Quick answer: A domestic helper work permit, which MOM calls the FDW Work Permit, lets a foreign maid work for one home in Singapore. MOM now calls these workers migrant domestic workers (MDWs). The helper must be a woman aged 23 to under 50 when she first applies, with at least 8 years of schooling. The employer must be 21 or older and pay a monthly levy of S$60 to S$450. The permit costs S$70 in MOM fees, plus a S$5,000 security bond, insurance and her salary.
The domestic helper work permit is issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). This guide covers the rules for both sides and the full cost. It also covers each step, from the application to the helper’s first day.
What Is a Domestic Helper Work Permit?
The FDW Work Permit lets a foreign domestic worker live and work in one Singapore home. She can only do housework. She must work at the address the employer gave MOM.
Key facts:
- How long it lasts: up to 2 years, based on the security bond.
- Can it be renewed? Yes.
- Lowest salary: MOM does not set a minimum salary.
- Who applies: the employer, a sponsor, or an approved employment agency.
Many families hire a domestic helper in Singapore to care for young children or older parents. MOM gives levy help to some of these families. We explain this below.
Domestic Helper Work Permit Requirements in Singapore
MOM has rules for both the employer and the helper. Both must meet them before MOM approves the application.
Employer requirements
You must:
- be 21 years old or above.
- not be a bankrupt who has not yet been cleared.
- be able to understand and carry out your duties as an employer.
- not have a health condition, such as dementia, that stops you from looking after the helper.
- attend the Employers’ Orientation Programme if you are hiring for the first time.
MOM also looks at your care needs. It checks whether you can pay for and house the helper.
Helper requirements
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Age when she first applies | 23 to under 50 |
| Age limit for renewal | Helpers aged 50 and above can renew until age 60 |
| Education | At least 8 years of formal schooling, with a recognised certificate |
| Approved source countries and regions | Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand |
| Relationship | Must not be related to the employer |
The school certificate matters. MOM keeps a list of accepted certificates for each country. A helper without an accepted certificate may be sent home. Families hiring from Indonesia often need her STTB SMP school certificate in English before she flies in.
Employers’ Orientation Programme and Settling-In Programme
Two short courses help new employers and new helpers get ready.
Employers’ Orientation Programme (EOP)
First-time employers must attend the EOP. You must finish it at least 2 working days before you send in the Work Permit application. The online EOP takes about 2 hours.
Fees from the approved providers range from S$29.98 to S$35.65, including GST. Use the same name and NRIC or FIN for your EOP sign-up and your application.
Settling-In Programme (SIP)
First-time helpers must attend the SIP. It is a 1-day course in the helper’s own language. It covers life in Singapore and safety at work. It also covers job rules and how to handle stress.
- She must attend within 7 days of arrival. Sundays and public holidays do not count.
- She cannot attend on the day she arrives.
- She can start work only after the SIP.
- The employer pays. Fees range from S$76.40 to S$92.65, including GST.
She must bring her IPA letter and passport. She also needs a copy of her school certificate and her arrival card. Need help with papers in another language? You can reach our multilingual translation team in Singapore before the SIP date.
Security Bond and Medical Insurance
S$5,000 security bond
Each helper who is not Malaysian needs a S$5,000 security bond. A security bond is a promise of money from a bank or insurer. You cannot ask the helper to pay for it.
The bond must start on the day she arrives. If it does not, she will not be allowed into Singapore. MOM may take the bond if you pay her salary late. It may also take it if she goes missing. The same applies if you do not send her home when the permit ends.
Insurance
| Insurance | Minimum cover |
|---|
| Medical insurance | At least S$60,000 a year for hospital stays and day surgery |
| Co-payment | For claims above S$15,000, the insurer pays 75% and the employer pays 25% |
| Personal accident insurance | At least S$60,000 a year |
You cannot pass any insurance cost to the helper.
