FAQs about hiring a maid in Singapore

For a new helper coming from overseas, allow around 4 to 8 weeks including MOM work permit processing. Transfer helpers already in Singapore can usually start much sooner, often within 1 to 2 weeks.

You need to be at least 21, not an undischarged bankrupt, and able to satisfy MOM that you can support a helper — they look at your financial ability and your caregiving needs together.

If this is your first helper, you'll also need to complete the Employers' Orientation Programme before the work permit application can go in. We'll tell you early if anything in your situation is likely to be a problem.

Costs generally fall into a few categories: our agency fee, the monthly foreign domestic worker levy payable to MOM, medical insurance, and a security bond where required. The exact figures depend on the helper's nationality and your circumstances, so we'll walk you through a full written breakdown before you commit to anything.

The levy is a monthly payment to MOM, currently $300 for your first helper and $450 for a second. If your household includes a Singapore citizen child under 16, an elderly person aged 67 or above, or a person with disabilities who needs help with daily activities, you may qualify for the concessionary rate of $60 instead — one helper per eligible person, capped at two per household.

Rates and conditions change from time to time, so check MOM's website for the current figures, or ask us and we'll confirm what applies to you.

Two policies, both in place before your helper arrives: medical insurance with at least $60,000 of annual coverage for inpatient care and day surgery, and personal accident insurance with a minimum sum assured of $60,000. One thing employers often miss — on medical claims above $15,000, the insurer covers 75% and you're responsible for the remaining 25%, so it's worth looking at more than the bare minimum. None of these costs can be passed to your helper.

A transfer maid is already in Singapore, can be interviewed in person, and starts sooner. New helpers offer a wider selection and can be matched more specifically to your requirements. We'll advise based on your household's needs and timeline.

Employers must hold a valid work permit for the helper, provide medical insurance, post a security bond for non-Malaysian helpers, and meet MOM's eligibility rules. First-time helpers also attend the Settling-In Programme. We handle the paperwork with you, end to end.

Yes — one rest day a week, agreed between the two of you. If she agrees to work on a rest day, you compensate her with at least one day's salary on top of her basic pay. But at least one rest day a month cannot be compensated away; it has to be taken. Rest days can be split into two half-days, or deferred by up to a month, if that works better for both of you.

It happens, and we don't disappear after placement. Speak to us early and we'll help mediate where we can. Replacement arrangements vary by case, so the specific terms are set out in your service agreement before you engage us — ask us and we'll explain exactly what applies to you.

Yes. We manage the work permit application, insurance arrangements, and renewals, and we're a call away for anything MOM-related throughout the employment.