The Immigration and Customs Authority (ICA) has found that more students are abusing their student visas, but the total number is a small percentage of the total foreign student population.
Some work part-time, stay beyond the visa period, or even commit crimes during their stay. Most have their visas revoked and are deported.
The number was 110 in 2003, but doubled in 2005 and 2007 to 210. At about 0.3% of the total number of foreign students in Singapore, the number is not high.
A night club operator in Geylang, who wished to remain anonymous, told Lianhe Wanbao that the number of girls working there on student visas have increased significantly.
"This started way back in 2000. Since 2004, it has gotten worse and the number has been increasing at about 20 per cent each year. They are everywhere in Geylang now. There is demand for their services, and there are now more and more private schools in Singapore with cheap school fees, which is perhaps why their numbers are increasing."
He also revealed that most girls earn more than $100 a night while the popular girls can earn up to $400 a night.
"They still make a profit after deducting their school fees. I have seen girls who were arrested in the afternoon return to work on the same night."
He says it is difficult to prove that they are soliciting as they can claim that they are simply having drinks with friends.