Hiring a Helper From Myanmar, Indonesia or the Philippines? Get Her Certificates in English
FDW Levy and Concessionary Levy
Every employer pays a monthly levy for the helper. A levy is a fee paid to the government. MOM’s current rates are:
| Levy type | Monthly rate |
|---|
| First helper | S$300 |
| Second and later helpers | S$450 |
| Concessionary rate | S$60 |
The concessionary levy is a lower rate. It is for local homes with care needs. This means a home with a Singaporean child under 16. It also covers a local older person aged 67 or above, or a local person with disabilities. MOM’s conditions apply.
For a first-time helper, levy starts on the 5th day after she arrives. The day she arrives counts as day 1. You pay by GIRO, which is an automatic bank payment. Payment is due by the 17th of the next month. If you miss two months of payments, MOM will cancel the Work Permit.
How to Apply for a Foreign Domestic Worker Work Permit
You can apply yourself through MOM’s FDW eService with Singpass. Or an employment agency can apply for you.
- Attend the EOP if you are a first-time employer.
- Get the helper’s written consent and her passport details.
- Send in the application through the FDW eService and pay the S$35 application fee.
- Get the In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter. This approval lets her travel to Singapore.
- Buy the security bond and insurance so they start on the day she arrives.
- Book the SIP if she is a first-time helper.
- Send her for a medical check within 14 days of arrival.
- Get the Work Permit issued within 2 weeks of arrival. Print the Temporary Work Permit, which lasts 1 month.
- Register her fingerprints and photo at the MOM Services Centre if the Temporary Work Permit says so.
- Get the card, or let her use the digital work pass in the SGWorkPass app.
You may upload a paper that is not in English. MOM then asks for both the original and an English translation. That is why many agencies order helper document translation for MOM as soon as her papers arrive.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Maid in Singapore?
The total cost is much more than MOM’s fees. Here is what most employers pay in the first year. Market figures are typical ranges, not fixed prices.
| Item | Cost | Paid |
|---|
| Application and issuance fees | S$35 + S$35 | Once |
| EOP (first-time employer) | S$29.98 to S$35.65 | Once |
| SIP (first-time helper) | S$76.40 to S$92.65 | Once |
| Security bond | S$5,000 guarantee, usually bought from an insurer | Per permit |
| Medical and accident insurance | Premium set by the insurer | Per permit |
| Monthly levy | S$60, S$300 or S$450 | Monthly |
| Salary | Typical starting pay of about S$480 to S$600, based on her country | Monthly |
| Agency fee | About S$1,000 to S$3,000, if you use an agency | Once |
Salaries also depend on her experience and skills. An insurer’s 2024 review put the average maid salary at about S$645 a month. Add her food, a medical check every 6 months, rest-day pay and a home leave ticket if her contract has one.
So a first-time employer using an agency often spends well over S$10,000 in the first year. A home that gets the S$60 concessionary levy pays much less.
Your Helper's School Certificate or Passport Papers Not in English? We Can Help Today
Six-Monthly Medical Examination (6ME)
Your helper must have a medical check every 6 months. This is called the 6ME. MOM posts a letter and form when it is due. You pay for it.
The 6ME checks for:
- pregnancy and syphilis, every 6 months.
- HIV, every 2 years.
- tuberculosis, once after 2 years in Singapore.
- body weight (BMI) and signs of abuse.
MOM says a helper aged 50 or above does not need the 6ME. She only needs a medical check when her Work Permit is renewed. If your helper fails the 6ME, you must cancel her Work Permit. You must then send her home.
A helper may bring old hospital papers from home. A doctor here may want to read them. A clear medical record translation into English helps the clinic understand her health history.
Rest Days for Your Maid
Your helper has the right to a weekly rest day. She may agree to work on some rest days for extra pay.
The mandatory rest day from 2023
Since 1 January 2023, each helper gets at least one rest day a month. You cannot pay her money instead of this day.
- It can be one full day or two half-days.
- You both agree on the day.
- If you both agree, it can move to the next month.
