How Can You Hire a Second Maid in Singapore

 According to the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM), nearly a quarter of a million households in Singapore hire domestic helpers. Sometimes one maid is not enough. Most households are unique in their needs. Some Singaporeans may need only one maid to take care of their household chores, while other households may need two domestic helpers to look after their young children or elderly parents as well as daily chores.

It is easy to hire a domestic helper through the best maid agency in Singapore. However, MOM approves an employer’s application to hire a helper. Your application will be accepted only if you meet certain requirements, such as you must be at least 21 years old, a resident of Singapore, must not be a bankrupt, and must possess a steady income.

Can you hire a second FDW?

Taking care of children, elderly parents, or people with disabilities is a 24/7 job. If you and your spouse are working full-time, you need a second maid to give an extra pair of hands to your first maid when it comes to housework. A domestic helper needs to work almost all the time to look after the daily needs of an aged family member or children. A helper cannot take care of household chores and elderly parents or children at the same time. She needs to rest and recharge. Two helpers are suitable when you have someone over 60 years of age living with you or if you have two or more children under 18 years of age.

In Singapore, you can apply for a second foreign domestic worker (FDW) and send the application to MOM. Your application will be assessed on your financial ability to hire, maintain, and keep more than one FDW.

Eligibility to hire a second FDW

You can hire a second maid if you have one of the followings:

• At least 2 children below 18 years old living with you.

• A parent or parent-in-law aged 60 years and above.

How to apply for a second FDW?

Engaging a maid agency in Singapore is the best way to hire another helper for your needs. An employment agency (EA) can help you select the right fit for your caring needs. You will save some time and can avoid all the troubles that come with hiring paperwork. Ask your maid agency in Singapore to submit a Work Permit application on your behalf and provide the EA the following documents:

• A copy of the children's birth certificates.

• A copy of the parent's or parent-in-law's identity cards and the employer's or spouse's birth certificate.

Conclusion

Hiring a domestic helper should be contemplated carefully. If you are financially stable, meet the eligibility criteria, and really need two maids for your household, you can easily hire a second FDW. Contact the best maid agency in Singapore to get started. Interview maids for your needs, finalise one maid, and ask the agency to acquire the work permit of your domestic worker by providing necessary documents.

How to Save Money When Hiring a Maid in Singapore

 In Singapore, there are 255,800 foreign domestic workers (FDWs) being employed by expats and Singaporeans. This means one in five households in the country hires a domestic helper. Hiring a maid is costly if you add up the expenses, from agency fee, placement fee, maid salary, levy, insurance to living costs. In this blog, we will tell you a few tips to save money when hiring a domestic worker.

1. Contact a reliable maid agency
Working with a reliable maid agency will actually help you save money in the entire process. A trustworthy agency will provide you the best maid based on your needs and budget. The agency will take care of everything, from scheduling interviews, paperwork, to selecting the best insurance for your maid. If your maid agency is not able to match you with the best maid as per your requirements, you will end up paying early termination and rehiring costs. You must select the most reputed maid agency, and to do that, check for the employment agency’s (EA) track record and licence number in the EA directory at the Ministry of Manpower website.

2. Check for levy concession
Employers are required to pay maid levy for employing one FDW. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) uses this pricing mechanism to regulate the number of FDWs coming to Singapore. As a Singapore citizen, you are eligible for levy concession if you have a young child below the age of 16 years, an elderly person who is at least 67 years old, or a person with a disability (PWD) at your home. The concessionary rate for one helper is SGD 60 per month if the employer meets the above criteria. You may qualify for a Home Care giving Grant of SGD 200 if you have a PWD who needs assistance for 3 or more activities of daily living (ADL).

3. Hire a transfer maid
Transfer maids have experience working in Singapore. They have the necessary skills, expertise, and experience that you need in a helper. Hiring a new maid involves a long and costly process. Also, they don't have any experience working in Singaporean households. The cost of hiring a transfer maid is cheaper than a new maid. Hiring a new maid involves work permit fees, transportation fees, fees for mandatory MOM courses, and other expenses. If you want to save money, hire a transfer maid in Singapore.

