FAQ

Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) is used interchangeably with foreign Maid or Helper, is a person coming in from overseas to work in Singapore as a foreign Domestic Helper. Domestic Helpers provide household and care services such as housekeeping, cooking, running errands, caring for a child, an elderly or a physically challenged member. FDW is further classified into three general types: Transfer Maid, Ex Singapore Maid, and New Maid.

Transfer Maid is currently employed in Singapore seeking to be transferred out from current Employer to another Employer.

Ex Singapore Maid is an experienced foreign Helper who once worked in Singapore and is currently back in her home country.

New Maid has never worked in Singapore and this will be her first time coming to work as Foreign Domestic Helper in Singapore. She is freshly recruited and trained in her home country and may have some work experiences in her home country or overseas such as Dubai, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia. After new maid has worked in Singapore regardless of duration and if for any reason seeking to be switched or transferred out to another new Employer, they are then defined as transfer maids.

Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. Read full article.

For maid currently living in Singapore, it may take up to 2 weeks to arrive at your doorstep. For maid who is still living overseas or out of Singapore, it will then depend on their home country and may take between 2 to 8 weeks. The timeframe may be extended if the work permit and foreign embassy procedures were not done correctly. Generally, it may take up to 5~6 weeks for a Filipino maid, and 3 weeks for Indonesian maid to arrive in Singapore.

Foreign Helper's Rights in Singapore, includes but not limited to:

• Rest Day: One rest day per week or compensation-in-lieu. A rest day is midnight to midnight.
• Medical Care: Medical insurance, Personal Accident insurance, any medical fees eg. visit to a clinic for a normal flu.
• Food: 3 adequate meals per day. An example; Breakfast (4 slices of bread with spread), Lunch and Dinner (1 bowl of rice + three-quarter cup of cooked vegetables + palm-sized amount of meat + fruit).
• Accommodation: Adequate shelter, sufficient ventilation, safe, not near to toilet.
• Protection of Modesty: Must not sleep in the same room as a male adult or teenager. No CCTV facing where she sleeps, change clothes, bathroom.
• Space & Privacy: Sufficient space and privacy for the helper.
• Salary: Paid in full and paid on time within 7 days of the last day of salary period.
• Free Basic Live-In Amenities: A mattress, a pillow, a blanket, toiletries such as soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste.
• Free Air Ticket: Air ticket including check-in luggage when sending her home.
• Work Location: Can only work at the residential address stated in the work permit (except if it is to care for a family member at a different address during daytime).
• Job Scope: Can only perform household and domestic duties as per MOM regulations.
• Safety: Can only perform household chores in a safe manner.
• Belongings: Mandatory for Helper to keep her own salary, monies, original passport, work permit card and mobile phone. Employer or Maid Agency should not keep these belongings even if the Domestic Helper requests for it.
• Payment related: Helper must not pay for S$5,000 security bond, any medical care, maid levy, work passes applications & renewals fees, her own food, lodging, basic live-in amenities, and for some foreign country such as Indonesia, the maid must not pay for the passport renewal fees.
• MOM Programme: Attend SIP to learn about her rights in Singapore.
• Infringement: Helper must not be advertised like goods, that would denigrate her dignity in Singapore.

Welfare Group Support for foreign Helper

• Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME), provides shelter for abused foreign Helpers, free Legal aid, Education & Training programmes .
• Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE), provides free Advisory services on Employment matters, free legal clinics (through partners), free Dispute Resolution service.
• Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST), provides free legal clinics by Volunteer Lawyers, free mediation service by accredited Volunteer Mediators.
• Aidha, provides financial literacy and confidence skills to FDW at an affordable cost.

No. It's illegal for a Foreign Domestic Helper to work part time under Singapore law.

Yes. Under MOM regulations, you can do one of the following if you are going overseas for work or holidays:

• Leave her at home.
• Allow her to return to her home country for home leave.
• Leave her with a friend or relative (subject to MOM approval).
• Leave her with your Maid Agency (subject to MOM approval).

Yes. All Employers must provide one rest day every week under MOM regulations.

However, the law allows few flexibilities as long as Employer and Helper reach a mutual agreement.

• Rest days do not have to be on Sundays.
• Helper must be willing to forgoes her rest day and Employer must not force Helper to work on rest day.
• If Helper agrees to work on rest day, Employer must compensate either a one day’s wage for each rest day or a replacement rest day within the same month.

