Maid Agency Singapore: How to Choose, Fees and Red Flags

To choose a maid agency in Singapore, start by checking it is licensed on MOM’s Employment Agencies and Personnel Search directory, then compare its retention rate, fees, replacement terms and service agreement. MOM does not cap what agencies charge employers, so fees vary widely, but it does cap what agencies can charge your helper and requires agencies to refund at least 50% of your service fee if her employment ends within six months, subject to conditions.

We do not rank agencies, because what makes a good fit depends on your needs and changes over time. Instead, this guide shows you how to check any maid agency in Singapore yourself, what fees to expect and the red flags to avoid. All rules are as at October 2026.

Step 1: Check the agency’s MOM licence

Every employment agency (EA) placing domestic helpers must hold a licence from MOM, and every staff member doing agency work must be registered. Before you pay anything:

• Search the EA directory. Use MOM’s Employment Agencies and Personnel Search to confirm the agency’s name, licence number and address.
• Check the licence number on documents. Licensed agencies must show their name and licence number on invoices, receipts, service agreements and correspondence.
• Check the person you are dealing with. Registered EA personnel carry a registration card with their name, registration number and agency. Match it against the directory, which shows names and photos.
• Look at the track record. The directory shows indicators such as the agency’s successful retention rate and the number of helpers it placed in the previous year.

Someone recruiting helpers through a chat group or online marketplace without a licence is not an agency. If anything goes wrong, you have little protection.

Step 2: Understand maid agency fees

There are three types of cost to keep separate: what you pay the agency, what your helper pays, and the official costs of employing her.

What you pay the agency

MOM does not cap agency fees charged to employers. Service fees commonly run from about $1,000 to $3,000, depending on whether the helper is new to Singapore or a transfer, her nationality and what is bundled in. Our transfer vs fresh helper guide explains the trade-offs. Ask for an itemised quote that separates:

• The agency’s own service fee.
• Pass-through costs such as Work Permit fees, the medical examination, insurance, the security bond premium and the Settling-in Programme.
• Optional extras such as home leave arrangements or extended guarantees.

What your helper pays

The fee a Singapore agency can charge a worker is capped at one month of her salary for each year of her Work Permit or contract, whichever is shorter, up to a maximum of two months’ salary. Separately, many helpers arrive with a placement loan from agencies or lenders back home, repaid through salary deductions over several months. Ask exactly how much she owes, to whom, and how many months of reduced salary that means. A helper in heavy debt is under real stress, and it affects how settled she feels.

The official costs

Your helper’s salary, the monthly levy ($60 with the concession if you live with a Singapore Citizen child under 16), insurance and the $5,000 security bond are set out in our guide to hiring a domestic helper in Singapore. Make sure you are not paying for these twice through the agency.

Step 3: Read the refund and replacement terms

Since 1 June 2022, agencies must refund at least 50% of the service fees you paid if your helper’s employment ends within the first six months. The refund must be made within 14 working days of your written request or the Work Permit cancellation, whichever is later. Conditions apply. You may not get a refund if, for example:

• You used the agency only for paperwork, not matching.
• You breached employment law or harmed the worker.
• You did not give the agency reasonable notice before cancelling the Work Permit.
• You hired her as a caregiver and care is no longer needed.

Many agencies also offer replacement guarantees. Ask how many replacements are included, within what period, and whether you pay any fees again. Get everything in a written service agreement; MOM publishes a recommended template that good agencies follow.

Red flags to watch for

• No licence, or a licence number that does not match the directory.
• Fees quoted only verbally, or pressure to pay in cash with no receipt.
• Language that treats helpers as products. MOM’s guidelines tell agencies not to advertise using terms like “free replacement” or “fast delivery”, or to describe workers as “obedient”. Agencies are also told not to display helpers outside their premises or show their biodata to passers-by.
• Advice to keep your helper’s passport. MOM says employers should not keep their workers’ passports, and withholding a passport that is not yours is an offence under the Passports Act.
• Suggestions to bend the rules, such as deploying your helper at another household without notifying MOM, or offering a “part-time maid”. See our guide to part-time helpers in Singapore for the legal options.
• Vague answers about her loan, rest days or salary. Every helper is entitled to a weekly rest day, and at least one rest day a month cannot be compensated away.
• A rush to sign. A reputable agency will give you time to read the service agreement and interview candidates.

Agency or direct hire?

An agency is useful if you are hiring for the first time, want help shortlisting candidates and would value a replacement guarantee. Direct hiring, often of a helper already in Singapore with a good reference from her current employer, avoids agency fees but means you do the MOM paperwork, insurance, bond and medical check yourself. Some agencies offer a lower-cost “admin only” service for direct hires, but note that this usually means no refund under MOM’s rule.

Whichever route you choose, as a first-time employer you must complete the Employers’ Orientation Programme before applying for the Work Permit.

Choosing a helper for a family with a newborn

• Ask about real experience with infants, not just “can care for baby”. Ask her to describe a typical day with a baby she cared for.
• Talk through safe sleep: baby on their back, in their own cot, with no pillows or bolsters. Our safe sleep guide is a good resource to share once she arrives.
• Plan for her to arrive a few weeks before your leave ends, so you can train her while you are home. Our parental leave guide helps you map the dates.
• Budget time and patience for settling in. A good agency checks in after placement, but most of the work is building a respectful, clear relationship yourself.

The bottom line

The best maid agency in Singapore for your family is one that is licensed, transparent about every fee, clear about refunds and replacements, and treats helpers with dignity. Check the MOM EA directory, insist on a written service agreement, ask about your helper’s loan and walk away from any agency that raises red flags. Fees and rules are as at October 2026, so confirm the latest on MOM’s website. More guides are in our money and admin section.