4. Foreign maid levy relief
Married women, divorcees, and widows with school-going children are given foreign domestic worker levy relief. They can claim twice the foreign domestic worker levy paid in the previous year. This scheme has been introduced to encourage women to continue working. Single women and married men are not eligible for this tax relief.

Conclusion
Whether you will be hiring a maid in Singapore for the first time or looking to change your current maid, the above-mentioned tips will help you save costs during and after the hiring process. Hire a transfer maid through a good agency and claim for levy concession and levy relief if you are eligible. 

If you need to hire a maid now, contact Best Housekeeper for a more quick and fuss-free experience.

Hiring a Maid in Singapore: Jobs That You Can Ask Her To Do

Singapore is a country that offers a high level of employment to foreign domestic workers. There are many families where both partners work and they need an extra hand to help them with their daily chores or take care of children. Hiring a maid in Singapore is the best option if you and your spouse are working professionals and don’t have enough time to take care of your house. If you’re hiring a domestic helper for the first, work with the best maid agency to know the employment laws and rules and regulations you need to follow as an employer. Check out below to know the jobs a maid can do at your home.

Employment laws for hiring a maid

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has introduced the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) that sets the conditions for employing a maid in Singapore, employer’s responsibilities and obligations, maid salary, rest day entitlement, upkeep and maintenance costs, insurance coverage, medical treatment as well as the scope of maids’ duties.

Understanding the scope of maid’s duties

• A maid is allowed to work at the address mentioned in her Work Permit. She is not allowed to work at any other location or for any other person.

• As an employer, you should not allow your maid to work part-time for anyone. You will be held responsible if your helper is found to be involved in part-time work. Employers are penalised or barred from future applications for a domestic maid.

• A maid can only do household work and take care of your children or elderly parents. She can do cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, grocery shopping, and taking care of children, elderly parents or pets.

• FDWs are not allowed to perform car washing, gardening, tutoring kids, and repairing work.

• Employers must not engage maids in their business. Helpers can only work at your house and do your household chores.

• Employers should provide training and enroll their maids in cooking, medical training, or similar classes if they want her to improve her skills.

• An employer must work with the best maid agency to prepare an employment contract that mentions the duties a maid is responsible for. The contract should also mention her salary, rest days, notice period, and other details.

Conclusion

Hiring a maid in Singapore is the perfect solution for saving yourself some time from tiring household duties. Understanding the scope of a maid’s duties and your responsibilities as an employer will help you create a better relationship with your helper. You must foster two-way communication to understand the needs of your maid and provide her a safe working condition.

Measures Taken by the Ministry of Manpower to Help Employers Find the Right Maid

The Ministry of Manpower in Singapore, or MOM, is responsible for the formulation and implementation of the labour policies related to the workforce. MOM regulates the employment of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) in the country. From work permits, medical examinations to FDW employer responsibilities, MOM looks after everything related to the employment of domestic helpers in Singapore.

Starting from October 2019, MOM has started to take some measures to help employers find the best maid for their needs and reduce disputes. Here are the policies MOM has introduced to help maid agencies find accurate matches for employers.

1. Free Dispute Resolution Services

Disputes between employers, maids, or maid agencies arise when there are misunderstandings and different expectations. MOM is offering free dispute resolution services to improve the relationships between affected parties. The services will be offered by the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) in conjunction with the Lutheran Community Care Services (LCCS). The services have been started in October 2019.

2. More Information on Maids

From October 2020, employers and maid agencies will have access to more information about a maid’s previous work experience. They can get information related to a maid’s employment tenure in the country, what is her job scope, household sizes she has served, and why she left the last employer. These details would help an agency to match employers with the best domestic helper in Singapore.

3. Agencies MustTake Ownership of Matching Maids with Employers

FDWs need a work permit to work in Singaporean households. When their work permit ends, they are required to leave the country if other employers are not hiring them. Employment agencies will be informed when FDWs leave the country after the completion of their contracts. If they had left the country on a good working relationship with their past employers, agencies can bring them back to place them with other households and benefit out of it.

