Maid Employment Contract in Singapore (2026): MOM Rules, Every Clause Explained + Free Template

Yes, in practice you need a written employment contract when you hire a migrant domestic worker (MDW) in Singapore. MOM encourages every employer to sign one to avoid disputes, and it makes a separate safety agreement compulsory. The Work Permit conditions and the In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter set the legal floor: salary, rest days and your duties as an employer. On top of that, MDWs are not covered by the Employment Act, so the contract you sign IS the agreement that governs daily life, the document everyone falls back on when a question or dispute comes up.

This guide explains what the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) requires, breaks down every clause a good contract should contain, and gives you a free, copy-and-paste template (Singapore, 2026) to fill in and adapt. We place only Indonesian, Filipino and Myanmar helpers and prepare a MOM-aligned contract for every placement. Last reviewed against MOM sources on 22 September 2026.

Is an employment contract mandatory for a maid in Singapore?

An employment contract is strongly encouraged rather than mandatory. MOM says employers are encouraged to sign an employment contract with their helper to avoid disputes, and that your employment agency can draft one for you. What is mandatory is the safety agreement: you and your helper must sign it before she starts work, and it is signed by the employer, the employment agency and the helper, with each keeping a copy. MOM provides it in bilingual versions (English with Bahasa Indonesia, Burmese, Tagalog and other languages) so that the copy she signs is in her native language. See MOM on contracts and the safety agreement.

MDWs are not covered by the Employment Act. MOM explains that it is not practical to regulate aspects of domestic work such as hours of work and work on public holidays. So the contract fills that gap. A clear, signed document protects the helper (she knows her salary, rest days and scope) and protects you (written proof of what was agreed). Not signing one is legal, but it is a mistake.

What MOM requires regardless of what your contract says

Some rules apply to every employer in Singapore whether or not they appear in your contract. You cannot contract out of them. As of 2026, the core obligations are:

• Rest days. Your helper is entitled to one rest day per week, on a day you both agree. At least one rest day a month cannot be compensated away. For other rest days, if she agrees to work, you must pay at least one day's salary on top of her basic salary. The rest day can be taken as one full day or two half days, and a rest day she cannot take in a month can be deferred by up to one month. See MOM on rest days and well-being and our plain-English guide to helper rest days.
• Salary paid on time. You must pay her salary every month, no later than 7 days after the last day of the salary period, and a salary period cannot exceed one month. If she asks to be paid by bank transfer, you must do so. If you pay in cash, keep a record that you both sign for each payment. You must not keep her salary or any of her money, even if she asks you to. If you plan to reduce her salary, you must first get her written consent and inform MOM of the new salary through the FDW eService. See MOM salary guidelines.
• Medical care and insurance. You must buy medical insurance with an annual claim limit of at least $60,000 for inpatient care and day surgery, and personal accident insurance of at least $60,000 a year. Under the enhanced rules in force since 1 July 2023, claims above $15,000 are co-paid 75% by the insurer and 25% by the employer. You cannot pass any insurance cost to your helper. See MOM insurance requirements and our helper insurance guide.
• Levy and bond are yours. The monthly levy is $300 for your first helper and $450 for each subsequent helper, or $60 at the concessionary rate if you qualify. You also buy a $5,000 security bond for every non-Malaysian helper. Neither is her cost. Details: FDW levy and MOM levy rates.
• Her passport is hers. MOM says employers should not keep their helper's passport or force her to hand it over. The passport belongs to her and her country's issuing authority. Give her a secure place such as a locker, with unrestricted access. See MOM on passports.
• Safe, proper accommodation. You must provide adequate, safe accommodation with sufficient space and privacy. See our accommodation standards and MOM employment rules.

The 12 clauses every helper contract should contain

A strong contract is short, specific and honest. Vague terms ("light housework", "occasional rest") cause most of the disputes we see. Here are the 12 clauses we include in every Upwill placement, and what each one should actually say.

