First-Time Maid Employer Singapore: 50-Question FAQ for 2026

TL;DR: Hiring through a licensed maid agency in Singapore means attending the Employers' Orientation Programme, posting a S$5,000 security bond, buying medical and personal accident insurance of at least S$60,000 each, and paying a S$300 monthly levy (S$60 with concession) on top of salary and upkeep. The choice that matters most is which helper you pick and how you set expectations in month one.

Hiring a helper for the first time in Singapore is mostly paperwork, a few one-off costs, and one decision that matters more than the rest: which person you let into your home. This FAQ answers the 50 questions our consultants hear most often from first-time employers, with the current MOM rules and a link to the official source wherever a rule or fee is quoted.

Eligibility and qualifying

1. Who can hire a foreign domestic worker in Singapore?

You must be at least 21, not an undischarged bankrupt, and have the mental capacity to understand and carry out your responsibilities as an employer. MOM also considers your caregiving needs, such as young children or elderly family members, and your financial ability to hire and upkeep a helper (MOM employer requirements).

2. Is there a minimum household income?

Yes, but MOM does not publish it. Its FAQ says household income or salary is a qualifying criterion, set with the realistic overall cost of hiring a helper in mind, and the exact amount is not revealed (MOM FAQ). Be wary of anyone quoting you a precise official cut-off.

3. Can single people hire a helper?

MOM's published criteria do not exclude single employers. The same tests apply: age 21 and above, mental capacity, and MOM's assessment of your caregiving needs and financial ability. Caring for an elderly parent or a young child in the same home is a common reason.

4. Can work-pass holders hire a helper?

Some can. MOM's own pages describe how employers who hold an Employment Pass, S Pass, Dependant's Pass or Long-Term Visit Pass update their details for a helper (MOM). The income requirement is not published, and the bond, insurance and EOP rules are the same as for everyone else.

5. Do I need to attend the Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP)?

Yes, if you are employing a migrant domestic worker for the first time. You must complete it at least 2 working days before submitting the Work Permit application. It is about 2 hours online or 3 hours in a classroom, and MOM lists 2026 fees from S$29.98 to S$35.65 online and S$34.88 to S$76.30 in a classroom, depending on provider and language (MOM EOP).

Choosing nationality

6. What are my nationality options?

MOM accepts helpers from a list of approved source countries and territories (MOM MDW eligibility). Upwill places helpers from three of them: the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar. Each has different strengths, salary norms and processing steps.

7. What does a Filipino helper typically cost in 2026?

The Philippine Migrant Workers Office in Singapore requires a basic salary of at least S$650 a month (the US$500 equivalent) for contracts from 21 October 2025. It also says Filipino domestic workers are exempt from placement fees and that no salary deductions may be made to recover recruitment or training costs (MWO Singapore). See our 2026 salary index for more.

8. What about Indonesian helpers?

Singapore has no minimum wage for helpers; salary is what you agree and declare to MOM, and it must not fall below that declared figure (MOM salary guidelines). Ask your agency for current Indonesian salary norms and confirm the figure in writing before you apply.

9. And Myanmar helpers?

The same principle applies: agree the salary, declare it to MOM, and pay at least that amount every month. Many Myanmar helpers arrive with limited English, so factor in time for communication and training in the first weeks.

10. Which nationality is best for elderly care?

There is no single best nationality. Match on the skills you need: caregiving experience, language spoken by your elderly family member, and willingness to handle personal care. Ask for specific past duties in the interview and check her employment history.

11. Which is best for infants and young children?

Match on proven infant or childcare experience and the language you want spoken with your child. Whichever nationality you choose, plan some overlap time where you or another caregiver work alongside her in the first weeks.

Agency vs DIY hire

12. Can I hire directly without an agency?

Yes. MOM lets you apply for a new helper's Work Permit, or renew one, directly through the FDW eService with Singpass (MOM FAQ). You then handle sourcing, checks and logistics yourself. Note that the Philippine Migrant Workers Office lists engaging a licensed Singapore agency as a requirement for hiring Filipino domestic workers.

13. What does an agency actually do?

Sourcing, biodata screening, the Work Permit application, travel and arrival logistics, and settling-in support. MOM's guide says the agency must give you her full biodata in the standard format and her Singapore employment history, check she is at least 23 with 8 years of formal education, make sure she has the IPA before departure, and facilitate the safety agreement (MOM employer guide).

14. How do I check if an agency is licensed?

Search the agency name on MOM's EA Directory. Confirm the EA licence number (Upwill's is 24C2628) and check the key appointment holders. Avoid any agency operating without a visible licence.

15. What should agency fees be in 2026?

Employer-side fees are set by each agency, so compare written quotes. MOM's guide says your service agreement should show the breakdown of costs, fee refunds and their timeframe, and replacement conditions. Separately, fees an agency collects from the worker are capped at 1 month of her salary for each year of service, up to 2 months (MOM FAQ).

