Hiring Maid Singapore: What are the steps involved?

Last Update: January 29, 2024

The following steps are applicable to employer who engages a maid or employment agency to do the paper work and the selected maid is still in her home country. Steps may be slightly different for those maids who are already in Singapore.

1. Hiring Maid - Select a right agency to help you

You can find licensed maid agencies with basic information through the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) website at http://mom.gov.sg/eadirectory/Pages/search.aspx This MOM website also provides important information that relates to the service standard of the employment agencies.

The MOM website will provide some data about the maid agency such as the number of years of establishment, placement volume, transfer rate and retention rate.

In our directory of maid agencies, we have filtered out those maid agencies with demerit points, low placement volume or low customer rating, this hopes to help you in your search for a reliable maid agency.

We also sort the maid agencies by location so that you can find one that is near your home.

2. Hiring Maid - Search and select your desired maid

Once you decide to engage a maid agency, the maid agency will send you a list of maid biodata for your selection based on your requirement such as number of years of experience, nationality of the migrant domestic helper.

From the list of maid biodatas, you can narrow it down to a few for interview.

For some agencies, you can have a webcam interview or telephone interview of your desired foreign domestic worker even they are not in Singapore. You need to make an appointment with your maid or employment agency.

Do raise your expectation during your interview with the selected maid. If you need the maid to look after your baby, you need to ask the selected maid about whether she can handle the baby or not.

3. Hiring Maid - Employer attends the Employers Orientation Program (EOP)

This is a 3 hour program designed to help the employer of the foreign domestic worker who hires the foreign domestic worker for the first time.

This program is also compulsory for those employer who change their helper frequently.

For first time employer of the migrant domestic helper, you can choose to attend the program online.

Under certain conditions, employer is allowed to appoint a representative or a sponsor to attend the EOP. Detailed conditions are stated below:

Conditions	And one of the following applies to you
Chronic medical condition. or Physical disability or 60 years old and above and suffer physical discomfort.	Have a sponsor or representative (above 21 years old) who has attended EOP on your behalf. Have a sponsor or sponsor's spouse who has employed an MDW.
New or expectant mother	Your date of delivery is within 1 month from the date you applied for your spouse to represent you to attend the EOP. You delivered a child within 1 month or less from the date you applied for your spouse to represent you to attend the EOP.

4. Hiring Maid - Apply work permit for the selected maid

This can be done online or your maid agency will do it for you. At the same time, you need to purchase the personal accident insurance for your maid and get the security bond. You can get all these done through an insurer like NTUC income. Some maid agencies will process all these on your behalf or it is covered in their service packages.

5. Hiring Maid - Medical examination

You must send your migrant domestic worker (MDW) for a medical examination by a Singapore-registered doctor before you can get her Work Permit issued. The helper will only get her permit when she passes the medical examination.

Maid agency will usually do this part on your behalf.

6. Hiring Maid - Documentation, collect the maid at the airport and bring the maid for a medical checkup

This usually is done by the employment agency.

Within 7 days after arrival in Singapore, the maid has to attend a compulsory safety awareness course and also pass the MOM-stipulated test.

Again, many employment agencies will do all these works for you in this step. So do remember to check with the employment agency that you engage.

Hiring Maid - Common Questions about the procedure

Questions 1. How long does the whole procedure take?

Answer: It usually takes about 4 to 6 weeks. If the maid has already had passport, the processing time will be about 10 days.

Question 2: What are the countries can I employ maid from?

Answer: You can only employ maid from the MOM approved sources of countries. These countries include Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh.

Question 3: What is the minimum sum insured for personal accident insurance ?

Answer: Employers need to purchase personal accident insurance coverage for the maid and the minimum sum insured is $60,000.

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