1. Salary and payment date. State the exact monthly salary in Singapore dollars, the salary period (for example, the 1st to the last day of each month), and the pay date, no later than 7 days after the period ends. State that salary is paid into her own bank account (compulsory if she asks), or, if in cash, recorded on a slip you both sign.
2. Rest days and compensation rate. State one rest day per week and which day. State that at least one rest day each month is always taken. If she agrees to work another rest day, state the compensation: at least one day's salary, which MOM calculates as monthly salary divided by 26. On a $650 salary that is $25 per rest day worked. Record her agreement each time.
3. Scope of duties. List the actual tasks: cleaning, cooking, laundry, childcare, elderly care, pet care. Name the household members she will care for. Avoid open-ended phrases. If duties change later, amend the contract in writing.
4. Accommodation. Describe where she will sleep (own room or shared), and confirm privacy and safety. Confirm she keeps her own passport and Work Permit card, with a secure place to store them.
5. Food and meals. State that you provide three meals a day, or a food allowance, and the amount if an allowance is used. Note any dietary or religious requirements (for example, halal food for a Muslim helper).
6. Medical and insurance. Confirm that you pay for medical treatment, the 6-monthly medical examination, and both insurance policies, and that none of these costs are deducted from her salary.
7. Home leave and airfare. State any home leave entitlement you agree, who pays the return airfare, and how unused leave is handled. See our guide to helper home leave.
8. Termination notice. State the notice period each side must give, or salary in lieu of notice. MOM's guidance is that you serve the notice in the contract or pay in lieu, and that usually the party who wants to end the contract compensates. Note that the employer must cancel the Work Permit within one week of her last day of work and pay for her repatriation, including check-in luggage.
9. Security bond context. Note that you have bought the $5,000 security bond required by MOM and that it is your responsibility, never a deduction from her pay. Background: security bond.
10. Conduct and house rules. Set reasonable, respectful expectations: working hours within reason, use of phone, visitors, and confidentiality. Keep this humane. Your helper is a professional, not a servant, and rules that strip her dignity are both wrong and likely to backfire.
11. Deployment limits. Confirm she works only at the residential address you declared to MOM and only on domestic chores. Sending her to work in a shop, an office or another household is illegal; employers can face a financial penalty of up to $10,000 and a ban on employing helpers. (She may care for your children or parents at a relative's home only if you notify MOM first, she agrees in writing, she does not do the full housework of both households, and any overnight accommodation meets requirements.)
12. Dispute resolution. State that disagreements will first be discussed directly and, if unresolved, referred to the placement agency and, where needed, to MOM. Include the agency's contact, MOM's employer line (6438 5122) and MOM's MDW Helpline (1800 339 5505), which helps helpers recover unpaid salary through conciliation.

Free maid employment contract template (Singapore, 2026)

Copy the block below, replace everything in [brackets], and have both parties sign and keep a copy. This template is MOM-aligned and deliberately plain. It does not replace your Work Permit conditions or the compulsory safety agreement; it sits on top of them. As with any contract, read it together with your helper in a language she understands before signing.

Employment contract for a migrant domestic worker

Between [Employer full name], NRIC/FIN [number], of [residential address] ("the Employer"), and [Helper full name], passport [number], nationality [Indonesian / Filipino / Myanmar], Work Permit [number] ("the Helper").

1. Commencement. This contract begins on [start date] for an initial term of [24] months, renewable by mutual written agreement.
2. Salary. The Employer shall pay the Helper a monthly salary of S$[amount], for the salary period [1st to last day of each calendar month], no later than 7 days after the end of each period, into the Helper's bank account [bank and account number]. If paid in cash, both parties sign a record of each payment. The Employer shall not keep any of the Helper's salary or money.
3. Rest days. The Helper is entitled to one rest day each week, taken on [day]. At least one rest day each month is always taken and is not compensated in cash. If the Helper agrees to work on any other rest day, the Employer shall pay at least one day's salary (monthly salary divided by 26) in addition to her basic salary.
4. Duties. The Helper's duties are: [list, for example, household cleaning, cooking, laundry, care of [child, age] / care of [elderly person]]. The Helper works only at the address above and performs only domestic duties.
5. Accommodation. The Employer provides [a private room / a shared room with privacy], with proper ventilation, a proper bed and safe surroundings. The Helper keeps her own passport and Work Permit card, and the Employer provides a secure place to store them.
6. Food. The Employer provides [three meals daily / a monthly food allowance of S$[amount]]. Dietary or religious needs: [for example, halal].
7. Medical and insurance. The Employer pays for all medical treatment, the 6-monthly medical examination, medical insurance (annual claim limit of at least S$60,000) and personal accident insurance (at least S$60,000). None of these costs are deducted from the Helper's salary.
8. Levy and bond. The Employer pays the monthly levy and has bought the S$5,000 security bond. Neither is deducted from the Helper's salary.
9. Home leave and airfare. After each completed [24]-month term, the Helper is entitled to [number] days of paid home leave. The Employer pays the return airfare [as agreed].
10. Termination. Either party may end this contract by giving [one month's] written notice or salary in lieu of notice. On termination the Employer cancels the Work Permit within one week of the last day of work and arranges and pays for the Helper's repatriation, including check-in luggage, within two weeks of the cancellation, unless the Helper transfers to a new employer.
11. Conduct. Both parties shall treat each other with respect. The Helper shall perform her duties diligently and keep household matters confidential. The Employer shall not impose conditions that breach MOM rules.
12. Disputes. Disagreements shall first be discussed directly, then referred to the placement agency [agency name and phone], and where needed to MOM (employer line 6438 5122; MDW Helpline 1800 339 5505).

