Criteria to Hire a Maid in Singapore: Full MOM Eligibility Guide (2026)
TL;DR: MOM's core criteria to hire a maid in Singapore (2026) are: be 21 or older, not be an undischarged bankrupt, have the mental capacity to discharge your duties as an employer, complete the EOP if you are a first-time employer, and show the care-giving need and financial ability to maintain a helper in acceptable accommodation. MOM does not publish the exact income it requires.
Most "am I eligible to hire a helper?" questions have a clean answer once you know which MOM rule applies. This guide walks through every criteria to hire a maid in Singapore that MOM checks before approving a Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW) Work Permit in 2026, so you can self-screen before paying any agency. Every rule links to the MOM page we checked on 22 September 2026.
If you already know you qualify and want the procedure, see our companion piece on how to apply for a domestic helper in Singapore (2026). This article is the eligibility deep dive that should come first.
Reviewed by Yvonne, Placement Consultant at Upwill Employment Services (MOM EA Licence 24C2628). Last reviewed May 2026. Facts re-checked against MOM sources on 22 September 2026.
1. Age requirement: 21 and above
MOM's employer requirements start with age: you must be 21 years old and above. There is no upper age limit. If you are 60 or older, not earning an income and not living with any working adults, the Sponsorship Scheme lets family members sponsor your application.
2. Citizenship and residency
- Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents apply under the standard rules, and are the ones eligible for the Joint Income and Sponsorship Schemes.
- Employment Pass and S Pass holders can apply for an MDW Work Permit, according to MOM's FAQ. MOM asks for documents such as your passport, work pass and Income Tax Notice of Assessment.
- Long-Term Visit Pass holders are eligible, provided the pass is valid when the Work Permit application is made and all other criteria are met (MOM FAQ).
If your pass type is not listed here, check with MOM before paying any agency deposit.
3. Income: what MOM actually says
MOM is explicit that it does not reveal the exact minimum income. Household income or monthly salary is a qualifying criterion, set with the realistic overall cost of a helper in mind: salary, levy, insurance, food and other expenses. MOM also considers your care-giving needs, such as young children or elderly family members.
Any single dollar figure you see online is an estimate, not an MOM rule. What MOM does allow:
- Combined spousal income for married couples.
- Joint Income Scheme: add one family member's income (see special cases).
- Sponsorship Scheme: for applicants aged 60 and above with no household income.
Plan the full monthly picture, not just the bar. Our cost of hiring a maid in Singapore (2026) guide breaks down levy, salary, food and insurance.
4. Mental capacity to discharge employer duties
You must have the mental capacity to fully understand and discharge your responsibility as an employer. MOM gives examples of diagnosed conditions that impair the ability to supervise a helper, such as Alzheimer's, dementia and schizophrenia.
The same mental capacity requirement applies to applicants under the Joint Income and Sponsorship Schemes.
5. Bankruptcy
You must not be an undischarged bankrupt. Once you have been discharged, this criterion no longer blocks you, subject to meeting every other rule.
6. Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP)
If you are a first-time employer of a helper, you must attend the Employers' Orientation Programme before you can apply for a Work Permit, and finish it at least 2 working days before you submit the application. MOM lists online fees from $29.98 to $35.65 and classroom fees from $35.65 to $76.30, depending on provider and language.
MOM's EOP requirement is for first-time employers. A separate rule applies to employers who change helpers often: if you are employing your 4th helper within a 12-month period, you must attend the CONNECT Workshop run by the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore). It is a 1-hour mandatory session costing $80.
7. Accommodation requirements
You must provide acceptable accommodation, adequate food and medical treatment. MOM's employer guide sets out what acceptable accommodation means:
- Adequate shelter from sun, rain and strong winds.
- Basic amenities: at minimum a mattress, a pillow and a blanket.
- Sufficient ventilation, with a fan if natural ventilation is inadequate.
- Safety and sanitation: not sleeping near dangerous equipment or structures, or near wet areas such as the toilet.
- Modesty: she must not sleep in the same room as a male adult or teenager.
