Hiring a Foreign Maid

Employing a maid in Singapore is easy and inexpensive when compared to other countries. Initially you have to evaluate your needs for either a mainly foreign full time live in maid or a locally based part time maid.

If you have access to enterAsia's online step-by-step relocation guide to Singapore follow the step on employing a maid in the relevant chapter.
Foreign maids are hired as foreign domestic workers from Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. Maids from Indonesia and Sri Lanka are paid less as they do not speak English as well as most of the Filipino maids. The monthly salary for Indonesian Maids is SGD 280 Filipinas earn between SGD 320 and 350 a month.

Foreign maids must be at least 23 years old and not older than 38 years and have to proof eight years of formal education.

They need to pass an entry test comprising multiple choice quastions in English. At times there may be a shortage of Indonesian maids. 

For a full time live-in maid you should calculate around S$1000 per month plus hiring costs and airfare tickets for the bi-annual home leave and return. Monthly salaries for Filipinas average S$350-S$400 and depend on the country of origin, experience and English language abilities. Indonesian maids are paid SGD 280 per month onwards. As usual expatriates tend to pay more than the locals. There is an additional food and toiletries allowance of S$150-180 if the maid is not eating the family's food and receives shampoo, soap and toothpaste from her employer. To ensure prompt salary payment, salaries need to be paid into the maid's bank account in Singapore. This is a useful option as bank transaction records of salary payment will useful in the event of any salary dispute. Foreign domestic workers who have been paid promptly by their employers can choose to keep their current arrangements.