Inside the Role of an ICA Officer: More Than Just Passport Stamping

SINGAPORE: At 27, Aloysius Thum’s role as an officer at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) may be one of the most misunderstood jobs in Singapore. Positioned at the busy Woodlands Checkpoint, he faces a constant stream of questions, from “Do you spend all day stamping passports?” to “What’s the best time to travel to Johor Bahru (JB)?” In a recent interview, Thum provided insight into the true scope of his responsibilities and the value he finds in serving the nation.

Thum’s journey into the ICA began with a desire for public service inspired by his time in National Service and his involvement with the St. John’s ambulance brigade. Rather than pursuing an engineering path, he embraced social sciences and studied Public Policy and Global Affairs to align with his aspirations for Singapore’s safety and security.

The Reality Beyond Passport Stamping
Contrary to popular belief, ICA officers no longer stamp passports. Years ago, Singapore transitioned to digital visit passes, eliminating the need for physical stamps. However, stamping was primarily a verification method to signal that security checks had been completed, a function that continues today through profiling and protective security.

Thum explained that ICA officers are trained to identify anomalies by examining a traveler’s habits, such as their frequency of travel or duration of stays, using both manual profiling and AI-driven data analysis. This blend of technology and intuition supports ICA’s ongoing efforts to assess risk and ensure the security of Singapore’s borders.

Beyond Security: The Efficiency Factor
At Woodlands, Thum’s duties extend beyond managing security threats. One of his major responsibilities is optimizing traffic flow, an essential factor at one of the world’s busiest land checkpoints. “With hundreds of thousands of people passing through daily, managing efficiency is as much a safety concern as it is a logistical one,” Thum remarked. He highlighted ICA’s New Clearance Concept (NCC), which shifts officers’ roles from traditional passport-stamping to overseeing multiple automated lanes, increasing both efficiency and security.

Challenges and Growth as a Young Leader
As a young team leader, Thum initially found it challenging to guide a team with members decades older than him. He realized that understanding the personal lives of his officers was key to effective leadership. Balancing their needs with his responsibilities has been a learning experience, one that he finds both humbling and rewarding.

Staying Motivated Amidst High-Stress Work
For Thum, the work is tiring, but he recalls the eerie stillness at Woodlands during the pandemic to keep things in perspective. “It was a reminder of the checkpoint’s vital role in connecting loved ones,” he said. “And for me, knowing that my work keeps my loved ones safe gives me purpose.”