Hiring a Maid in Singapore: Maid Levy, Costs & MOM Rules

Note: Figures above are gathered from various online sources, including MOM, maid agencies and clinics. These are meant to act as a guide only, your actual costs may vary. 

The costs of hiring a domestic helper fall into two categories, one-time costs which are paid up-front, and ongoing costs that are paid monthly or periodically. 

Agency fees (S$1,000 to S$3,000)

This is a package fee that covers several useful services provided by the maid agency. The cost varies depending on the nationality of your helper, as well as the services included. For convenience, it might be worth going for a costlier package that comes with more services. 

 Typically, agency fees cover the following items: 

• Recruiting, screening and matching the right helper for you

• Permit application and issuance

• Settling-in programme and initial medical check-up

• Cost of flights and local transport 

Work permit application and issuance (S$35 x 2)

If this is not covered under the maid agency fee, you’ll need to apply for a work permit for your MDW. This will incur a S$35 fee that is charged twice – once during application, and once at issuance. 

You can apply online at MOM’s website for your maid’s work permit. The process generally takes one week. 

MOM security bond (S$5,000)

Employers are required to put up a security bond of S$5,000 for every domestic helper they hire. This is to ensure employers fulfil their obligations to their helpers and comply with prevailing rules and regulations.

Most maid insurance plans cover the security bond on your behalf. MSIG MaidPlus comes with an Insurance Guarantee Bond benefit. The insurer will issue a Letter of Guarantee to MOM for the bond amount on your behalf, There’s also an optional add-on that completely relieves your liability for any security bond payment demand; this benefit has an excess of S$250. 

Initial health check-up (S$40 to S$150)

Within two weeks of hiring your helper, she is required to undergo a health checkup that includes screening for pregnancy and other health conditions. 

If your household includes a child under 7 years old who is not fully vaccinated against measles, you must ensure your helper is vaccinated or immune to measles. If not, she will have to undergo a vaccination regime; this will increase the cost of the initial check-up. 

Settling-in Programme (S$76.40)

This is a safety and orientation programme that is mandatory for first-time MDWs. It will help your domestic worker settle in by understanding the basics of life in Singapore.

Separate from the agency fee, the placement fee is used to cover the costs of recruitment from your helper’s home country. Typically, the employer pays the placement fee upfront. Subsequently the helper pays back the employer with fixed deductions from her salary. 

MOM guidelines cap the placement fee at one month of your helper’s salary per contract year. This means the placement fee should not exceed 2 months of the agreed salary. However, your maid may be saddled with a higher sum than that, due to arrangements in her home country. This means she will have to repay additional debt on top of the fixed deductions. 

As this can cause financial stress, it might be a good idea to find out how much your maid owes in total placement fees. Alternatively opt for a zero-placement fee agency. This likely means you’ll need to pay a higher amount upfront, but in return your maid will be able to start work without worrying about debt.

Domestic helper insurance (S$400 to S$800 for 26-month plans)

Maid insurance under MOM requirements. They are available in 14- or 26-month plans, covering typical maid contract terms of one or two years, plus two months for administrative tasks. 

MOM levy (from S$60 per month)

Employers are required to pay a levy to MOM. This starts from S$60 per month, and is charged on a per-helper basis. 

Domestic helper salary (S$600 to S$1,000 per month)

The bulk of ongoing costs involved when hiring a maid comes from the salary, which is paid monthly. This will vary based on factors such as nationality, skills, language fluency, experience level and more. 

Employers are free to negotiate the salary with their helpers, but bear in mind that MDWs are under no obligations to accept your terms. It’s best to stick with market rates; you can check with your maid agency for recommended salary ranges. 

6ME health checkups (S$40 to S$150)

Besides the initial check-up, MDWs are required to undergo health checks every six months. Tests include screening for pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, as well as checks on BMI changes and signs of abuse or mistreatment. 

MOM requires employers to purchase maid insurance to cover the duration of their helpers’ employment in Singapore. Such plans must fulfil the following mandatory requirements: 

• Hospitalisation and surgery coverage: minimum of S$60,000 annual limit

• Minimum 75% co-pay by insurers and 25% by employers for claims amounts above S$15,000

• Personal accident coverage: minimum of S$60,000 annual limit

• This is to cover sudden, unforeseen and unexpected incidents resulting in permanent disability or death

All maid insurance plans offered by licensed providers in Singapore adhere to these minimum requirements, but there are some insurers that provide additional benefits on top.

MSIG MaidPlus provides up to S$120,000 annual limit – among the highest in the market – for hospital and surgical expenses, allowing employers to give their helpers even more coverage. For other healthcare needs, this plan provides up to S$3,000 for medical expenses, with sub-limits for TCM, dental and Dengue Fever treatment. 

 And to fully satisfy MOM requirements, MSIG MaidPlus also comes with personal accident benefits of S$60,000 per year. 

Employers have to pay a monthly levy to the MOM for each domestic helper they employ. Here are the current maid levy rates:

• First maid: S$300 per month

• Subsequent maid: S$450 per month per maid

Who qualifies for the concessionary maid levy rate?

The maid levy is rather stiff, but there’s a concessionary rate to help households better afford them. The concessionary rate is set at S$60 per month, but is only available if you fulfill the following requirements: 

• Have an eligible person living in your household: 

• A child below 16 years old

• An elderly person aged 67 or above

• A person with disability 

Note that eligible persons must be Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents. Employers can claim the concessionary maid levy for each eligible person, capped at two eligible persons per household. This means that if you have more than two domestic helpers, the S$60 concessionary rate will apply to only two helpers, and the full levy (S$450 per month) will apply to each subsequent helper. 

Maid levies are payable even if your maid is unable to work. MSIG MaidPlus, provides compensation of S$30 per day (up to 60 days) to cover wages and levy while your maid is hospitalised due to injury or illness.

Domestic helpers have to undergo health checks at least once every six months. This is known as 6ME (Six-monthly medical examination) and is necessary to ensure a clean bill of health for your helpers.

Here’s what 6ME typically entail:

• Pregnancy and VDRL (every 6 months). VDRL is a screening test that checks for syphilis and related conditions.  

• HIV (every 2 years)

• Tuberculosis Once, upon 2 years of stay in Singapore

• Checks on Body Mass Index (BMI) and visible signs of abuse

As different checks are required at different schedules, this means the cost of 6ME will vary. Note that employers or their representatives are not allowed to accompany domestic helpers on such visits.

Renewal of work permit 

Domestic helper work permits have a maximum duration of 2 years. If you wish to continue employing your helper, you will need to renew her work permit. This costs S$35 per renewal. 

You will receive a notification to renew your maid’s work permit MOM around 8 weeks before the current one expires. 

Repatriation and termination costs

Employers are fully responsible for the cost of sending domestic helpers back to their home countries upon termination of their employment. This includes:

• The cost of flight tickets, including connecting flights 

• Allowance to cover meals and other costs on the journey home

Note that your helper should depart Singapore within two weeks of her work permit’s cancellation. 

In the unlikely event that your helper becomes permanently disabled or passes away while under your employment, you are responsible for sending her or her remains home to her family. This will mean having to arrange for medical-assisted repatriation services which can add up to a considerable sum. 

Repatriation and termination costs can be offset with the right maid insurance plan. MSIG MaidPlus includes up to S$20,000 coverage for repatriation expenses as well as a S$3,000 special grant up in case of your helper’s death. To help cover the costs of terminating your helper’s employment, the plan provides up to S$600 in benefits.