A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO HIRING A MAID IN SINGAPORE

A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO HIRING A MAID IN SINGAPORE –
PART I: SELECTING A MAID AGENCY

The most straightforward way to get started in hiring a maid is to approach a maid agency, which will provide you with the necessary advice required and assist your in the planning process.

There are many maid agencies in Singapore, hence the next question will naturally be: Which maid agency should I go with? Should I go to the agency nearest to my location or a recommended maid agency? 

While there are no right or wrong answers, it all voice down to your personal preference. More often than not, people tend to gravitate to a maid agency that is recommended by their friends, family or colleague as the positive experience provides more confidence that it is a reliable maid agency, one whose service can be trusted. In fact the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has a scorecard for employers to rate the services of employment agencies (see snapshot, below).

Generally, the higher the ratings, the more satisfied clients are with the services of the maid agency or employment agency. 

A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO HIRING A MAID IN SINGAPORE –

PART II: NATIONALITY OF MAID

After selecting which agency that you would like to go with to assist you in your hiring of a foreign domestic worker (FDW), the next step is to decide on the nationality of your domestic helper. Here’s a brief introduction of helpers from the different countries (in no order of preference):

Myanmar

Helpers from Myanmar tend to be soft-natured and mild in character. By and large, candidates from myanmar are hardworking and have a pleasant personality; their religions are typically Buddhism and Christianity. New candidates typically would have difficulty in communication, however,with the right attitude, they will be able to pick up in no time. Recommended for employers who do not mind spending some time to guide them. Some are even able to speak mandarin and are ideal to take care of elderly.

India

India is a huge country and candidates from different regions of this large country can differ by quite a bit in terms of language, religion, diet and day-to-day rituals. Mizoram maids are increasingly gaining popularity amongst Singapore households as their character and behaviour are very much similar to Myanmar maids. However, their edge over Myanmar maids is that they are able to speak better English.

Indonesia

Trusted by many households, maids from Indonesia have been in Singapore for a long time. They are by an large Muslims by religion, though there are some who are Christians and Catholics. They speak predominantly in Bahasa Indonesia and are most suitable to take care of elderly (especially if the elderly knows malay, which most know, from their Kampung days).

The Philippines

With most possessing a good command of English, Filipino maids are often deployed as nannies and babysitters to take care of children. Most of the candidates from this region are Christians and Catholics. However, do take note that due to embassy requirements, they typically take 6-8 weeks for their documentation to be processed.

A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO HIRING A MAID IN SINGAPORE –

PART III: SELECTING YOUR MAID

Upon deciding which nationality will best suit your household, the next step would be to start looking for the specific candidate.

Here are some tips:
1. In hiring an experienced candidate, do ensure that that the experience is as close as the requirements that your household requires.
2. For new-to-Singapore candidates, it is good if their experience is relevant to your requirements
3. Important to look out for non-verbal cues during interview
4. For experienced candidates: remember to lookout for the employment history. Your agency should share with you the details of the maid’s employment history. Over in the employment history, it lists all the employer(s) that the candidate has worked for. 
5. Ask for the reason for leaving the previous employment(s)

A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO HIRING A MAID IN SINGAPORE –

PART IV: THE PAPERWORK

Finally, after concluding the interviews with some shortlisted candidate, you have decided to go ahead and hire a candidate.

This is the crucial point where your maid agency will take over and assist you with all the necessary paperwork and formalities required to bring your maid into Singapore. 
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Fast-forward the process, your helper arrives in Singapore.

On arrival in Singapore, the candidates are required to undergo a medical screening and examination. In addition, New-to-Singapore maids are required to attend a mandatory one-day Settling-in-Programme (SIP) course where they are taught about the basic dos and don’ts, their rights as well as safety amongst other things. 

After the medical report is released, your FDW’s temporary Work Permit can then be issued. This has to be done within 14 days of her arrival. After that, she is required to complete her card registration or commonly known in the industry as “thumbprinting”. On completion of the card registration, the (permanent) Work Permit  will be delivered (by courier) either to your home directly or to the Employment Agency, depending on what instructions have been given to your agency.

Congratulations! Your hiring process is now complete! 
(Note: This guide is simplified and made concise for easier comprehension.) 

Have a question? Do feel free to email or call us.

Disclaimer: All information provided in this article is provided to the best of our knowledge and years of experience in the industry. GM Connection Pte Ltd and its staff disclaims any liability and shall not be held responsible in any way in connection with the use of the information provided.