How many days of home leave can I give my Filipino helper?

Singapore law sets no statutory minimum; home leave is contractual between you and your helper. MOM says a common practice among employers is 14 days of paid overseas leave for every two years worked. To qualify for the MOM levy waiver, the trip must be at least 7 consecutive days, and the waiver is capped at 60 calendar days per calendar year.

Do I still need an OEC in 2026, or has the OFW Travel Pass replaced it?

For workers returning to the same employer, DMW Advisory No. 38 of November 2025 introduced the OFW Travel Pass in the eGovPH app, valid 90 days from issuance and renewable by the worker. It covers Balik-Manggagawa workers, including those with OEC exemptions. Workers who changed employer or jobsite are referred for in-person processing, where MWO Singapore verifies the contract and an OEC valid 60 days is issued.

Will my Singapore maid insurance cover her while she is in the Philippines?

It depends on your policy wording. MOM requires medical cover with at least a S$60,000 annual claim limit and personal accident cover of at least S$60,000, and describes this in terms of her stay in Singapore. Check the territorial limits clause or ask your insurer whether home leave claims are covered, and consider separate travel cover if there is a gap.

What if her work permit is close to expiring during home leave?

MOM says that if your helper plans to travel overseas just before her Work Permit expires, you should renew it before she leaves Singapore. MOM sends the renewal letter about 8 weeks before expiry, so plan the leave around it. Also make sure her OFW Travel Pass or OEC exemption reflects her real return flight date.

Does my Filipino helper need a new contract verification every time she renews with me?

No. MWO Singapore says contract verification is not required for each contract renewal. It is only needed if she was not previously registered with DMW, has changed employer, changed jobsite or changed position. For a same-employer renewal, she can apply for an OEC exemption through her DMW E-Registration account, attaching the new contract alongside her previously verified one if the old contract has expired.

How much does contract verification cost at MWO Singapore?

MWO Singapore's guide lists a verification fee of SGD 15, payable in cash only at the appointment, booked through go.mwosingapore.online. For domestic workers, bring the original contract signed by both employer and worker, copies of her passport and work pass, and a photocopy of the employer's NRIC with a signature specimen. MWO then emails the OEC, valid 60 days, for workers with previous records.

Home Leave for Filipino Maids in Singapore: OFW Travel Pass, OEC & OWWA 2026

Published: 19 May 2026Last updated: 22 September 2026

TL;DR: Before your Filipino helper flies home she needs a valid, verified employment contract, an active OWWA membership and an exit clearance: an OEC exemption or, since DMW Advisory No. 38 of November 2025, the digital OFW Travel Pass in the eGovPH app (valid 90 days). On the Singapore side, if she is away at least 7 consecutive days you can claim the MOM levy waiver after she returns.

Sending a Filipino helper on home leave from Singapore involves more paperwork than most nationalities. Filipino helpers sit inside a Philippine government system run by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and its Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Singapore. According to MWO Singapore's guidance for OFWs returning to the Philippines, a worker going home on leave with the intent to return needs a valid and verified contract, a valid Work Permit, a valid OEC (or OEC exemption) and a valid OWWA membership.

Layer the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) levy waiver rules on top and you have a three-way coordination job: Philippine paperwork, Singapore paperwork, and a flight booking that satisfies both. This guide walks through the 2026 process, including the new OFW Travel Pass, the levy waiver e-service, what happens if her exit clearance expires while she is abroad, and the insurance coverage questions to settle before she flies.

Written by Yvonne, EA Personnel, Upwill Employment (EA Licence 24C2628). Last updated 22 September 2026. About the reviewer.

Filipino helper packing a suitcase in a Singapore HDB bedroom before her home leave flight

What home leave entitlement does your Filipino helper have?

Home leave is contractual in Singapore, not statutory, and the general rules are the same for every nationality. They are covered in our main maid home leave guide, including whether the leave is paid and who pays the ticket.

The Filipino-specific point: the employment contract verified by MWO Singapore is the one the Philippine side will look at, so make sure the leave terms you agreed are the ones written in it. See our work permit renewal guide for sequencing leave with a renewal.