Budget and true costs

16. What is the foreign domestic worker levy in 2026?

S$300 a month for your first helper and S$450 for each subsequent helper, or S$60 a month at the concessionary rate (MOM). The concession covers households with a Singapore Citizen child below 16, a Singapore Citizen or PR aged 67 and above, or a person with disabilities who needs help with at least one activity of daily living, living at the same address (MOM levy concession). Full rules on the FDW levy page.

17. What is the security bond?

A S$5,000 bond for each non-Malaysian helper, provided as a banker's or insurer's guarantee. Malaysian helpers are exempt (MOM security bond). Premiums vary by provider, so compare quotes.

18. What insurance is mandatory?

Medical insurance of at least S$60,000 a year for inpatient care and day surgery, and personal accident insurance of at least S$60,000. Since 1 July 2023, claims above S$15,000 are co-paid 75% by the insurer and 25% by the employer (MOM insurance requirements). Details on our helper insurance page.

19. What does a 6-monthly medical exam involve?

MOM requires pregnancy and syphilis (VDRL) tests every 6 months, HIV every 2 years and a TB check once after 2 years, plus checks on BMI and visible signs of abuse. You pay for it. Helpers aged 50 and above are exempt and only need a medical when the Work Permit is renewed (MOM 6ME).

20. What is the realistic monthly cost of employing a helper?

Add up her salary, the levy (S$300, or S$60 with concession), food and upkeep, and one-twelfth of your yearly insurance premium. Set aside money for 6-monthly medicals and any medical treatment beyond what insurance covers, which is your responsibility.

21. What is the 24-month total cost?

Multiply the monthly cost above by 24, then add one-off costs: agency fee, EOP, Settling-in Programme, Work Permit fees (S$35 on application and S$35 on issuance), pre-employment medical, and the bond premium. Use our cost calculator to model your own scenario.

Documents and application timeline

22. What do I need to start?

A completed EOP if you are a first-time employer, Singpass to use MOM's FDW eService (or an agency to apply for you), your helper's biodata and passport details, and details of your household. MOM may ask for more information during the assessment.

23. What is an IPA?

In-Principle Approval, the letter MOM issues when it approves the Work Permit application. The helper needs to print it for travel. Through the FDW eService, MOM says the IPA usually comes within 1 week unless more information is needed (MOM).

24. How long does the full process take?

Plan on several weeks for a new helper from her home country: the EOP, selection, about 1 week for the IPA, then her medical checks, training and travel. See the hiring timeline for a step-by-step view.

25. When do I pay the levy?

For a first-time helper the levy starts on the 5th day of her arrival, counting the arrival date; for other helpers it starts the next day. Under GIRO, each month's levy is deducted on the 17th of the following month, or the next working day (MOM).

26. When do I issue the Work Permit?

Within 2 weeks of her arrival, after her medical examination (due within 14 days) and, for a first-time helper, the Settling-in Programme. The issuance fee is S$35, on top of the S$35 paid when the application was submitted. MOM delivers the card to your address within 5 working days after any required registration (MOM).

27. Do I need to register thumbprints?

Only if MOM asks. When required, fingerprint and photo registration must be done within 1 week after the Work Permit is issued, by appointment at MOM Services Centre (MOM).

Bond, deposit, and protections

28. What does the security bond actually cover?

It is MOM's protection, not yours. It can be forfeited if you or your helper break Work Permit or bond conditions, if you do not pay her salary on time, if you fail to send her home when her Work Permit ends, or if she goes missing (MOM).

29. Should I take a personal cash deposit from the helper?

No. MOM says you must not keep your helper's salary or any other money belonging to her, even if she asks you to (MOM salary guidelines).

30. Are loan deductions to the agency legal?

MOM lists the placement loan as one of the items an employment contract should state, so any loan must be written down clearly. Fees an agency collects from the worker are capped at 1 month of salary per year of service, up to 2 months. For Filipino helpers, the Migrant Workers Office bars salary deductions to recover recruitment costs or placement fees.

Pre-arrival preparation

31. Does the helper need her own room?

MOM says she should have a separate room where possible. At minimum she needs shelter from the elements, a mattress, pillow and blanket, and enough ventilation. She must not sleep near dangerous equipment or the toilet, or in the same room as an adult or teenage male, and her privacy must be protected (MOM employer guide).

32. What should I have ready before she arrives?

Bed and bedding, a lockable cupboard or drawer for her documents and valuables, basic toiletries for the first week, a working SIM card, a notebook for instructions, and a plan for keys and emergency exits.

