Transfer maids

About our transfer maid guides

A transfer maid is a helper who is already working in Singapore and is moving from her current employer to a new one. Many families look at transfer helpers because they can meet her in person, ask about her experience in local homes and plan a handover with less waiting. These guides explain how a transfer works, what MOM requires of you, and how to judge whether a particular helper suits your household.

Key things to know before you start

A transfer follows a set process under MOM rules, and the timing matters. The points below come from MOM's own pages.

• Consent comes first. MOM states that the current employer's consent is required before a helper can be transferred, and there is no official process to override a refusal. Transfers through an agency also need the current employer's authorisation.
• Her permit and medical must be in order. Her Work Permit must be valid for more than 30 days and her six-monthly medical examination must be done.
• The steps run through FDW eService. You request consent, the current employer approves, you apply and receive in-principle approval, then buy the security bond and insurance before the permit is issued on the agreed date.
• There is a deadline. The new permit must be issued within 21 days of approval or by the old permit's expiry, whichever is earlier. The current employer pays levy until the new permit is issued.

You can read the full process on MOM's transfer page. If this is your first time employing a helper, remember that the Employers' Orientation Programme must be completed at least 2 working days before the Work Permit application.

Where to start reading

If you are new to the idea, begin with how hiring a transfer helper works, then weigh your options in new maid vs transfer maid. When you are ready to meet candidates, our guide on choosing the right transfer maid covers what to ask and what to look for. For the employer's side of the paperwork, read legal obligations when transferring a maid.

How Femme5 can help

We are a MOM-licensed agency (licence 19C9763), and our transfer maid service matches families with helpers who are already working in Singapore. We share maid profiles on request, and we can also help with helper transport for medicals and embassy runs. If a transfer helper is not the right fit, we also place full-time live-in helpers from the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar and Mizoram.