Yes, as long as the Employer and FDW reach a mutual agreement that the rest day is on Sundays. The rest day should be decided at the time of signing the contract. This help to prevent any misunderstanding and mismatch at early stage.

No. Any day can be a rest day. However it is a common practice for most Helpers in Singapore to rest on Sundays. It allows them to go to church, attend team building activities, workshops and learning events from welfare groups, take up a self-improvement class, and to meet up with friends or relatives who also have their Sunday off.

If the rest day falls on another day, your Helper may not have anyone to meet or a desire place to go.

For families who are not able to provide all Sundays off may offer a self-improvement course to Helpers on a weekday or saturdays. Helpers may able to meet other foreign Helpers while attending the course. For examples; Conversational English / Mandarin course, cooking, tailoring, infact care, elder care and basic computer course.

Not enforced by Singapore law. It's based upon mutual agreement between Employer and Helper.

It is often a mistaken assumption that Employer must compulsory give public holidays to FDW under Singapore’s main labour law namely Employment Act. However FDWs are not covered by Employment Act hence they are NOT entitled to Singapore Public Holidays. Infact, FDWs are covered by another law called Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA).

In case of an Employer is willing to give public holidays to FDW, the Employment contract must clearly lay down the terms. Examples:

• Helper is entitled to 11 paid public holidays a year.
• If Helper works on a public holiday with consent from both parties, compensation can be made by an extra day’s salary to the Domestic Helper or a replacement day within the same month.
• If the holiday falls on a rest day, the next working day will be a paid holiday.

The 11 public holidays are:

• New Year’s Day.
• Chinese New Year – first day.
• Chinese New Year – second day.
• Hari Raya Puasa.
• Hari Raya Haji.
• Good Friday.
• Labour Day.
• Vesak Day.
• National Day.
• Deepavali.
• Christmas Day.

Yes. There are two types of medical examinations that are mandatory for every Foreign Domestic Helper.

• A Pre-Employment medical examination upon entry to Singapore. This must be taken within 2 weeks of her arrival in Singapore. The medical examination screens the FDW for four types of infectious diseases (tuberculosis, HIV, syphilis and malaria) and checks if she is fit to work
• The Six-monthly medical examination (6ME) is a medical screening every 6 months. This medical examination screens for pregnancy and infectious diseases such as syphilis, HIV and tuberculosis. If your maid is 50 yrs old or above, she doesn’t need to go for 6ME.

This is not clearly defined in MOM legislation.

We've put together the non-approved works from the press and MOM website. This includes but not limited to:

• Not allowed to work in Employer’s business, even if the business is operated from home. For examples; walking the dog as pet boarders, temple medium assistants, working in commercial establishments as sales girl, cashier, waitress, cook, dish washer, cleaning Employer's offices / restaurants.
• Not allowed to perform household chores in an unsafe manner. For examples,
  • Prune trees.
  • Clean the gutters of rooftops.
  • Window & laundry duties: Lean too far out of the window, Stand on tiptoe, chairs or raised platforms, mats or slippery surfaces.
  • Not allowed to clean outside of the windows if there are no window grilles installed.

Not allowed as professional car washer. Only allowed for cleaning as part of household work.

Yes. Each household can hire up to two foreign Helpers under MOM regulations. You need to meet these MOM requirements:

• You have any of these family members living with you;.
• At least 2 children below 18 yrs old.
• A parent or parent-in-law over 60 yrs old.
• You can provide sufficient privacy and sleeping space in the house for the two foreign Helpers.
• You have the financial ability to hire, maintain and upkeep two foreign Helpers in acceptable accommodation.

Not enforced by Singapore law. It's based upon mutual agreement between Employer and Helper.

Under MOM regulations, Employer must do these within 1 week of knowing that their Helper is missing:

1. File a missing person police report.
2. Cancel the Work Permit (to stop the monthly levy payment).

If the Domestic Helper is still not found within 1 month from the date the Work Permit was cancelled, S$2,500 (half of the S$5,000 security bond) will be forfeited to cover the repatriation cost when the Domestic Helper is later found.

Subsequently, if the Domestic Helper has left Singapore, Employer can apply for a refund of the forfeited security bond.

Under MOM regulations, Employer is not liable if foreign Helper is pregnant, and will not lose the S$5,000 security bond if Employer can prove that (1) they have informed her of the Work Permit conditions, and (2) report a violation to MOM when Employer first become aware of it.

