A One Manpower Services Pte Ltd @ Bukit Timah Shopping Centre

Hiring a maid? What you need to know!

Part -time Maid

In Singapore, you may hire a maid full-time or part-time. A part-time maid usually do not stay in and she usually works once or twice a week for several hours a day.

She has to be a citizen or permanent resident. There are a few agencies that provides this service.

Full-Time Maid

A full-time maid is usually referred as foreign domestic worker (FDW). Most of them come from Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, India and Sri Lanka. Under MOM-Employer’s guidelines. Employer are expect to provide basic needs such as food, a bed with mattress, a blanket, towels and toiletries, as well as a fan if the sleeping area has poor ventilation. Employers have to ensure that sufficient private space for sleep is provided for the FDW. Employers’ guidelines can be found in www.mom.gov.sg

The salary ranges from $310-$360 per month for a new FDW with little or no experience. If the FDW has several years of experience in her own country or in other countries, her salary will be $20 to $100 more.

Know the Cost in hiring a Maid

Most employer engage licensed employment agency to find a Maid. Very few does direct hiring. Direct hiring happen when the Employer finds his own Maid and does all his own arrangement; there is no fixed service fee if the Employer engage licensed employment agency from $388 to as high as $1,400.

Different agency offer different type of services. Some agencies may offer lower service fee but may have other charges, for examples, extra cost for Maid’s first medical check up, collection of work permit card and/or fee for Safety Awareness Course. There are agencies that charge higher service fee and include the full cost , such as air ticket, insurance, security bond, medical check up and all other miscellaneous cost. It is important for Employer to ask the details of the cost and check the terms and conditions of agency.

Know the terms and conditions

Employer should ask all the terms and condition before hiring a FDW. If possible, read the agreement carefully before signing.

Check an guarantee and for how long the guarantee period

Most agency cover guarantee period from 3months to 1 year. The guarantee means employer can get a free replacement within that period. Also, you need to ask how many free replacement if FDW is not suitable to work in the home. Most agency give one free replacement.
What is free replacement?

Some agencies stated that free replacement means, there is no service fee to pay again but employer need to pay for the insurance and security bond for the next FDW. Some agencies required employer to pay admin fee for collection of work permit card and medical check up for the new FDW.