OEC, OEC exemption and the new OFW Travel Pass

Blank cream certificate and navy passport on a wooden desk representing the OEC / OFW Travel Pass process

The Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) is the Philippine government's exit clearance for Filipinos working overseas. Without a valid exit clearance, she may be stopped when leaving the Philippines to return to Singapore.

What changed recently:

OFW Travel Pass (November 2025). DMW Advisory No. 38, Series of 2025, dated 27 November 2025, introduced the OFW Travel Pass in the eGovPH app. It initially covers all rehire or returning workers (Balik-Manggagawa), including those who obtained OEC exemptions online. It is issued only to workers returning to the same employer and destination country, is valid for 90 days from issuance, and can be voided or renewed by the worker at any time. It also serves as proof of overseas employment for travel tax and terminal fee exemptions.
OEC exemption for same-employer returns. MWO Singapore's guide on printing an OEC exemption says a worker who has renewed her contract with the same employer, in the same position and jobsite, can log in to onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph, update her passport and visa details, choose Balik Manggagawa, confirm she is returning to the same employer and position, and print the OEC exemption.
Printed passes still count. The advisory says printed OFW Passes issued through existing DMW Online Services remain valid exit clearances.

When she does need to see MWO in person: MWO Singapore verifies contracts for workers who are not previously registered, have changed employers, changed jobsite or changed position. The DMW advisory adds that workers who changed employer or jobsite are referred for in-person processing at a DMW Regional Office or Migrant Workers Office. A routine renewal with you does not need re-verification.

OWWA membership: check it before booking flights

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) runs the Philippine welfare fund for OFWs. MWO Singapore lists a valid OWWA membership as one of the documents a worker needs for home leave, and says membership is renewed every two years, regardless of the employer.

Before you book the ticket, ask your helper to check her OWWA status in the OWWA Mobile app. If it has lapsed, she can renew at MWO Singapore by booking an appointment at go.mwosingapore.online. MWO Singapore's office line is +65 6040 6506 and the OWWA office line is +65 6040 6507, as listed on the MWO Singapore website.

When she needs an MWO Singapore appointment

If her contract needs verification (new employer, new position, or no previous DMW record), the steps in MWO Singapore's contract verification guide are:

Book an appointment at go.mwosingapore.online under Labor Services.
Create or update her free DMW E-Registration account at onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph.
Bring the original employment contract signed by both of you, a photocopy of her valid Philippine passport and a photocopy of her work pass.
For domestic workers, bring a photocopy of your NRIC with your signature specimen.
Pay the verification fee of SGD 15, cash only, and collect the verified contract and receipt.

MWO says that for workers with previous records, the OEC is then generated and emailed, valid for 60 days. MWO Singapore is at 20 Nassim Road, Singapore 258395.

MOM levy waiver during home leave

The levy waiver works the same for Filipino helpers as for any other nationality: at least 7 consecutive days overseas, capped at 60 calendar days a year, claimed after she returns. Our main home leave guide walks through the claim step by step, including deferring her six-monthly medical exam if it falls during the trip.

Employer letter template (optional supporting document)

Blank formal letterhead and a fountain pen ready for the employer's undertaking letter

MWO Singapore's published checklist for domestic workers asks for your signed contract and a copy of your NRIC with your signature specimen, not a separate letter. Some helpers still like to carry a short employer letter confirming the trip and her return date. If she asks for one, this template covers the key details:

Sample template (adapt the bracketed details):

[Your full name, NRIC]
[Residential address, Singapore postal code]
[Date]

To: The Migrant Workers Office, Singapore
20 Nassim Road, Singapore 258395

Subject: Confirmation of Employment and Home Leave for [Helper full name]

Dear Sir / Madam,

I, [Your full name], holder of NRIC No. [NRIC], residing at [address], confirm that I am the employer of [Helper full name], Philippine Passport No. [passport number], holding Singapore Work Permit No. [WP number] valid until [date].