The Employer must and is obligated to inform MOM. One way is through iSubmit web portal with the following details:

• Name of foreign Helper.
• Work Permit number.
• Doctor’s letter confirming the pregnancy and her expected delivery date.
• Citizenship of the foreign Helper's spouse (if applicable).

Thereafter, the Domestic Helper's work permit would be cancelled and Employer must pay for the air ticket to repatriate the foreign Helper.

The Maid must leave Singapore within 2 weeks from the work permit expiration or cancellation date. Check out preparation checklist from MOM before her work permit expiration and cancellation.

Home Leave or Overseas Leave allow FDW, your maid to return to their home country for at least 7 days for every employment contract. This only apply if the Maid get to renew her contract with the same Employer. Home leave can be paid or unpaid which should be decided at the time of signing the contract. Do note that some FDW embassies may set the minimum days for Home Leave if Employers wish to renew their Maid Contract.

Yes. Many agencies offer an affordable package for Employer who found their own Domestic Helper from friends, relatives or other source. Maid Agency can help out with the legal paperwork and procedures.

The average cost of hiring a maid in Singapore for a 2-years contract is between S$20,719 ~ S$33,447.

The Maid Agencies Fees can range between S$1,000 ~ S$1,500 based on a survey of 18 Singapore licensed agencies in year 2020. Generally, there are four main factors influencing the maid agency fees; maid nationality, maid type, third party costs and how much you need the services of the agencies.

Singapore laws do not prescribe minimum salary for foreign Helper but there could be a minimum wage imposed by the foreign country.

Foreign Domestic Helper Salary Guide Year 2020

See breakdown details.

Employers must pay foreign Helper her SALARY IN FULL under MOM regulations. No deductions are allowed from her salary, for examples:

• To cover the damages to household equipment.
• To cover her upkeep and maintenance costs such as food, lodging, medical and dental expenses.
• To penalise her for performance issues.
• To penalise her for coming home late on her rest day.
• When you are at overseas holidaying, and you left her with a friend, relative or Maid Agency.

It is a security deposit (in the form of Banker's or Insurer’s Guarantee) or cash deposit of S$5,000 required by MOM for every foreign Helper (non-Malaysian) to work in Singapore.

The security bond or "runaway bond", is not to be confused with the "embassy bond" or the "performance bond". This bond is a binding pledge to pay Singapore government if either Employer or foreign Helper fails to comply with Singapore laws.

• Emloyer or Helper violates any of the conditions of the Work Permit or security bond.
• Employer fails to prove that they have informed Helper of the Work Permit conditions and fails to report the violation when first become aware of it, in the event when Helper failed to comply the Work Permit conditions.
• Employer don’t pay Helper's salary on time.
• Employer fails to send the Domestic Helper home when her Work Permit is expired, revoked or cancelled.
• Helper goes missing.

• Helper's Work Permit is cancelled.
• Helper left Singapore and returned to her home country.
• Helper is transferred to another new Employer.

Employer can purchase a Bond Waiver (e.g. security bond insurance) from a insurance company to issue a Letter of Guarantee for the S$5,000 security on their behalf to MOM, so they don't have to put up a cash deposit.

In this case, Employer only pay for the premium. However, depending on the insurance package and options you purchase, Employer may still be liable for the S$5,000 if Employer or foreign Helper fails to comply with Singapore laws. Meaning, if MOM claims for full S$5,000, the insurer will pay first to MOM and collect from Employer later. An optional Waiver of Indemnity limits Employer's S$5,000 bond liability to a smaller amount, usually somewhere around S$250, if the breach of the bond is not due to Employer's fault.

Maid levy or Foreign Worker Levy, is a pricing mechanism to regulate the number of foreign workers in Singapore. While the Employer don’t have to pay Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for the foreign Helper, they must pay a monthly levy for her. Employer must pay the levy via General Interbank Recurring Order (GIRO) and levy ends when the Work Permit is cancelled or expires.

The levy rate for foreign Helper of FDW is:

This depends on your Maid Insurance policy. Generally, many insurance company have similar refund policy whereby, if you cancel the maid insurance policy, you will receive a refund of premium based on the unexpired period of insurance.

However, there may be no refund if:

• Policy (with coverage less than 26 months) is cancelled after 180 days from the start date.
• Policy (with coverage 26 months) is cancelled after 365 days from the start date.
• There has been a claim made under the policy.

