How to Direct Hire Filipino Maid in Singapore?

Here’s how to hire a maid in Singapore:

1. Ensure that you are eligible to hire a maid.
2. First-time employers should attend the Employer’s Orientation Programme (EOP)
3. Send an application for the work permit. MOM will send you an IPA letter stating the approval of your application.
4. Decide whether you should hire a maid directly or through an agency.
5. Settle other costs associated with hiring a maid such as:
   • Maid insurance
   • Security deposit
   • Maid’s Settling-In Programme (for first-time maids in Singapore)
   • Maid’s Pre-Employment medical examination

If you're planning to hire a Filipino maid directly, this guide will help you understand the necessary steps and documents of what you and your maid should do.

Step 1: Understanding government regulations and requirements

The Philippines is known to have a lot of overseas workers or people working abroad. With the increasing number of Filipino citizens working abroad, the Philippine Government has strict legal guidelines and process to protect their citizens who wish to work overseas. This legal process will allow them to work in their desired country. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration or POEA is the government organisation that takes care of the process. The POEA will be the one to issue the Filipino maid's exit visa, also known as the Overseas Employment Certificate or OEC. This document is always needed when domestic workers plan to take up employment abroad.

MOM requirements for employers

When directly hiring domestic workers from the Philippines in Singapore, MOM requires employers to comply with their conditions to allow them to do so. Every employer is required to meet the eligibility criteria when hiring an FDW. Such criteria include:

• Wasn't recently bankrupt
• You must be 21 years old and above.
• You must be mentally capable of understanding the responsibilities of an employer.

The Ministry of Manpower will also consider your financial ability to maintain and hire a foreign domestic worker. Hiring your first FDW will require you to attend an Employer Orientation Programme (EOP).

POEA requirements for OFWs/ Filipino FDWs

For a Filipino citizen to receive an exit visa so she can work abroad as a maid, she needs to comply with the POEA requirements. The maid or the employer must engage with a POEA accredited agency to obtain the necessary documents and permissions. Thankfully, there are more than 800 of these around the Philippines. As part of POEA regulations, the POEA applications can only be made through a Philippine Overseas Labor & Office (POLO) accredited agency in Singapore. Below are the documents needed for the POEA application:

• Philippines Embassy bond
• IPA – In-Principle Approval from MOM
• Copy of the maid's passport
• POLO standard employment contract
• POLO's employer undertaking
• Copy of employer's ID
• Undertaking letter of the Employment Agency

Step 2: Searching for and Interviewing Filipino maid

There are many ways to go about searching for a maid, but if you prefer the flexibility to find the perfect fit, you can try direct hiring. Direct hiring a maid does not restrict your selection to a few proposed by an agency. However, as such domestic helpers will be staying with you and your family for a long time, it is best to be sure of the person you’re hiring. Once you’ve shortlisted a few potential maids, set a schedule to interview them thoroughly. If you are looking for a maid to care for your children, elderly or sick family members, do ask them on their experience and comfort level in fulfilling these responsibilities. 

Besides the hard skills, you will also need to determine if your candidate is trustworthy. With news of maids stealing from their employers or mistreating children, it is no surprise that trustworthiness is the top concern for all employers. But how do you ascertain that your potential helper is trustworthy? While there is no set formula to determine, you can start by assessing her replies and mannerisms during the interview process. For example, observe how relaxed your potential maid is during the interview process. As trustworthy people tend to be honest, even if the facts hurt, they will naturally be more comfortable as they do not have to think hard about hiding the truth. They also tend to be gracious and respectful in their conversations with you. If they make you feel relaxed too, it could be a sign that she is a keeper. So, it pays to be thorough in your interviews and take your time to find the perfect fit. 

Online

A way to look for potential domestic workers and directly hire them is through online platforms. These online platforms will showcase the personal details such as nationality, salary expectations, age, work permit expiration dates, and work experiences of the maids. Since the information is publicly available, these platforms tend to have only the more experienced maids - great for busy employers. Below are some of the best sites you can check out to search for potential Filipino domestic workers to be hired directly:

• Helperplace
• Netmaid

Word of Mouth

If you're planning to hire a Filipino helper directly, one of the easiest ways to get in touch with a good helper is through word of mouth. Your friends, families, relatives, or colleagues might recommend you to a trusted and reliable helper. Also, if you're new to hiring an FDW, asking your trusted friends and families on their experiences in hiring an FDW goes a long way. Additionally, you'll be saving a lot of time and effort from searching for domestic helpers with good reviews online.

But of course, deciding which way you want to look for your potential helper highly depends on you. If you're careful in understanding the reviews of a maid online, then hiring them through online platforms won't be a problem for you. If you're afraid or you don't trust your instincts in hiring a helper online, it's best to stick to seeking help from your friends and family.

Step 3: Having the necessary prerequisites

To avoid any complications during the hiring process, you must ensure you have the necessary prerequisites as an employer. You will also need to ensure that your employee meets the different set of requirements too. 

