The option of having live-in help is one of the joys of living in this country. For hiring domestic helpers in Singapore you need a platform where you can access new and transfer maids. The best way is to find a good maid agency in Singapore – they can help at every stage of the interview process. Even if you’ve already found a transfer domestic helper, it’s worth paying agency fees to help with logistics.
Hiring domestic helpers in Singapore through a professional agency
Hiring domestic helpers in Singapore can be a complicated process for expats. You need to consider your budget, to begin with, and let the maid agency know. This ensures that you aren’t wasting time with the wrong candidates. Also remember to take into account things like health insurance and agency fees. By going through a professional, certified agency, you’ll eliminate the hassle and enjoy a much smoother process.
We Are Caring
If you’re looking for an efficient, reliable and ethical way to hire a domestic helper, We Are Caring offers a convenient and affordable hiring solution with great customer service every step of the way.
With the We Are Caring mobile app you can browse pre-screened helper profiles with detailed employment histories, skill sets and presentation videos. The app enables direct communication – whether the helper is based in Singapore or abroad. The hiring process is handled seamlessly in a digital way. The online platform is also backed by a dedicated and passionate team, which makes the whole experience easy.
The company says that it’s committed to providing a fully convenient and transparent experience for employers, with no salary deductions for the helper. The professional team will also provide guidance and support throughout the period of employment. That means you can focus on what really matters: a happy and harmonious household.
#02-06 Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road
3163 4636 | wearecaring.com
Prestige Management Services
Established in 1989 by Ms Connie Sim, Prestige Management Services is an international manpower agency based in Singapore providing highly skilled helpers to families in Singapore.
With 34 years of experience under her belt, Ms Connie knows well the elements that need to be in place for a successful maid placement. “You need to be very honest to your clientele, and whatever you say must be delivered accordingly,” she says. Through clients’ referrals and recommendations, Prestige is able to stay strong in the industry and to provide good quality helpers that meet clients’ requirements.
The company launched a training centre in 2020 to provide essential training for helpers to upgrade their knowledge in various fields including first aid, basic computing and sewing. The customised first aid course has been embraced by employers as a welcome additional skill for their helpers. Ms Connie says she is continuously thinking of the welfare of the maids and ways to improve their employability and wellbeing. This helps to create quality long-term relationships between helpers and employers.
#03-07 Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road
6738 2100 | prestigemgmt.com.sg
PinkMaids.sg
Having a live-in domestic helper isn’t the right choice for every family and not even necessary for some. If all they need is just some extra help here and there, to clean up the house and help with the laundry at home, especially during their tiring days at work, when they’re unwell or when they just need to take a break from the daily routine of cleaning up, PinkMaids.sg has the perfect solution – professional and reliable part-time domestic helper services! A domain wholly owned by Semura Cleaning Services Pte Ltd, PinkMaids.sg has been helping Singapore families sort their domestic cleaning and housekeeping needs with legal workers since 2011.
All their helpers speak excellent English and have undergone extensive training and have years of experience in house cleaning and babysitting; therefore your home and children are in safe hands. Whether you’re after general housekeeping, deep cleaning, babysitting or laundry services, there’s always someone trustworthy available to lend a hand. And if you’re moving house (or country!), PinkMaids.sg can take the pain out of the process, providing services like packing and unpacking, and end of tenancy handover cleaning.
Another plus is that there aren’t any agency fees or binding contracts to worry about. You’re free to terminate your service at any time upon completion of the sessions you’ve paid for, and change a booked session with notice if something pops up. Services start from just $80 per session for a helper for 4 hours on weekdays and $100 per session for a helper for 4 hours on Saturdays. It’s a part-time option worth considering!
#B1-51 Katong Shopping Centre, 865 Mountbatten Road
8370 8370 | pinkmaids.sg
Help Is Here
Help Is Here is a reliable maid agency in Singapore bringing diligent domestic helpers and satisfied employers together. It offers a personalised approach for hiring domestic helpers, with consultants taking the time to understand your household needs. This way the right match can be made the first time round.
In the interests of providing a hassle-free experience, helpers are deployed directly to your home. The Help Is Here team handles all the necessary paperwork, work permits and insurance applications, to ensure that your helper arrives at your doorstep quickly and efficiently.
Aside from sourcing helpers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar, the company also provides a raft of services including passport renewal. If you find your own helper through friends, or you want to bring your current helper with you from Hong Kong or Dubai, Help Is Here can process the direct hire paperwork with competitive agency fees. The company also helps expats to re-home their domestic helper when they leave the country.
Providing superb after-sales service is a key priority as the company says “we understand that having a domestic helper is a long-term commitment, and we provide ongoing support to both employers and helpers to ensure a happy and harmonious relationship.”
#03-14 New World Centre, 1 Jalan Berseh
8922 2123 | hih.com.sg
Best Housekeeper
Best Housekeeper is a trusted maid agency in Singapore dedicated to finding the most suitable helper for your family. It has a particular focus on experienced domestic helpers in Singapore, and also specialises in sourcing new helpers overseas. Every Best Housekeeper domestic helper undergoes a thorough screening process with a team of experienced agents. This means there’s one less thing for you to think about during the process.
The agency understands the importance of a helper finding a family they can thrive in as well as a family selecting a helper that meets their needs. The Best Housekeeper team strive to make the best possible match between employers and helpers. It’s recently developed a web app designed to facilitate matching of helpers, arranging interviews and efficient paperwork processing. Employers will also be able to process direct hiring via the app. Behind the scenes, a team of dedicated agents support the app, so you’ve always got someone to ask for assistance.
Check out the Best Housekeeper web app here! And if you’re keen to learn more, watch this helpful YouTube video.
#04-11 Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road
6876 7948 | besthousekeeper.sg
White Glove
White Glove is a maid agency doesn’t charge the domestic helper any fees. And they do a little match making, too.
They work hard to make sure there’s a good fit between employer and helper, rather than just giving you the person who happens to be sitting in the office. They deal with transfer, ex-Singapore based and overseas helpers too. But they only deal with experienced helpers who know the lay of the land here in Singapore (like how to take the MRT).
Perhaps one of the best things that American owner Jennifer Yarbrough does is use her lawyerly research skills to do thorough background checks above and beyond your typical agency. She does a social media check and gets references from former employers if available. She also collects an extensive biodata to make sure she really knows the person she’s putting into your home.
The White Glove Interview Guide has a sample of the questions you can ask to make your interview productive. If you find the right fit, having a helper in your home can truly be transforming for you and your family.
Having a domestic helper in Singapore
As a first-timer, hiring a domestic helper can initially feel a bit unusual. But, as everyone here will attest, having home help in this climate can be so beneficial — especially for those of us juggling busy lives. Add to that pets, always-hungry humans and a partner who still leaves their socks on the floor and you’ll soon be wondering how you managed without!
Based on statistics by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), 268,500 Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) were in employment as a domestic helper at the end of December 2022. This means that one in five Singapore households have live-in maids to manage household chores. This is great news for FDWs seeking work to provide for their families back home. However, research has also found that one in three maids fail to complete their standard two-year contract. While reasons for this vary, one is due to a high frequency of mismatched maid and employer. MOM has since rolled out measures to help those looking for domestic help to find the right fit.
Got all the info you need about agency fees and maid agencies in Singapore? Read our recommendations for preschools and schools.
Looking for some fun things to do at the weekend with the kids? Here’s our huge guide!
This article first appeared in the June 2023 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!