This depends on the foreign embassy. Currently, the Embassy of Indonesia regulations require Employer to pay for all passport renewal fees. In many cases, Employers pay for their Helper's passport renewal fees regardless of country.

Often we get confused by the term, 'Placement Fee'. The Placement Fee by MOM definition, is the (1) service fee charged on the FDW by the Agency, and (2) the personal loan incurred by FDW overseas.

It's important to know that the Agency will charge a separate service fee to both Employer and FDW. Although it is not compulsory for Employer to pay on behalf of the FDW, FDW may still require a salary advance from her new employer to help pay the remaining loan or monies owned to her agent.

1. Service Fee charged to FDW

   The FDW is also a client of the Agency. The Agency has a duty to serve and provide assistance to its FDW in Singapore. They are legally responsible for FDW's food, upkeeping & lodging, from her arrival until she is successfully placed for employment, and if not successful placed, agency must bear the repatriation cost. In return, the FDW pays a Service Fee to her Agency. However, the MOM imposed that the Service Fee should not exceed 2 month's salary of the FDW for a two years contract.

2. FDW Personal Loan

   Like many professions, a prospect maid would also take up loan to finance her training courses in her home country, passport applications, medical checks, and any fees incurred from her home training center and home agency. In most cases, the maid can only start to pay for her loan when found a job.

In short, the Placement Fee (as we commonly refer as Maid Loan in Singapore) may incurred from FDW's unpaid personal loan before she came to Singapore to work, and the service fees incurred from the Agency in Singapore. Usually, any up-front payment that Employer pays to the Maid Agency on behalf of the FDW is subsequently deducted from the Maid's salary in monthly instalments for an agreed time period.

• MOM's regulation on Placement fee
• Agency's Right on Service Fee

There is no fixed price for placement fee as it depends on the total amount of loan taken by FDW. Generally, it could range between S$1,000 ~ S$2,000+, estimated from a 2 to 4 months of a New Maid's monthly salary. In most cases, there is no placement fee for Transfer Maid if all her loan has been paid off.

Employer must pay $35 for each renewal which is usually valid for 2 years. Payment can be done online at MOM website. MOM will send the renewal letter about 8 weeks before the helper’s Work Permit expires.

Using a Maid Agency saves you time and money, and the inconvenience of running around to get things done. In the event that the Domectic Helper is not suitable, most Agencies will provide a replacement for free or at a fee. Generally, they take all the hard work and hassles away from you.

Read Top 9 reasons why Maid Agency is useful to you.

The Maid Agencies can help you in many ways from screening to hiring to sending the Domestic Helper safely to your door, and resolving issues that you might have after Helper starts working for you.

Generally, the Maid Agency offers a range of specialist services such as Maid Replacement, Home Leaves application, Maid Counselling, Maid Repatriation, Temporary Lodging, and any other services to suit different households and unexpected events. Read full article.

MOM statistics shows a total of 1,959 licensed Maid Agencies in Singapore as of Oct 2020. However only 988 are active in placements with an average of 80 FDWs per year.

There are a total of 79,362 FDWs of different nationalities placed by Maid Agencies over a 12 months period and this number continues to grow over the time.

Under MOM regulations, you must meet these eligibility criteria before hiring a FDW.

• Singapore citizens, permanent residents and foreign expats with valid Employment or work passes.
• 21 yrs old and above.
• Not an undischarged bankrupt.
• Have the financial ability to hire, maintain and upkeep the FDW in an acceptable accommodation.
• Have the mental capacity to fully understand and discharge your responsibility as an Employer.
• Not diagnosed with any medical condition that would impair your ability to exercise supervision and control over the well-being of the FDW. Examples of such medical conditions include Alzheimer, dementia and schizophrenia which can cause symptoms such as severe memory lapses, confusion, emotional instability, progressive loss of mental ability, paranoia, etc.

Yes. If you hold an Employment Pass or S Pass, you can Employ a foreign Helper in Singapore by providing the following documents to MOM:

• Your passport.
• Your work pass or your spouse's Long Term Pass.
• Your child's birth certificate or student pass (for Long Term Visit Pass holders).
• You and your spouse's Income Tax Notice of Assessment for the current or previous assessment year (if any). Alternatively, you can give your consent to the Controller of Work Passes to verify your income with the Comptroller of Income Tax..
• If you or your spouse are unable to produce Income Tax Notice of Assessment, you must give the reasons in writing and an Employment letter from your company (on the company's letterhead) stating the Employment start date and the monthly salary.

