Last updated: June 2026
If you are thinking about first time hiring a maid Singapore families can lean on, you are probably feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. There is a new person about to live in your home, a list of government rules you have never dealt with, and a worry that you might get something wrong. That is completely normal, and in our experience it is also very manageable once you can see the whole path laid out in front of you.
This guide walks you through seven clear steps, from "we are still deciding" all the way to "she has arrived and settled in". We have written it for first-timers, so we define the jargon as we go and keep each stage simple.
A foreign domestic worker, often called a maid, helper, or FDW, is hired on a Work Permit, which is the official permission from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) that allows her to work and live in your home. Across the steps below, we will cover what you need to decide, what an agency should do for you, your obligations as an employer, and what those first days at home really look like. Take it one step at a time, and it stops feeling overwhelming.
Step 1: Decide Your Real Needs
Before you browse any profiles, sit down as a household and write out what you actually need help with day to day. This is the single most useful thing you can do, and in our experience it prevents most mismatches later.
Are you mainly looking for childcare for a newborn or toddler? Elderly care for a parent who needs companionship and mobility support? General housework and cleaning? Cooking? Or, as is common, a mix of several?
Be honest about the balance. A helper who is wonderful with infants may have less experience with elderly care, and someone who is a confident cook may be newer to caring for an active toddler. Rank your priorities so you know what cannot be compromised.
Also think about your home itself. How many bedrooms, how many floors, do you have pets, and is anyone in the household a light sleeper. These practical details shape who will be happy in your home. When you are ready to see what real candidates look like, you can browse available domestic helpers to get a feel for the range of experience and backgrounds.
Step 2: Choose an Agency
A good agency does far more than hand you a stack of profiles. It guides you through MOM paperwork, arranges medical checks and insurance, manages the helper's arrival, and stays reachable when questions come up in the early months.
When you are comparing agencies, look for clear written fee breakdowns with no vague "admin charges", a proper office you can visit, and honest answers about what happens if a match does not work out. Ask about their replacement policy and how they support both you and the helper after deployment.
Be cautious of any agency that rushes you, pressures you to decide on the spot, or is unwilling to explain costs in writing. Your gut feeling during that first conversation matters.
This is the part many first-timers find reassuring once it clicks. A trustworthy agency holds your hand through every form and deadline. You can read more about how we work on our about Femme5 page, and our full-time helper service explains what is handled on your behalf from matching through to arrival.
Step 3: Understand Your MOM Obligations as an Employer
This step sounds intimidating, so let us make it concrete. As an employer, you take on a set of responsibilities set by MOM. Here is what is involved, with current figures.
You pay a monthly FDW levy, which is a fee to the government for employing a foreign helper. The standard levy is SGD 300 per month. If your household includes a Singapore Citizen child under 16, an elderly person aged 67 or above, or a person with disabilities, you may qualify for the concessionary levy of SGD 60 per month, applied through the CPF Board. You can check the qualifying conditions on the CPF Board website.
You buy a security bond of SGD 5,000, which is a guarantee to MOM that you will meet your obligations as an employer. This is required for most helpers, except those from Malaysia.
You buy insurance for your helper. Under MOM rules for policies on or after 1 July 2023, this means medical insurance of at least SGD 60,000 per year and personal accident insurance of at least SGD 60,000 per year.
You also provide adequate food, sufficient rest, a weekly rest day or compensation in lieu, and safe, decent accommodation.
A few costs are clearly employer-borne and cannot be passed to your helper: the security bond premium, the MOM-required insurance, and the Settling-in Programme fee covered in Step 6. For exact Work Permit application and issuance fees, and for the latest rules, always refer to MOM directly, since these can change. You can read the official MOM employer obligations guidance for the full detail. A good agency will calculate your total monthly commitment with you so there are no surprises.
Step 4: Match and Interview
Once your needs are clear and your agency is briefed, you will receive a shortlist of candidates. The interview, usually by video call, is where you find out whether someone is a genuine fit, not just on paper.
Skip the yes or no questions. Instead, ask open ones that reveal how a person actually thinks and works. For example: "Tell me about a typical day in your last job." "What did you enjoy most, and what did you find hard?" "How would you handle a toddler who refuses to nap?" "How do you usually settle in when you are far from home?"
Listen for warmth, honesty, and problem-solving rather than rehearsed answers. It is also fair to talk plainly about your expectations: working hours, rest day arrangements, house rules, and the kind of cooking your family enjoys.
In our experience, the families who interview two or three candidates, and who treat it as a two-way conversation, tend to find a better long-term match. If you are unsure what to ask for your specific situation, our team is happy to help you prepare, and you can find common queries answered on our FAQ page.
Step 5: Documentation Timeline
Here is where the agency really earns its keep, and where first-timers feel the relief most. Once you have chosen a helper, a sequence of paperwork begins, and a good agency manages it for you.
In broad strokes, the process includes applying for the Work Permit through MOM, arranging the helper's medical examination, putting the SGD 5,000 security bond in place, and buying the required medical and personal accident insurance before she starts work. After the permit is approved in principle, there are arrival, medical, and registration steps before the Work Permit is finally issued.
You do not need to memorise every form. What helps is understanding the shape of it: apply, insure, bond, arrive, register. Your agency tracks each deadline and tells you what to sign and when.
For the precise Work Permit fees and the most current sequence, refer to MOM, as the steps are occasionally updated. If you would like us to walk you through the timeline for your case, you can reach our team through our contact page and we will map it out clearly.
