MOM Maid Agency List & Ratings Singapore 2026: How to Verify Any EA Licence
TL;DR: Before you pay any maid agency in Singapore, look it up in MOM's free EA Directory. Confirm the licence is valid and is a Comprehensive Licence (All), the only type that covers domestic helpers. Then read the star rating, the retention rate (helpers still with the same employer after at least one year) and last year's placements, and check your salesperson is a registered EA Personnel.
Choosing a maid agency in Singapore starts with one non-negotiable check: before you pay a deposit, check the MOM record. Every legitimate maid agency is licensed by the Ministry of Manpower, and every one is searchable in the MOM EA Directory (the search tool itself is at service2.mom.gov.sg/eadirectory). Skipping this check is how employers end up with an unlicensed introducer, a salesperson who is not registered, or an agency under MOM surveillance.
This guide walks through MOM's verification system as an employer should use it in 2026: the directory, the star rating, the demerit points system, the licence types, AEA(S) membership, and the red flags. It is written by Upwill (EA Licence 24C2628) and links to the official MOM source at every step. All rules were re-checked on 22 September 2026.
Reviewed by Yvonne, Placement Consultant at Upwill Employment Services (MOM EA Licence 24C2628).
Step by step: how to use MOM's EA Directory
MOM's own advice is to check an agency's track record in the EA Directory, which lists employment agencies licensed by MOM. Third-party "top 10" lists and social-media testimonials are not substitutes. The practical workflow:
- Open the directory. Go to service2.mom.gov.sg/eadirectory.
- Search by agency name or EA Licence number. If you have the licence number (for example 24C2628), search by that, since it is unique. If you only have a trading name, confirm the registered legal entity.
- Check the licence status and validity dates. A lapsed, suspended or revoked licence is an automatic no.
- Check the licence type. Only the Comprehensive Licence (All) covers foreign domestic workers. See the next section.
- Note the registered address and key appointment holders. If the shopfront address does not match, ask why.
- Read the performance indicators: the customer star rating, the successful retention rate, and the number of helpers placed in the previous year.
- Check the EA Personnel list. The salesperson you are dealing with should appear under that licence.
Do it before you sign anything, including the agency's job order or service agreement.
Which EA licence can place a helper?
MOM issues four licence types:
| Licence | Who it covers | Can place a domestic helper? |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Licence (All) | Any type of workers | Yes |
| Comprehensive Licence (non-FDW) | Local or foreign workers, except FDWs | No |
| Comprehensive Licence (Local) | Local workers | No |
| Select Licence | Workers earning more than $4,500 a month | No |
The licence number on its own does not tell you which of these an agency holds. Read the licence type in the directory entry.
MOM's EA rating system explained (2026)
MOM does not run a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum tier system. Anyone advertising those names is using a marketing badge, not an MOM grade. The official picture is a star rating plus two performance indicators.
1. The star rating (out of 5)
Per MOM's customer ratings page, about 3 months after your helper is deployed you receive an SMS inviting you to rate your agency on five points: how well it explained the process, fees and contracts; how helpful its advice was; whether it found a helper who met your needs; whether you would recommend it; and whether you used the EA Directory in your decision. An agency needs at least 3 reviews before its rating is displayed, so a new agency showing no rating is not a red flag on its own.
2. Successful retention rate
MOM defines this as the percentage of helpers placed by the agency who remained with the same employer for at least one year.
3. Helpers placed in the previous year
This is a scale indicator, not a quality one. A small agency with a strong rating and high retention can be a better choice than a very large one with weaker numbers. Read all three together.
The Demerit Points System: what to look for
Under MOM's Demerit Points System, agencies that breach the Employment Agencies Act, Rules or licence conditions receive demerit points, and the consequences escalate:
| Points accumulated | Consequence |
|---|---|
| 4 points | Minimum security deposit of $40,000 |
| 8 points | Minimum security deposit of $60,000 |
| 12 points | $10,000 of the deposit forfeited and topped back up to $60,000; placed under surveillance with account suspension; all key appointment holders must retake the CEI (KAH) exam |
| 18 points | A further $15,000 forfeited, deposit restored to $60,000, continued surveillance |
| 24 points | Licence suspended or revoked, depending on the case |
Below 12 points, each point stays valid for 12 months from the date it was issued. At 12 or more, points only clear after 12 continuous months without new infringements. MOM notes that agencies committing severe infringements may have their licence revoked. If an agency shows any sanction, surveillance status or a recent change of name away from a sanctioned licence, treat it as a stop sign.
Verifying EA Personnel (not just the agency)
An agency licence is necessary but not sufficient. Every person doing agency work must be registered. MOM's EA Personnel rules give you two practical checks:
- Ask to see their registration card. MOM requires all EA personnel to show their registration card to clients and let clients take down the information on it.
- Cross-check the name in the EA Directory under the same licence as the agency taking your money.
For agencies holding any Comprehensive Licence, key appointment holders (owners, directors, partners) must obtain the Certificate of Employment Intermediaries (CEI) before registration, and other personnel must be certified within one month of registration. If a salesperson cannot produce a card and cannot be found in the directory, walk away.
AEA(S) membership and other quality signals
The Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore), AEA(S) is the industry association. Its website lists members, runs Employment Agency Professionalism Development (EAPD) courses for member agencies, and offers mediation services. Membership is voluntary.
AEA(S) membership is not a substitute for the MOM licence. Use it as a tiebreaker between otherwise similar agencies, never as a reason to skip the directory check.
Red flags: when "MOM-listed" doesn't mean MOM-verified
- No EA Licence number on the website, contracts or social pages.
- The directory shows a licence type other than Comprehensive Licence (All), yet the agency offers maid placement.
- Licence shows suspended, revoked or under surveillance.
- Salesperson will not show a registration card, or the card belongs to a different agency.
- Cash-only deposit, no receipt, no service agreement.
- Pressure to pay before you interview the helper.
- "We are MOM-approved." MOM licenses agencies; it does not endorse particular ones.
- No published address, or a residential address only.
Upwill's MOM credentials (EA Licence 24C2628)
- EA Licence number: 24C2628.
- Verification: search it yourself on the MOM EA Directory, including its licence type, rating and personnel list.
- What we do: new placements of Indonesian, Filipino and Myanmar helpers. See our maid placement service, our maid agency comparison framework, and the About Upwill page.
Pre-engagement verification checklist
- Get the EA Licence number from the agency website, signage, or salesperson's card.
- Search it in the MOM EA Directory and confirm it is valid and a Comprehensive Licence (All).
- Confirm the legal entity name matches the contracting party on your service agreement.
- Read the star rating, retention rate, and previous-year placements together.
- Confirm there is no surveillance status or MOM sanction.
- See the salesperson's registration card and find them under the same licence.
- Optionally, check the AEA(S) members list.
- Get the itemised fee schedule and the service agreement in writing before paying any deposit.
- Cross-read the true cost of hiring a maid in 2026 and the FDW security bond rules.
Ending a current placement? See how to cancel a maid work permit. Considering a specific source country? Start with our Myanmar maid agency guide.
This article was reviewed by Yvonne, Registered EA Personnel under Upwill, MOM EA Licence 24C2628. Last reviewed: May 2026. Facts re-checked against official MOM and AEA(S) sources on 22 September 2026.