Why hire a transfer maid?
- Already working in Singapore, so there is no overseas recruitment or flight to arrange
- Work Permit, insurance and security bond still apply as for any new hire
- Usually needs less training, as she knows local households and routines
- Her previous employer's consent and her Work Permit details are checked before transfer
Suitable for: Families who need a helper sooner · Families who want a helper with Singapore experience
A transfer maid is a helper who is already working in Singapore and is moving to a new employer because her existing contract has ended or is cut short. Her employer might not require her services anymore, perhaps because they are relocating, or the family may feel the match is not a good fit.
Hiring a transfer helper is generally lower in cost, as there is no airfare to fly her in from overseas, though Work Permit fees still apply. Less training time is also needed, as most transfer helpers are more experienced than new helpers and can understand simple English, Mandarin or other dialects.
At Femme5, all our maids are fully trained and equipped to handle housekeeping chores, child care, elder care, preparing meals and pet care. Whether they are from Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines or are transfer helpers, they also undergo additional pre-training to meet the needs of your home. We strongly believe that a strong fit makes a happy home.
How a transfer works under MOM rules
A transfer is not the same as hiring a helper from overseas. She is already in Singapore on a Work Permit, so the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) process moves her from her current employer to you. According to MOM’s transfer guidance, the main steps are:
- Check she can be transferred. Her current Work Permit must be valid for more than 30 days, and her six-monthly medical examination (6ME) must be up to date.
- Get the current employer’s consent. You request consent through FDW eService, and her current employer approves it. MOM is clear that an employer’s consent is required before a helper can move to another employer, and this also applies when the transfer goes through an agency.
- Apply for the new Work Permit. Once consent is given, the application is submitted and you receive an in-principle approval (IPA).
- Buy the security bond and insurance. These must be in place before the new permit is issued.
- Issue the permit on the agreed date. The new Work Permit must be issued within 21 days of approval or by the expiry of her old permit, whichever is earlier.
Her current employer continues to pay the levy until your new permit is issued, which makes the handover date something both families should agree on early.
If you are a first-time employer
If you have never employed a helper before, you must complete the Employers’ Orientation Programme (EOP) at least 2 working days before the Work Permit application is submitted. The online EOP takes 2 hours and costs $29 to $36, and the classroom version takes 3 hours and costs $35 to $76. The Settling-in Programme is required only for first-time helpers, so a helper who has already worked here will normally have completed it.
What it costs and what drives the cost
Hiring a transfer maid in Singapore saves on overseas costs such as airfare, but the government costs of employing any helper still apply. Based on MOM’s published figures:
- Work Permit fees: $35 to apply and $35 to issue the permit.
- Security bond: $5,000 per helper (except Malaysians), provided as a banker’s or insurer’s guarantee (MOM security bond rules).
- Medical insurance: coverage for inpatient care and day surgery with an annual claim limit of at least $60,000. You cannot pass this cost on to your helper.
- Personal accident insurance: a sum assured of at least $60,000 a year.
- Monthly levy: $300 for your first helper, $450 for a second or later helper, or $60 at the concessionary rate if your household qualifies, for example with a Singapore citizen child below 16 or an eligible elderly person aged 67 or above.
Salary is the other big factor. MOM does not set a minimum salary, but you must pay the salary you declare in the Work Permit application. For context, figures MOM gave Parliament in 2021 showed that transfer helpers earned a little more on average than helpers hired from overseas at the end of 2019 and 2020. These figures are now several years old, so treat them as background rather than a current rate. Our guide to maid salary in Singapore and our full cost breakdown explain this in more detail.
Who a transfer helper suits
- Families who need help soon. She is already in Singapore, so there is no overseas recruitment or travel to wait for.
- Families on a budget who want to avoid the costs of bringing a helper in from abroad.
- Families who want an experienced helper who has already lived and worked in a Singapore household.
- Families with specific care needs, such as an elderly parent or a newborn, who would like someone with relevant experience. See our pages on elderly caregiving helpers and newborn and confinement care.
If you would like to weigh both options side by side, read new maid vs transfer maid.
How to interview a transfer helper well
Because she has worked in Singapore before, you can ask specific, practical questions. Good topics include:
- What her daily routine looked like with her current or previous family, and the size of that household.
- Her experience with the care you need, such as infants, toddlers, elderly family members or pets.
- Which dishes she can cook, and whether she has cooked for special diets.
- Why she is looking for a transfer. Reasons vary, for example a family relocating or no longer needing help, and an honest answer helps both sides.
- Her expectations on rest days, phone use and salary, so there are no surprises later.
Our article on selecting the right transfer helper has more questions to ask.
Preparing your home and the first few weeks
Before she arrives, prepare her sleeping area in line with MOM’s accommodation guidelines. At a minimum she needs a mattress, pillow, blanket, bathroom amenities and toiletries, with adequate space and privacy, and she must not share a room with a male adult or teenager. If you have cameras at home, tell her where they are; none may be placed where she sleeps, changes or bathes.
In the first weeks, walk her through your routines rather than assuming she will work the way her last family did. Agree on her weekly rest day early. She is entitled to 1 rest day a week, and at least 1 rest day each month cannot be compensated away with pay. Our guide to building trust in the first 30 days covers this period in more detail.
DISCLAIMER: Ultimately, maids are individuals with their own strengths and weaknesses. Other factors like work experience, age, education and training should also be considered when hiring a maid.
