Guide To Getting A Work Permit For Your Maid In Singapore

Are you overwhelmed by work to clean up your house? Do you need extra help to take care of your elderly parents or young children?

Chances are you need another person to help out with your house chores and take care of your family while you’re out earning money to provide for everyone in your household.

While it’s common for a household in Singapore to have a domestic helper, it can be quite tedious to deal with the paperwork when it comes to hiring foreign domestic workers.

Even then, the paperwork is an essential part of the hiring requirements to ensure that your maid is working for you legally and serves to safeguard their welfare by holding you liable for their employment.

Let’s face it. Dealing with the paperwork can be quite overwhelming as it requires a thorough understanding of the terms and conditions as well as the rules and regulations. It’s also time-consuming as you’ll need to get the approval from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

If you intend to hire foreign domestic workers to meet your household needs, you can either engage with a maid employment agency in Singapore like Homekeeper or DIY (Do-It-Yourself). Here’s what you need to know about getting a work permit for your maid.

Applying for a work permit for your maid in Singapore

If you hire a maid through an employment agency, they’ll deal with the paperwork on your behalf. But if you’re looking to apply for your maid’s work permit on your own, there are several steps you’ll need to follow before your prospective maid arrives in Singapore.

Before you submit the work permit application, you’ll need to get written consent from your maid to protect both you and your maid’s interests should a dispute arise. You can then apply either online or manually together with the $35 fee.

Note that it’ll take about a week to process your online application or three weeks if you submit the application form manually.

Once your application is approved, the ministry will email the in-principle approval (IPA) letter and declaration forms to be signed by you and your maid. If your maid isn’t in Singapore yet, you’ll need to send them a copy of the IPA for a smooth entry.

Before their entry, you’re required to get approval from MOM, purchase a security bond as well as medical and personal accident insurance for your maid. Once they enter Singapore, they’ll need to serve a 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN), after which you’re required to send them for a medical examination.

Upon completion of the SHN, you should request for your maid’s work permit and the ministry will issue a temporary work permit.

Valid for one month, you must hand the temporary work permit to your maid so that they can start work while waiting for the actual work permit.

The work permit will be delivered four working days after your maid’s documents are verified.

Renewing the work permit

Your maid’s work permit is valid for two years depending on the duration of the security bond. The ministry will send a renewal letter eight weeks before your maid’s work permit expires. You can renew the work permit online along with the $35 fee.

Before you can renew your maid’s work permit, you’ll need to get them a new security bond and extend their medical and personal accident insurance.

The process of renewing the work permit is similar to applying for a work permit but you’ll need to refer to the renewal letter for more detailed instructions.

Once your maid’s work permit is renewed, be sure to check the temporary work permit for instructions on whether you need to return or continue using the existing card.

The steps above seem simple but if you miss out on any, your maid won’t be able to enter Singapore and work for you. It pays to be thorough so check on every step of the application so that you’ll have the extra help you need.

Homekeeper can help with your household needs

If you’re looking to hire a foreign domestic helper within Singapore, Homekeeper has a database of domestic workers to choose from. You’ll be able to look through their biodata and key information of potential domestic helper.

Additionally, we’ll process the necessary documents for you and your helper-to-be. We’ll then provide maid pre-employment training to ensure that your helper-to-be meets your household needs.

Also, we have a new and upcoming service for busy employers and those who want to minimise going out during this pandemic. It allows employers to complete the entire process from start to finish at the comfort of their home. Please stay tuned!