The Employers' Orientation Programme is a 3-hour programme that will help you understand your role and responsibilities as an employer of a domestic helper. First-time employers must complete the EOP at least 2 working days before submitting a Work Permit application. You can take the EOP either in the classroom or online.

Employers' income is one of the main ways MOM assess Work Permit applications for domestic helpers. Married couples can combine their incomes in the application. Alternatively, employers can apply under the Joint Income or Sponsorship Scheme.

Under the Joint Income Scheme, you can combine your income with a family member who is staying with you, other than your spouse. Only 1 extra income can be included. To qualify for the Joint Income Scheme, you must be a Singapore citizen or a permanent resident, at least 21 years old and above and not an undischarged bankrupt. You can have a family member (who is not your spouse) staying at the same address as you to combine income with. The family member can be your sibling, parent, child or relative. You must receive a higher salary than the family member you are combining income with.

To qualify for the Sponsorship Scheme, you must be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident, 60 years old and above, not earning an income and not staying with any working adults. Your children, children’s spouse, your grandchildren, grandchildren’s spouse or your siblings can be your sponsor.

In order to apply for a second domestic helper, the employer or spouse must be at least 60 years old or there are at least 2 children below 18 years old and living with the employer. Alternatively, the employer can also apply if he/she has a parent or parent-in-law who is at least 60 years old and living with them in the same address. MOM will also look at the financial ability of the employer to hire, maintain and upkeep the helpers in an acceptable accommodation.

As an employer, you must ensure that your domestic helper’s accommodation have adequate shelter, sufficient ventilation, is safe and has adequate space and privacy.

You must minimally provide your domestic helper with a mattress, pillow, blanket, bathroom amenities and toiletries. Examples of toiletries include soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.

Yes but you must first notify MOM , obtain your helper's written agreement to take care of your child or parent at the relative’s house before you proceed with this arrangement. You will also need to ensure that your helper does not perform the full load of housework in both households.

Yes, but you will need to seek approval before doing so. If you are leaving your helper with your friend or relative, you must ensure that the person you’re leaving her with can take care of her well-being, and does not deploy her for work. An online request must be submitted at least 7 working days before your trip and the information includes the name, address and relationship of the person your domestic helper will be staying with, name of EA or dormitory operator, duration, dates of her stay.

Yes you can hire directly from the agent who is overseas, but the risk is high. Firstly, you may not know the overseas agents and they may need you to transfer fees like loan or deposit to them before the helper arrives. These payments are not protected when the helper decides not come to Singapore. When you engage a licenced agency in Singapore, they work with the overseas agents they have known for a long period of time. More importantly the employers are protected since they have a signed agreement with agreed terms with the agency they engage. Hiring through an agency also give you a peace of mind since they are there to help is any problems arise before and after deployment.

Yes. The agency can assist you on that before the domestic helper is deployed to you. You will need to inform the agency in advance that a bank account is required before they issue the work permit. Otherwise, the employer need to apply for the account online themselves.

According to MOM, employer are to bear the cost of sending the domestic helper back home when the employment relationship ends. Check-in luggage and any connecting transport costs to the international port of entry in her home country/region nearest to her hometown must be included in ticket purchased.

From 1 January 2023, MOM requires all employers to provide their domestic helpers with at least one rest day a month that cannot be compensated away to work instead even if the helper is willing.

Employers are not allowed to make any deductions to penalise her for performance issues or for damaging household equipment.

Employers are not allow to safe-keep the domestic helper’s salary or any of her money, even if she requests for it. It is an offence to do so.