- Space and privacy: a separate room where possible; if not, enough space and privacy to sleep.
Even families in a 2-room HDB flat may qualify, but MOM says it will look at whether the helper has adequate privacy and sleeping space. If your layout is tight, see our helper room ideas for Singapore HDB (2026).
8. Your past record as an employer
Breaching Work Permit conditions carries penalties; MOM's employer guide lists offences such as failing to pay salary, failing to buy medical insurance, or failing to ensure the helper lives at your address, with fines of up to $10,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both. If MOM has barred you from employing a helper, you cannot apply. If you are unsure about your record, ask your employment agency to check before you commit to a candidate.
9. Special cases: work pass holders, single parents, joint applicants, seniors, second helpers
Employment Pass and S Pass holders
You can apply for an MDW Work Permit. MOM may ask for your Notice of Assessment, or a letter from your company showing your start date and monthly salary if you have no assessment yet.
Single parents
There is no separate scheme. You apply as the employer under the same rules, and MOM considers care-giving needs such as young children.
Joint Income Scheme
Under the Joint Income Scheme, you must be a Singapore Citizen or PR aged 21 and above, not an undischarged bankrupt, with the mental capacity to be an employer, and earn a higher salary than the family member whose income you add. Only one extra income can be included. That family member must live at the same address and cannot be your spouse; a sibling, parent, child or other relative qualifies.
Sponsorship Scheme (seniors)
The Sponsorship Scheme is for Singapore Citizens or PRs aged 60 and above who are not earning an income and not staying with any working adults. Up to two sponsors are allowed: children, children's spouses, grandchildren, grandchildren's spouses, or siblings. The senior applicant must still have the mental capacity to be an employer.
Households hiring a second helper
MOM weighs care-giving needs when assessing applications. If approved, the levy for each subsequent helper is $450 a month, compared with $300 for the first, unless your household qualifies for the $60 concessionary rate.
10. Common disqualifiers
- You are under 21.
- You are an undischarged bankrupt.
- You lack the mental capacity to discharge employer duties.
- You are a first-time employer and have not completed the EOP at least 2 working days before applying.
- MOM has barred you from employing a helper.
- You cannot provide acceptable accommodation.
- MOM is not satisfied with your financial ability to maintain the helper.
11. How to check your own eligibility (self-test)
- Confirm you are 21 or older and check your residency or pass type.
- Look at your household's monthly income against the realistic cost of a helper, including the $300 levy (or $60 concessionary), salary, insurance and food.
- Confirm you are not an undischarged bankrupt and not barred by MOM.
- First-time employer? Book the EOP and finish it at least 2 working days before applying.
- Map out the helper's sleeping arrangement against the MOM accommodation standards in section 7.
- If your own income is not enough, consider combined spousal income, the Joint Income Scheme, or the Sponsorship Scheme.
You can also pre-check the related cost commitments: the monthly FDW levy, the S$5,000 security bond, and mandatory helper insurance.
12. Eligibility checklist (print this)
| Criterion | Requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 21 or above | Pass / Fail |
| Residency or pass | SC, PR, Employment Pass, S Pass, or valid Long-Term Visit Pass | Pass / Fail |
| Financial ability | Able to maintain a helper; MOM does not publish the exact figure | Pass / Fail |
| Mental capacity | Able to understand and discharge employer duties | Pass / Fail |
| Bankruptcy | Not an undischarged bankrupt | Pass / Fail |
| EOP | Completed by first-time employers, at least 2 working days before applying | Pass / Fail |
| Accommodation | Shelter, bedding, ventilation, safety, modesty and privacy per MOM guide | Pass / Fail |
| Employer record | Not barred by MOM | Pass / Fail |
| Frequent changes | CONNECT Workshop done if this is your 4th helper within 12 months | Pass / Fail / N.A. |
All boxes ticked? Move on to the step-by-step application process.
Yvonne, Licensed Employment Agent, Upwill Employment Services (MOM EA Licence 24C2628). This article is general guidance and does not replace official MOM advice for your specific circumstances.