I confirm the following:

1. [Helper name] will be travelling to the Philippines on home leave from [departure date] to [return date].
2. Her air ticket arrangements are as follows: [paid by employer / paid by helper / as agreed].
3. Her employment with me will continue upon her return on [return date]. Her Singapore Work Permit remains valid and has not been cancelled.
4. I will honour all terms of her existing employment contract on her return.

Should any further information be required, I may be reached at [mobile] or [email].

Yours faithfully,

[Signature]
[Your full name]
NRIC: [NRIC]

Who pays for the ticket is for the two of you to agree: MOM's FAQ on overseas leave air tickets says it should be settled at the start of employment, or by written mutual agreement if the contract is silent.

Does maid insurance cover your helper during home leave?

MOM requires medical insurance with an annual claim limit of at least S$60,000 and personal accident insurance with a sum assured of at least S$60,000, and its insurance requirements page describes that cover in terms of your helper's stay in Singapore. Whether your policy responds to an illness or accident while she is in the Philippines depends on its own wording.

Before she flies:

Read your policy's territorial limits clause, or ask your insurer directly whether claims arising during personal home leave are covered. See our maid insurance comparison for what to look for, and our helper insurance page.
Confirm her OWWA membership is active, since MWO lists it as a home leave requirement anyway.
If there is a gap, consider separate travel cover for the leave window.

What to do if her exit clearance expires while she is abroad

An OEC issued after contract verification is valid for 60 days, and the OFW Travel Pass for 90 days from issuance. If she extends her stay and the document lapses before her flight back to Singapore:

OFW Travel Pass holders: DMW Advisory No. 38 says the worker can renew the pass herself at any time in the eGovPH app, without filing a service ticket.
OEC exemption holders: she can log in to onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph and generate a new exemption with her updated flight date, as long as she is returning to you in the same position.
If her details changed (for example a new contract that has not been recorded), the DMW system refers her to a DMW Regional Office or Migrant Workers Office for in-person processing, so allow extra time.

For DMW helpdesk support, the advisory lists [email protected]. As the employer, your role is to confirm the new return date in writing and make sure it falls before her Work Permit expiry.

Helper's return to Singapore: work permit continuity and re-entry

The Work Permit stays valid while she is overseas as long as you have not cancelled it and it has not expired. MOM says she should bring her passport and digital work pass (SGWorkPass app) or Work Permit card to re-enter.
If her permit expires around the trip, MOM's renewal page says to renew it before she leaves Singapore. MOM sends the renewal letter about 8 weeks before expiry.
SG Arrival Card: ICA requires work pass holders to submit the free SG Arrival Card within three days before arrival, including the day of arrival.
Six-monthly medical examination: if you deferred it, arrange it after she is back.

Filipino home leave checklist (employer-side)

☐ Agree home leave dates, pay and ticket arrangements in writing (at least 7 consecutive days to qualify for the levy waiver)
☐ Confirm the Work Permit is valid through her planned return date, or renew before she flies
☐ Ask her to check her OWWA membership in the OWWA Mobile app and renew at MWO if expired
☐ Confirm her contract is verified; if not, book an MWO appointment and give her a copy of your NRIC with your signature specimen
☐ Ask her to generate her OFW Travel Pass in eGovPH or print her OEC exemption
☐ Book the round-trip flight
☐ Check your maid insurance wording for overseas cover
☐ Defer her 6-monthly medical exam via MOM if it falls during leave
☐ Remind her to submit the SG Arrival Card before flying back
☐ After her return: file the levy waiver via Check and pay levy within one year of the bill

If you're handling your first Filipino home leave and would like a licensed EA to talk you through it, see our placement and renewal services. For broader background, see our Filipino helper hiring guide and the nationality comparison.

About the reviewer: Yvonne is an EA Personnel with Upwill Employment (EA Licence 24C2628). Source documents reviewed on 22 September 2026: MOM levy waiver, DMW Advisory No. 38, s. 2025 and MWO Singapore guidance for OFWs returning to the Philippines.