If a domestic helper ends an employment contract prematurely, agencies will be required to provide at least a 50% refund of the service fee to FDW employers. These two measures will help maid agencies to take greater ownership of their work and maid-employer matching outcomes. These measures will be implemented in October 2021.

Conclusion

The benefits of hiring a transfer maid in Singapore are many, but it is a big decision for employers. Employment agencies help Singaporeans in making the right decision about employing a helper for their needs. MOM is extending its support to employers, maid agencies, and domestic helpers in Singapore related to the employment of maids. With the above-mentioned measures taken by MOM, transfer maids or domestic workers, agencies, and employers can gain mutual benefits.

Domestic Helper Eligibility in Singapore: What Employers Need to Know

 Are you looking for a new domestic helper? Or do you want to hire a transfer maid? The employment of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) in Singapore is regulated by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). The ministry has set strict regulations regarding hiring a maid as well as eligibility criteria for employers before they can hire one. As an employer, you must be 21 years old or above and not be bankrupt. You must understand and discharge your responsibilities as an employer. First-time employers must attend an Employer Orientation Programme before applying for a helper. MOM has listed some requirements that determine who is eligible to work as a foreign domestic worker in the country. So if you are thinking about hiring a maid, you must know if your maid is eligible to work in Singapore.

Domestic Helper Eligibility in Singapore

A domestic worker is given a work permit in Singapore only when:

• The maid is female and between 23 and 50 years old at the time of applying for a Work Permit.

• The maid is a citizen of approved countries, including the Philippines, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand.

• The maid has at least eight years of formal education and proof to show it

First-Time Domestic Workers

• MOM considers first-time domestic workers as the persons who have no FDW employment record with Work Pass Division.

• Or they have an FDW employment record with MOM but they didn’t come to work in Singapore.

• First-time FDWs need to attend MOM’s Settling-In Programme for work permit approval.

Employers MUST NOT Hire Domestic Workers Who Are:

• Employers cannot hire domestic workers who are on a tourist visa. If you hire a maid who is working in Singapore on a tourist visa, you will have to pay a fine of S$5,000 to S$30,000, undergo imprisonment of up to 1 year, or both.

• You cannot employ workers whose work permit is sponsored by another employer. The penalties and punishment are the same as mentioned above.

• You could be liable to heavy penalties if you hire a maid who has overstayed in Singapore after her work permit expired.

Additional Things You Must Know

Whether you hire a maid through a domestic helper agency or directly, the FDW should be employed at your registered home address (as stated in the National Registration Identity Card) and she should not be related to you. The maid should not be in Singapore when applying for the work permit. The maid arrives in Singapore when you get the in-principle approval and buy a S$5,000 security bond. Your helper must not work on a part-time basis somewhere else when being employed at your home.

Conclusion

The best way to hire an eligible maid without any hassle is to contact the best maid agency in Singapore. When you hire a maid through a domestic helper agency, you don’t have to worry about eligibility, paperwork, and other factors. The agency takes care of everything for you and helps you hire the best one for your needs.

Contact the best maid agency to make hiring an eligible maid easier for you.

5 Facts You Should Know About Rest Days While Hiring a Maid in Singapore

The number of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) in Singapore is increasing every year due to their high demands in Singaporean households. Now every fifth Singaporean family hires a maid to manage their daily chores. However, before hiring a maid in Singapore, you should know some facts about domestic maids’ rest days. Apart from giving your maid proper accommodation, medical care, good working conditions, and insurance benefits, she is entitled to take rest days. These are the rules for providing rest days to your maid:

1. One Weekly Rest Day

Your domestic helper is entitled to take one rest day every week. The rest day can be mutually discussed by the maid and her employer. As her employer, you must include the agreed-upon day-off in the employment contract to avoid future conflicts. If your maid agrees to work on her rest day, she must be paid one day's salary or should be given a replacement rest day. The maid should be allowed to enjoy her day off by going out with her friends, meeting her family, or doing anything she likes.

