Foreign domestic workers (FDWs) have become an essential part of our lives – we can never have too many extra hands to help us with the numerous household chores and care for our loved ones. Hiring can, however, be a tough job. When it comes to scouting and hiring a housemaid in Singapore there are two distinct ways: either through an agency hire – i.e. going through a so-called ‘maid’ agency – or a direct hire – basically going for a DIY job. Obviously, both ways have their pros and cons.
Direct hiring a maid in Singapore
Direct hiring means taking ownership over the recruitment process and processing the paperwork yourself without the help of an agency – definitely has its perks as it allows you take full control over the hiring process and helps you reduce the costs associated with hiring a housemaid. First things first, you must look for a domestic helper on your own – there are many online forums, groups and notice boards where you can scout for a helper (word of mouth works well too!). HelperChoice can also be a great way to access and select from an extensive database of helper profiles looking to find employment in Singapore. HelperChoice has verified and ready-to-work applicants that you can directly contact within the platform.
Direct hires are cheaper than going through an agency, and also give both employers and foreign domestic workers more control over the entire hiring process. Fortunately, many of the required steps can now be done online – from finding the right candidate to applying for your maid’s work permit.
Notes on maid eligibility
When you are taking the direct hire route, you should ensure that your maid’s previous employer is willing to transfer her (if she is currently working for someone else). You should ask the candidate about this during the interview. If her current employer is not willing to transfer the maid, she will have to leave Singapore first before you can apply for her work permit – overseas processing. An employer may be more willing to assist with the transfer after speaking to you directly, so you might also consider asking for his or her contact details.
After finding the right maid to hire
Once you have found your match – and conducted interviews yourself – you will have to process the documents. It has become increasingly easier to do so in the past few years as MoM has been introducing new tools such as the Ministry of Manpower’s eService which enables employers to apply online for a work permit for the candidate of their choice without the assistance of an agency. If you are already familiar with the whole hiring process or if you have already found your match then direct hire might be the solution for you.
Work Permit application for FDW
You can submit an application for your maid’s work permit either online or manually at a SingPost branch.
If you choose the online route, you first need to apply for a ‘SingPass’ to access the Singapore government’s e-services platform, if you don’t already have one. You will have to wait for your password to be delivered (this takes about two days by post).
Make sure you have your foreign domestic worker’s passport details, as well as your personal particulars and proof of household income at hand. It should take one working day to process the online application, and employers can check the status online. If approved, employers will receive an in-principle approval (IPA) letter or a letter of notification if the worker has not worked in Singapore previously. Be sure to send this letter on to your foreign domestic worker as she will need it to enter the country.
Employers’ Orientation Programme for first-time employers
If you have never hired a maid in Singapore before, you will need to take the Employers’ Orientation Programme (EOP). Price is $35.65 for English, $40.75 for Mandarin, and $60 for Malay or Tamil. In-person and online options are both available. During the 3-hour EOP, you will be taught about your role as an employer of a domestic helper, as well as your obligations – such as buying the mandatory medical insurance and personal accident insurance. After you have attended the programme, you will have to wait at least two working days before you can submit the application for a work permit for your maid.
Buy Security Bond
Next, you will need to buy the security bond (for a non-Malaysian foreign domestic helper). This represents a pledge that employers will pay the government up to S$5,000 if they break the law regarding the employment of maids. In addition, the employer also needs to take out medical and personal accident insurance for his or her foreign domestic helper. To make things easier, the bond can be bought as a package together with the other insurances. The insurance company will notify the Ministry of Manpower after the purchase, which can take up to three working days.
Upon the maid’s arrival
After the maids arrive in Singapore, and if they have never worked in Singapore before, they must attend the Settling-in Programme (SIP), which costs the employer $75, within the first three working days. This is a training programme wherein the maids will be introduced to Singapore, the conditions of employment, safety in and around the house, and so on. Employers are advised to secure a training slot before their maids arrive.
Besides the SIP, your maid must also undergo a pre-employment medical examination before her work permit can be issued. This should be done within two weeks and she must bring the Ministry of Manpower’s medical examination form with her. In the unlikely case that the foreign helper does not pass the medical examination, she will be expatriated.
You are now ready to apply for a work permit. On a cautionary note, employers should ensure that they meet the ministry’s requirements regarding the minimum income needed to be eligible to hire a maid. They can also check if they qualify for a maid levy reduction – for example, when hiring a maid to care for Singaporean children or elderly family members, employers qualify for the concessionary levy rate of $60 (as opposed to $265).
Opting for agency hire
Hiring can be costly and time-consuming. It can also be sometimes quite tedious – especially for first-time employers. In certain cases, going through an agency can be helpful as the agency processes all the necessary paperwork to ensure that the helper of your choice gets a work permit. However, finding the right agency is not that easy as there are many out there and you need to make sure that they have no unethical practices – it can be as difficult as finding the right helper!
If you decide to go for agency hire, make sure that you approach your selected agency with your main requirements ready. Based on those, the agency will try to find a perfect match by selecting certain profiles among their pool of profiles. Resorting to an agency can be the smartest move (obviously, if you manage to find the right pick!) if you do not have much time to dedicate to the recruitment process as the agency will do all the work and hand the best matches on a silver platter! We recommend that you take time though to interview the various candidates.
Keep in mind that going through an agency can be extremely costly. Some of them charge exorbitant amounts, so make sure that you carefully pick your agency and that it is a licensed one (have a look at MoM’s list of licensed agencies). Fees vary greatly– don’t expect anything less than $400 – and can go as high as $2,000. So, you might want to do a little scouting first to find the agency that best matches your criteria in terms of price and desired services. If you are in need of an ethical agency to help with the paperwork, contact us for processing or an inquiries.
Conclusion
Direct hiring a domestic helper is a rewarding but responsible path. When you know the eligibility criteria, process steps, costs and rights involved, you can build a respectful, stable working relationship from the beginning.
At HelperChoice, we support transparent and ethical direct hiring. Visit www.helperchoice.com to browse verified helper profiles, access step-by-step hiring checklists, and get the guidance you need for smooth, compliant hiring in 2025.
Choose carefully. Hire ethically. Grow together.