Read the Expat's Guide to Employing a Domestic Worker in Singapore, published in British Chamber of Commerce website.

Under Minister of Manpower (MOM) regulations, you need to do the following:

• If this is your first time to Employ a foreign Helper in Singapore, you need to take the Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP) to learn about the role and responsibilities as an Employer under Singapore Law.
• If your foreign Helper is a first-time foreign domestic worker (FDW) in Singapore, she needs to attend the Settling-In Programme (SIP) to learn on her rights and safety precautions to live in Singapore. A first-time FDW is a person who:
  • Doesn’t have an Employment record with MOM’s Work Pass Division.
  • Has Work Permit records with MOM but did not collect her Work Permit card, or collected the card but did not eventually work in Singapore.

The Employers’ Orientation Programme (EOP) is a 3-hour programme that help you to understand your role and responsibilities as an Employer to a foreign Helper in Singapore. Under MOM regulations, you must attend the EOP if you are hiring a foreign Helper for the first time in Singapore or have changed maids frequently. This applies even if you are an foreign expat, bringing in your own Helper from overseas.

You can take the EOP either in the classroom or online. You may appoint a representative to attend the EOP on your behalf if one of the following applies to you:

• Suffer from a chronic medical condition.
• Have a physical disability and are unable to walk.
• Are 60 yrs old and above and suffer physical discomfort.
• Are a new or expectant mother (within 1 month)

Generally three times within a year period before you are being considered as a Frequent Change Employer. Under MOM regulations, if you want to hire a 4th Helper within one year you must either:

• Attend a classroom Employers’ Orientation Programme (EOP), OR.
• Attend an interview with MOM before processing your application. You cannot appoint a representative to attend on your behalf.

Yes, you may apply to MOM to get a short Work Permit extension for your foreign Helper if you meet certain situations.

The MOM and non-governmental organisations have provided various services or ways to protect and support Employers. The following includes but not limited to:

• Foreign Helper, or Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW)
  • Punitive actions for FDWs working illegally or part time for another Employer.
  • Punitive actions for FDWs falsely alleged that she was ill-treated by her Employer.
  • Employer is not liable if foreign Helper got pregnant.
  • MOM bans irresponsible foreign Helper permanently from working in Singapore.
  • Employers can use the MOM WP portal to check the Employment record of a prospect FDW before hiring.
  • Employers can report any possible infringements by FDW through confidential channels.
• Maid Agencies, or Employment Agencies (EAs)
  • MOM requires all Maid Agencies' fee must be made transparent to its client. The Agents must provide a clear breakdown fee in writing on what's been charged to Employer.
  • MOM rolls out Demerit points system, like a performance scorecard, as a means to encourage Agencies with poor MOM records to improve their performance. Some severe cases, agencies may lose their security deposit and have their license suspended or revoked.
  • MOM provides the EA Directory web portal for anyone to check for Maid Agencies' service quality and performance before hiring.
  • Employer can report any possible infringements by Maid Agencies through confidential channels.
  • Starting October 2021, MOM aims to work with Maid Agencies to bring back overseas FDWs who completed their contract (usually 2-years term), adjusted well in Singapore and have had good working relationships with previous Employers.
  • Starting October 2021, MOM requires all Maid Agencies to provide an option for a refund of at least 50% of the service fee charged to FDW Employers when an FDW Employment ends prematurely (e.g. within the first 6 months). MOM aims to ensure Maid Agencies take greater ownership in finding suitable and better matches for Employers.
• Support for Employer
  • MOM provides caregiver grants and subsidies for families to train the helper on elder care and special care.
  • MOM published a General Checklist for hiring a FDW.
  • MOM published a General Practical Advice for hiring an FDW.
  • Non-governmental organisations provides free Dispute Resolution Services to help resolve issues instead of ending the working relationship between Employers, foreign Helpers and Maid Agencies.
    • Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE), provides free Advisory services on Employment matters, free legal clinics (through partners).
    • Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST), provides free legal clinics by Volunteer Lawyers, free mediation service by accredited Volunteer Mediators.
  • Starting October 2020, MOM aims to provide more Employment record on the previous Singapore work experience of a prospect FDW to help better matches of Employer-Maid. This includes the key job scope, residence type and household size, and the reason for leaving the last employment.