Hiring Maid Singapore: Cost of Employing Maid
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Latest Update: 30th January 2024

In Singapore, household income is one of the main ways that the Ministry of Manpower(MOM) assess work permit applications for migrant domestic workers (MDWs). Although the MOM is not able to reveal the exact amount, the figure is set based on the cost of hiring a migrant domestic worker in Singapore.

Cost of hiring a migrant domestic workers include the following: maid agency fee, worker's monthly salary, levy, insurance and food. Depending on the coverage of maid agency fee, you may also need to pay for other expenses such as medical examination, air ticket, work permit application and settling in program.

1. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Maid Agency Fee

This can range from a few hundreds to over two thousands dollars. It is important for you to check with your maid agency what the agent fee or service fee covers.

The maid agency fee may or may not cover the followings:

1. Registration and overseas recruitment fee of the migrant domestic worker

2. Arrival ticket for the helper

3. Medical checkup expense of the helper

4. Administrative Fee for application of work permit and other documentation

5. Fee related to entry test and safety awareness course

6. Fetching of the maid from airport

7. Insurance

It is therefore important to know the coverage of maid agency fee before you engage a maid agency.

2. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Insurance and Security Bond

You must buy medical insurance and personal accident insurance for your helper before she arrives in Singapore. You are not allowed to pass the cost of insurance to your helper.

For medical insurance, annual claim limit for the policy must be $60,000 with a co-payment of 75% by insurers and 25% by employers for claims amounts above $15,000.

In addition, all employers of non-Malaysian domestic workers need to have a security bond with the work pass division of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Under the bond, employers are required to put a deposit of $5000 in the form of a Banker's or Insurance Guarantee. In the event that the migrant domestic workers disappear, or are pregnant and you fail to repatriate the worker, your $5000 deposit will be forfeited.

To avoid paying the $5000 cash and minimize the risk, you can purchase insurance from some insurers like NTUC Income. Under the terms in some insurance plans, when your helper goes missing, you only need pay $250 and the insurer will pay the remaining $4,750.

Some insurers like NTUC income will have a plan that combines personal accident insurance and security bond.

3. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Placement Fee

This may not be necessary if you are hiring Indonesian maid.

Placement fee refers to a fee that the migrant domestic worker pays to the employment agency for securing employment in Singapore.

This may range from 2 months of salary to a few thousands, depending on the agency you engaged. If you pay the placement fee, you can deduct it from the maid's monthly salary.

4. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Settling-in Program

This may cost you $76.4 if your migrant domestic worker is working in Singapore for the first time. This sometimes is included in the agent fee.

5. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Employers'orientation program

If you are hiring maid for the first time, you may need to attend the orientation program unless you have valid reason. This can cost you $35 to $60. This sometimes is included in the service fee.

6. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Others Upfront Cost

You may also need to purchase bed, mattress, bed sheet, pillow and blanket if you do not have these items for your maid. As an employer, you have to provide these items to the maid.

7. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Monthly Salary

Exact monthly salary will depend on the nationality of the migrant domestic worker as well as the number of years of her experience. Below is the minimum monthly salary of the migrant domestic worker by nationality:

Indonesian maid: $550 and above
Filipino maid: $570 and above
Myanmar maid: $450 and above

8. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Migrant Domestic Worker Levy

You need to pay a monthly migrant domestic worker levy of $300 for your first helper. If you need to hire a second helper, the amount of monthly levy of second helper will be $450 per month.

If you meet condition for concession of migrant domestic worker levy, you only need to pay $60 monthly. The following group of employer will be able to enjoy levy concession automatically:

Employer or employer's spouse is at least 67 years old.
Employer's child is below 16 years old.
Singaporean employer who stay with parent, spouse, or child with disability.

9. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Food and toiletry

As an employer, you are supposed to provide food for the migrant domestic worker. If you do not cook, you have to give maid some cash to buy her own meals. It may be recommended that you pay for the basic toiletry such as shampoo, toothpaste and tooth brush for the maid, but this is not compulsory unless you and your maid agree to it in the contract.

10. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Medical expenses

As an employer, you have to pay all medical expenses of your maid. This is the reason why it is important for you to have the personal accident insurance plan.

Every 6 months, the maid will need to go for a simple medical examination as required by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). This medical examination will cost employers about $30 (Different clinics will charge differently). MOM will send employer a letter and the employer will need to bring the migrant domestic worker to clinic for the medical examination.

11. Cost of Hiring A Maid - Air Ticket

You need to pay the transportation fee for the repatriation of your helper upon cancellation of the work permit.

Common Questions about Cost of Hiring A maid

Question 1: Can I claim tax relief for maid levy?

Answer: You can claim tax relief if you meet the following conditions:

you are a married woman and has elected for separate assessment; or
you are married and your husband is not resident in Singapore; or
you are separated or divorced or widowed and living with your unmarried child for whom you can claim child relief

Question 2: If the domestic helper needs to return to her home country before contract expires, do I need to pay her return air ticket?

Answer: Yes. You are responsible for the maid's return air ticket as stated in guideline issued by the Ministry of Manpower, unless you have certain different agreement with your employment agency.

In some situations, the maid may agree to pay the return air ticket.

Question 3: Do I need to pay to renew the maid's passport?

Answer: This depends on the nationality of the maid. For maid from Indonesia, Embassy of Indonesia makes a rule that the employer needs to pay for all the fee relating to passport renewal.

In general, many employers choose to pay for all the relevant costs associated with the passport renewal.

Question 4: Is any refund of insurance if we replace maid?

Most insurance companies will refund you a certain percentage of fee. You may check details with employment agency personnel when you sign contract with maid agency.