clubs.

Lim, who is also the manager of Club GMT, additionally obtained work passes for 11 foreign workers and subsequently told them to find their own jobs in Singapore.

He further instigated 33-year-old Sim Chee Kiang to furnish false information to the authorities in the application for work passes.

Sim, who is the sole proprietor of Club GMT, will be punished separately.

The MOM said it will take stern action.

"The circumstances of this case are aggravating,' said director of MOM's foreign manpower management division Kevin Teoh.

"There was no work for the workers, monies were collected, and in some cases, thousands of dollars were handed over."

Employers found guilty of bringing in foreign workers without the intention to provide work for them will face a mandatory jail term of between six months and two years, and a fine of up to $6,000 for each worker issued with a work pass.