Required documents for employers

• The employer's valid ID
• A standard employment contract for your household service worker
• A letter of guarantee by a reputable insurance company for the Philippine Embassy Bond worth $7,000. This can be obtained through maid insurance policies like MSIG maid insurance. The bond should be valid for two years.  (Note: the Philippine Embassy bond is different from the Ministry of Manpower or MOM bond.)
• Letter of Undertaking of the Employer

Required documents for Filipino FDWs

Domestic workers that will be directly hired from the Philippines to Work in Singapore will need to present the following documents which they can obtain themselves:

• TESDA skill certification (NC II) National Certificate on domestic work
• Paid OWWA membership
• Education certificate with a minimum of 8 years of formal education
• Medical clearance from an accredited POEA clinic
• NBI and Barangay clearance
• Certificate of attendance to a Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar or PEOS
• Philhealth contributions should be made
• Overseas Employment Certificate or OEC
• An employment contract that is verified by POLO Singapore
• Certificate of attendance to the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration seminar
• Passport with at least six months of validity upon arrival in Singapore
• Paid Pagibig membership
• Valid work permit
• Certificate of attendance to the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS)
• Certificate of attendance to the Comprehensive Pre-Departure Education Program (CPDEP)

Take note that the PEOA application can only be made in an accredited POLO agency in Singapore.

Step 4: Application Process for Direct Hiring Filipino Maid in Singapore 

If you are directly hiring a maid, you will have to complete the relevant paperwork which can be time-consuming and even challenging for new employers. That’s why some employers turn to agencies to help them with the administrative process for a fee. This doesn't mean that your maid will go through an agency; they will just help you through the administrative process.

Employers: to MOM

For an employer to direct-hire a maid from the Philippines to work in Singapore, the following requirements should be completed:

• Apply for an In-Principle Approval or IPA letter and send it to your chosen maid to allow them entry to the country. The Ministry of Manpower will issue the IPA with a unique control number which you will need to apply for your maid's insurance policy.
• Book your maid's flight to Singapore with at least 20kg check-in luggage allowance
• You must complete the MOM's Employer Orientation Programme or EOP. For first time employers, you can register through this online website.
• Sort out a maid insurance policy and security bond before your maid arrives in the country.
• For new Filipino domestic workers, you'll need to arrange for a Setting in Programme (SIP)
• Issuance of your maid's work permit
• Preparations for your maid's medical exams

FDW: to Direct Hire Assistance Division of the POEA

Once your maid has completed all her documents, she can now proceed to the Direct Hire Assistance Division of the POEA to present the documents. The required documents should all be valid when given to avoid rejections and delays with the process.

Step 5: Prepare Security Bond and Maid Insurance

Once you’ve understood the process for direct-hiring a Filipino maid, the next thing to do is to prepare the security bond and maid insurance. You will need to obtain an In-Principle Approval letter for the bond and insurance. The required amount for the bond to be deposited is $5,000, and only the employer is allowed to pay for it. If you break any of the employment rules, the deposit will be forfeited. Ensure that you secure the bond before your maid arrives in the country as it takes effect upon her arrival. 

To ensure the welfare of your maid, the Ministry of Manpower encourages employers to purchase maid insurance for their maids. Maid insurance like MSIG MaidPlus provides coverage for the maid's liability, such as damages or injuries done by the maid. The insurance will cover $5,000 worth of liability charges to third parties. As accidents and illnesses can happen unexpectedly, it is crucial to have adequate medical cover for your maids. With MSIG MaidPlus, you won't have to worry about paying too much for the medical bills as the insurance has coverage of $15,000 per year, and that's only for the standard plan!

Purchasing a security bond and maid insurance won't just benefit your maid. It will also help to lighten your load financially when the unexpected happens. So, before hiring a maid, do think through on your needs, responsibilities and budget.

To give you a short recap of the needed documents for both the employer and maid, here is a table to guide you:

The cost of hiring a Filipino maid or any foreign domestic worker (FDW), whether through a maid agency or hired directly in Singapore is continuously increasing. Currently, there are more than 250,000 maids or FDWs in Singapore or one out of five households employs maid services.

Not all agencies in Singapore charge the same rate. The fees highly depend on the maid's nationality and experiences. For example, maids from the Philippines need to meet more requirements than maids from Myanmar. The reason for this is that Filipino maids need to apply for an exit visa which may require additional expenses and extra efforts to obtain. Myanmar maids, on the other hand, only require a valid passport. That is why most maid agencies charge differently when it comes to the maid's nationality, as for the maid's work experiences, the more skills they have, the higher their pay.

In the case of hiring directly, the table below provides the needed expenses when directly hiring a Filipino maid in Singapore. Charges may differ with each case, but these should give some guidance. The costs listed below partly goes to the employer and the domestic worker involved, while some expenses are for the legal requirements. Typically, the maximum permitted amount charged to a maid is six months of her salary, which is generally advanced by her employer.

Hiring domestic workers, whether directly or through an agency, is a responsibility. In today's time, Singaporeans have considered employing a maid as a basic need. With so much work to do, you'd want an extra pair of hands to help you around the house. If you plan to hire a Filipino maid directly, you need to take note that the whole process may take about six weeks to complete. That is if there won't be any delays.

Besides completing all the necessary MOM requirements, the employer and the maid still have to complete the application from the Philippines Overseas Labour Office or POLO and POEA.  Once you and your maid fulfil all the requirements and have gotten the approval from the said agencies, you're a step closer to completing the hiring process.

Just like hiring a maid through an agency, direct hiring also has its pros and cons. You might want to research first about direct hiring and if it's the right process for you. Keep in mind that the process should be done legally to avoid any problems for you and your maid.