Step 6: Boarding House and Pre-Deployment Orientation
Before your helper begins, there is usually a short settling-in window, and this is one of the most underrated steps. A helper who arrives calm, oriented, and rested tends to start far better than one who is thrown straight in.
Every first-time helper in Singapore must complete the compulsory Settling-in Programme (SIP), a one-day course on safety, living in Singapore, and adjusting to local life. It costs SGD 76.40 including GST, and this fee is paid by you as the employer.
This is also where a boarding house can help. A boarding house gives a newly arrived or transferring helper a safe, supervised place to stay during the transition, with basic orientation before she joins your home. It takes pressure off everyone and gives the helper time to adjust.
It is worth remembering that every helper must also pass a six-monthly medical examination, known as the 6ME, which typically costs around SGD 30 to SGD 50 and is paid by you. Building these small, regular responsibilities into your routine early makes the whole arrangement smoother.
Step 7: First Week at Home
She has arrived. This is the week that sets the tone, and our biggest piece of advice is simple: be patient with each other.
Before she arrives, set up her room with a bed, storage, and a fan or air-conditioning, and prepare a few basics so she does not have to ask for everything on day one. Have her own toiletries and a clean towel ready. Small gestures of welcome go a long way.
In the first few days, walk her through your home and routines slowly. Show her where things are, how appliances work, and what your family's daily rhythm looks like. Write key things down, including emergency contacts, the address, and house rules, since a new helper is absorbing a great deal of unfamiliar information at once.
Teach, do not test. Demonstrate how you like tasks done rather than assuming she will guess. Agree on rest day arrangements and quiet hours early so expectations are shared.
Above all, be patient about the things that take time: the cooking that is not yet quite to your taste, the route to school she is still learning, the child who is still warming up. In our experience, the families who invest in a calm, kind first week build a working relationship that lasts for years. You can always come back to our homepage for more guidance as your needs grow.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire a maid in Singapore for the first time?
Costs vary by household, but the recurring government-linked items are the clearest place to start. You pay a monthly FDW levy of SGD 300, or SGD 60 if you qualify for the concession through the CPF Board. On top of that sit your agency fees, the helper's salary, the required insurance, the SGD 5,000 security bond, and smaller items like the SGD 76.40 Settling-in Programme fee. In our experience, the best approach is to ask your agency for a full written breakdown of one-time and monthly costs so you can budget with confidence. Femme5 can prepare this for your specific situation.
What is the FDW levy and could I pay less?
The FDW levy is a monthly fee paid to the government for employing a foreign domestic worker. The standard rate is SGD 300 per month. Many families qualify for the concessionary rate of SGD 60 per month if their household has a Singapore Citizen child under 16, an elderly member aged 67 or above, or a person with disabilities. The concession is applied through the CPF Board, and you can confirm the qualifying conditions on the CPF Board website. It is worth checking early, since the difference across a year is significant for many first-time employers.
Do I really need to buy insurance and a security bond?
Yes. Under MOM rules, you must buy medical insurance of at least SGD 60,000 per year and personal accident insurance of at least SGD 60,000 per year for policies taken on or after 1 July 2023. You also buy a SGD 5,000 security bond, which is a guarantee to MOM, for most helpers, with Malaysian helpers being an exception. These costs are employer-borne and cannot be charged to your helper. They protect both your household and your helper, and a good agency arranges them for you as part of the deployment process, so you are not left figuring out providers on your own.
What is the Settling-in Programme?
The Settling-in Programme, or SIP, is a compulsory one-day course that every first-time foreign domestic worker in Singapore must complete soon after arrival. It covers safety at home, adjusting to life in Singapore, relationship management, and the helper's rights and responsibilities. The fee is SGD 76.40 including GST, and it is paid by you as the employer, not deducted from your helper. In our experience, the SIP genuinely helps a new helper feel more settled and confident, which makes those first weeks at home smoother. You can read more about the programme on the MOM website.
How long does the whole process take?
Timelines vary depending on the helper's situation, whether she is transferring locally or arriving from overseas, and how quickly documents are processed. As a rough guide, expect the process from choosing a candidate to her starting work to take a few weeks, since it involves Work Permit application, medical checks, insurance, the security bond, and arrival steps. A good agency keeps this moving and tells you what is needed at each stage. For the precise current processing times and Work Permit fees, refer to MOM, as these are occasionally updated.
What are my ongoing responsibilities once she has started?
Beyond the monthly levy and salary, you are responsible for providing adequate food, sufficient rest, a weekly rest day or agreed compensation in lieu, and safe accommodation. You also need to ensure your helper attends her six-monthly medical examination, known as the 6ME, which typically costs around SGD 30 to SGD 50 and is paid by you. Keeping insurance valid and renewing the Work Permit when due are part of the picture too. None of this is complicated once it becomes routine, and a supportive agency will remind you of key dates so nothing slips.
A Calmer Way to Start
Hiring a helper for the first time involves real responsibilities, but as you can see, it follows a clear path. Decide your needs, choose a trustworthy agency, understand your MOM obligations, interview thoughtfully, let the paperwork be managed for you, use the settling-in window well, and invest in a kind first week.
If you would like a friendly, no-pressure conversation about your family's situation, we would be glad to help. A good agency holds your hand through each step, explains every cost in plain language, and stays reachable long after your helper arrives. You are welcome to reach out to the Femme5 team whenever you are ready, with no obligation to commit.
About the author
The Femme5 Team has guided many first-time Singapore households through the full process of hiring a foreign domestic helper, from MOM paperwork and insurance to matching and settling-in support.
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