33. Should I prepare a written contract?

Yes. MOM encourages a written contract covering salary, placement loan, rest days, compensation in lieu of rest days, notice and compensation in lieu of notice, and your agency can draft it. The safety agreement, covering the rules on cleaning window exteriors, is mandatory and must be signed before she starts work (MOM).

First week and first month

34. What is the Settling-in Programme?

A one-day course that every first-time migrant domestic worker must attend within 7 days of arrival, excluding Sundays and public holidays, and not on the day she arrives. It covers adapting to life in Singapore, employment conditions, working safely, and relationship and stress management. MOM lists fees of S$76.40 to S$92.65 including GST, paid by the employer. If she misses it, she will not get her Work Permit and will be sent home (MOM SIP).

35. What should I cover in week one?

Home tour, appliance demonstrations, food preferences, medication for any family members, emergency contacts, rest day arrangements, phone and Wi-Fi rules, and a written daily schedule.

36. How long until she settles in?

Expect a learning curve over the first few weeks, especially if she is new to Singapore. Expect mistakes early on. Correct calmly and specifically, and add duties gradually rather than all at once.

Day-to-day employer responsibilities

37. Is a weekly rest day mandatory?

She is entitled to one rest day a week. If she agrees to work on a rest day, you must pay at least one day's salary on top of her basic salary. Since 1 January 2023, at least one rest day a month cannot be compensated away. Rest days can be taken as a full day or two half days, and you update the arrangement in the FDW eService (MOM rest days). Full rules on the rest days page.

38. When do I pay salary?

At least once a month, no later than 7 days after the last day of the salary period. You must pay by bank transfer if she asks; if you pay in cash, keep a salary record that you both sign (MOM salary guidelines).

39. Do I have to provide three meals?

Yes. MOM's guide says you are responsible for three meals daily, with a mix of rice, meat, vegetables and fruit, and that instant noodles for all meals is unacceptable. Take her religious and cultural diet into account (MOM employer guide).

40. Can I keep her passport?

No. MOM says employers should not keep their helper's passport or force her to hand it over (MOM FAQ), and its employer guide says not to keep her original Work Permit either.

41. Can I install cameras at home?

Yes, but MOM's guide says you must tell her about the camera and where it is, and you must not place cameras where they compromise her modesty, such as where she sleeps, changes or bathes.

42. Am I responsible for her medical bills?

Yes. MOM's guide says you bear the cost of her upkeep, including medical treatment, whether or not it is work-related. Mandatory medical insurance helps with inpatient and day surgery bills, with co-payment above S$15,000.

When things go wrong

43. What if the match is not working in the first month?

Talk to your agency immediately. Your service agreement should state the replacement conditions, the timeframe for a replacement and what happens if the agency cannot provide one, so read it before you sign.

44. What if the helper wants to go home early?

Give notice or salary in lieu as your contract states, settle salary owed, cancel the Work Permit and send her home. MOM can forfeit the security bond if you fail to send her home once the Work Permit is cancelled.

45. What if she gets pregnant or contracts a serious illness?

If she does not pass her 6-monthly medical examination, MOM says you must cancel her Work Permit and send her home immediately (MOM 6ME). Pregnancy must also be reported to MOM (MOM).

46. What if I suspect theft or dishonesty?

Document specifics and do not confront aggressively. MOM says employers must not punish their helper themselves and must report criminal matters to the authorities, so for confirmed theft, file a police report and inform your agency.

47. Can the helper file a complaint against me?

Yes. MOM runs an MDW Helpline on 1800 339 5505 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm) for helpers in distress (MOM), and the Centre for Domestic Employees offers a 24-hour helpline on 1800 2255 233 with mediation (CDE). Keep salary records and rest day arrangements up to date.

More questions first-timers ask

48. Do I need to sign a safety agreement with my helper?

Yes. MOM requires you and your helper to sign a safety agreement before she starts work, and your agency facilitates it. It lists the restrictions on cleaning window exteriors: she may only do so if window grilles are installed and locked, and you or an adult representative are physically present to supervise (MOM).

49. Can my helper look after my child or parent at a relative's house?

Yes, under conditions. MOM lets her care for your child or parent at a relative's home if she agrees in writing, she does not do the full housework of both homes, overnight accommodation meets MOM's standards, and you notify MOM before starting (MOM FAQ). General chores at another address are illegal deployment.

50. When does the contract end, and what are my options?

When her Work Permit is due to expire you can renew it if the match is working, agree to her moving to a new employer with your consent, or cancel the permit and send her home. Renewal is the smoothest path when things are going well.

Final note

Hiring a helper is a commitment that usually runs the length of her Work Permit, with a handful of fixed costs set by MOM and a monthly budget you control. The decisions that matter most are not the paperwork. They are which person you choose, how you set expectations in the first month, and whether you treat her like a professional in your home. Get those three right and the rest is administration.