Signed: Employer [signature, date] ____________ Helper [signature, date] ____________ Witness [signature, date] ____________

Need this prepared for you, in your helper's language, and checked against her Work Permit conditions? That is part of every maid placement we do.

Setting the salary figure in the contract (2026)

MOM's salary guidelines set how and when you pay, not a single market rate. The figure in your contract is the one approved in her IPA, so agree it before the application goes in and write the exact amount into the contract. Experience, language ability, and childcare or elderly-care skills all move the figure; see our helper salary guide for current ranges. Some source countries also set their own requirements for contracts they verify, so your agency should confirm any home-country minimum for your helper's nationality before you sign.

After the first contract, increments are negotiated, not automatic. Write any new figure into the renewed contract. If you ever need to reduce her salary, MOM requires her written consent and that you inform MOM of the new salary through the FDW eService before the reduction.

Common contract mistakes that breach MOM rules

These are the errors that turn a contract from a shield into a liability. Each one breaches MOM rules and can put your Work Permit privileges at risk.

• Illegal salary deductions. The levy, insurance and security bond are your costs, so deducting them from her salary is not allowed. Late or short payment of salary is an offence, and not paying on time is also a ground for forfeiting your security bond.
• No rest day, or a forced rest day. Skipping the weekly rest day, or "buying out" the one monthly rest day that cannot be compensated, breaches the rules. Working any other rest day must be her choice, and paid.
• Passing insurance or levy cost to the helper. Both are the employer's cost. A clause that shifts them onto the helper cannot stand.
• Vague duties. "All housework as required" invites overwork and disputes. List the real tasks and the people she cares for.
• Illegal deployment. Writing in (or quietly expecting) work at a second property, a business or a relative's home without notifying MOM is illegal, contract or not.
• Holding the passport. A clause letting you keep her passport should not be in the contract at all. MOM says employers should not keep helpers' passports or force them to hand them over.

If you are hiring for the first time, our first-time employer checklist walks through these traps in order, alongside the documents you will need from required documents.

Frequently asked questions

Is a written employment contract legally required for a maid in Singapore?

MOM encourages a written employment contract rather than requiring one, but it does require a signed safety agreement before she starts work. Your Work Permit conditions and the IPA already bind you, and because MDWs are outside the Employment Act, the contract is the document that governs the working relationship. Every responsible agency provides one.

Are migrant domestic workers covered by the Employment Act?

No. MOM says MDWs are not covered by the Employment Act because it is not practical to regulate aspects of domestic work such as hours of work and work on public holidays. That is exactly why a clear written contract matters: it sets the terms that the Act would otherwise cover.

How often must I pay my helper, and by when?

Every month, no later than 7 days after the last day of the salary period. Pay by bank transfer if she asks; if you pay cash, you both sign a record for every payment. Late or short payment is an offence.

Can I deduct the levy, insurance or bond from my helper's salary?

No. The levy ($300 a month for a first helper, $450 for subsequent helpers, or $60 at the concessionary rate), the insurance premiums and the $5,000 security bond are all the employer's cost.

What should my helper's salary be in the contract?

Write in the exact amount approved in her IPA. MOM's rules govern when and how you pay rather than a single market rate, and some home countries set their own contract requirements. See our salary guide.

Can I require my helper to work on her rest day?

Not the one rest day each month that cannot be compensated away. For other rest days, only if she agrees, and you must pay at least one day's salary (monthly salary divided by 26). See rest days.

How do salary increments work after the first contract?

They are negotiated, not automatic, and written into the renewed contract. If you ever reduce her salary, get her written consent and tell MOM through the FDW eService first.

What happens if the contract does not work out?

Either party can terminate with the agreed notice (or salary in lieu). You then cancel the Work Permit within one week of her last day of work and pay for her repatriation, unless she transfers to a new employer. At Upwill, placements come with a free replacement within 6 months (no cash refund), so a mismatch in the early months need not leave you stranded.

Get a MOM-compliant contract prepared for you

A good contract is the foundation of a calm, fair household. Upwill (EA Licence 24C2628) prepares a MOM-aligned employment contract for every placement, written in your helper's language and checked against her Work Permit conditions, so both sides start with the same clear understanding. Explore our maid placement service, or contact us on 8043 9823 and we will walk you through it.

Hiring direct, without an agency? If you would rather not draft and proof the contract yourself, Upwill prepares a ready-to-sign Direct-Hire Contract Pack (all clauses drafted, editable fields, nationality-specific notes), prepared by a MOM-licensed agency. Message us on WhatsApp at 8043 9823 to get it.