Pay for working on a rest day
She may agree to work on her other rest days. If so, pay her at least one day’s salary for each day. MOM’s formula is her monthly salary divided by 26.
Update her rest day details in the FDW eService.
Maid Home Leave Entitlement in Singapore
MOM does not set a fixed home leave rule. Leave depends on her job contract. MOM notes a common practice. It is 14 days of paid leave for every 2 years worked.
Before she travels:
- check that her passport is valid.
- make sure she carries her Work Permit card or digital work pass.
- keep a copy of her ticket.
You keep paying the levy while she is away. After she returns, you can ask for a levy waiver. A waiver means you do not have to pay. The leave must be at least 7 days in a row. The waiver is capped at 60 days in each calendar year.
Is her Myanmar passport close to its end date? Learn the steps for renewing a Myanmar passport in Singapore. It can save her a wasted trip.
Changing Employers or Transfer
A helper can move straight to a new employer without going home. Both employers have steps to follow.
- Her current Work Permit must be valid for more than 30 days.
- She must have done her latest 6ME.
- The new employer asks for consent in the FDW eService. The current employer approves it.
- The new employer applies. The result usually comes within 1 week.
- The new permit must be issued by one of two dates, whichever comes first. One is 21 days from approval. The other is the old permit’s end date.
The current employer pays levy until the new permit is issued. The old bond is usually released about 1 week after she starts with the new employer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the EOP. First-time employers can only apply 2 working days after finishing it.
- Starting the bond late. If it is not active on the day she arrives, she will not be allowed in.
- Missing the SIP window. She has only 7 days, so sign her up early.
- Forgetting the 6ME. Check the date in the FDW eService.
- Unclear certificates. A common problem we see is a helper’s school certificate in Burmese with no English version. Arranging Myanmar language document translation early avoids a delay at the SIP.
Translating Your Helper’s Documents
Helpers’ papers are often in their home language. You may need English versions for:
- school certificates.
- birth certificates and identity cards.
- medical records from home.
- letters for passport renewal at the embassy.
- papers for a transfer or a legal matter.
Many of the families we help hire from Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines. A record or letter from the Philippines may be in Filipino. In that case, Tagalog to English translation gives you a version MOM and other offices can read. Each translation keeps her name exactly as in her passport.
Renewing Her Passport or Changing Employers? Send Your Helper's Documents for Translation Now
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hire a maid without an agency?
Yes. MOM lets employers apply on their own. With Singpass, you use the FDW eService. Without Singpass, you fill in MOM’s application form in soft copy and submit it online with the S$35 fee. You still need her written consent first.
How long does a domestic helper work permit take?
Through the FDW eService, MOM usually gives a result within 1 week. The online form route takes about 3 weeks for most cases. After she arrives, the card is delivered within 5 working days of fingerprint registration.
Can my helper work part-time for someone else?
No. She can only work for you, at the address you gave MOM. Sending her to clean another home or a shop is illegal deployment. The fine can be up to S$10,000, and MOM may ban you from hiring helpers.
Can my helper care for my parents at a relative’s home?
Yes, with conditions. You must tell MOM before the plan starts. You also need your helper’s written agreement. She must not do all the housework in both homes, and any room she sleeps in there must meet MOM’s standards.
What happens if I employ a helper without a valid Work Permit?
This is an offence. The penalty is a fine of S$5,000 to S$30,000, up to 1 year in jail, or both. People who do it again must go to jail.
Can I hire a helper who is already in Singapore on a visit pass?
No, unless she is Malaysian. MOM requires the helper to be outside Singapore during the application. She can come in only after you get the IPA and buy the security bond.
Conclusion
A domestic helper work permit has clear steps. First come the EOP and the application. Then come the bond, the insurance, the SIP and the medical check. After that, you must pay the levy, give rest days and send her for the 6ME on time.
Plan each step early and keep her papers in order. A certificate or record may be in another language. If so, get an English translation ready before MOM or the SIP centre asks for it.