To calculate the rest day wage of your maid, use this formula:

Monthly salary ÷ 26 working days = One day salary (or rest day wage)

2. Total Rest Days Can Be Negotiated

Domestic helpers and their employers can negotiate over the total number of rest days only when an employer pays compensation equivalent to one day's salary for each rest day not taken by the maid. If you need the help of your domestic worker on a rest day, you can ask her and pay her accordingly. According to the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, your maid should not work overtime for more than 72 hours in a month.

3. Not Entitled for Public Holidays

Domestic workers in Singapore are not entitled to 11 public holidays. However, employers can choose to include these public holidays as day-offs for their maids while drafting the employment contract. When you will work with the best maid agency in Singapore, you can follow the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act to draft your own terms and conditions in the employment contract. Based on this contract, if you require the service of your domestic help on a public holiday, you must pay one day's salary or an extra rest day in the same month.

Conclusion

Employers of foreign domestic workers may not know everything about the rules and regulations mentioned in the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. When employers work with the best maid agency in Singapore, they get to know what the conditions of employing a foreign worker are. Whether you are hiring a maid in Singapore for the first time or looking for a transfer maid, we have tried to answer your important queries regarding the rules about rest days. Contact Best Housekeeper experts to learn more about the rules associated with FDWs or our maid hiring process.

7 Essentials to Have in Your Home Cleaning Kit to Help Your Maids

Cleaning has become one of the most important task amidst this COVID-19 outbreak. While you are managing everything on your own during this pandemic, it becomes highly important to have some quick cleanliness tips for your maids when they come back at work. If you have kids and elders at home, then it becomes more important to take care of a proper cleaning regime and ensure that everything is sanitized / disinfected properly.

A perfect cleaning kit not only assist your domestic helper in Singapore to get great results and but also saves their time and lets them focus on other big and small jobs. Having a proper cleaning kit at home will keep everything organized for her once she comes back and notifies you immediately when you are running low on supplies.

If you have hired a helper from the best maid agency in Singapore or even on your own, then read the sections below to make a list of essentials you must have in your home cleaning kit:

1. All-purpose cleaner – It offers great results across multiple surfaces and fits almost every requirement while cleaning  room-to-room. One great solution for your kitchen, bathroom countertops, and many more areas.

2. Disinfectants - Every household has many germ-filled areas, hence, you will need something that performs the amazing job of disinfecting everything. It will help your maid to kill germs and bacteria, thus, helps in preventing illness and sickness amongst family members.

3. Glass & mirror cleaner – Having a perfect mirror and glass cleaner not only makes your home shine but also removes grime and marks without leaving smears.

4. Washing up liquid – Despite working on greasy pots and pans, this cleaning essential is a great fit for your bathroom too. Wash tiles, sinks, basins and even more with this wonder liquid wash.

5. Furniture polish - Ask your domestic helper in Singapore to use this polish on wooden furniture to reduce water-marks and add a gleam and shine.

6. Bleach - Bleach (or hydrogen peroxide)is extremely useful for some common cleaning tasks. It is again a multi-purpose cleaner and can be used in various household areas.

7. Surgical spirit – It can do wonders while removing sticky things quickly and easily, without spreading the mess. Ask your maid to use this for removing label glue, grease, gum and even crayon marks too.

You may find amazing helpers but the ones hired from the best maid agency in Singapore are the most reliable and caring ones. Read online to know more about tips that can make you a helping hand for your maids!

4 Essential Standards Expected of a Domestic Helper Agency

Amidst the hundreds of maid agency in Singapore, selecting the best one would be a bit challenging. Understanding the qualities that are expected of a maid agency is critical to decide upon the right agency. Following are the 4 essential traits expected of a right maid agency.

1. Communication
Domestic helpers in Singapore are required to build a close relationship with their employers as they might have to spend a long time with them for their service. Hence, they need to find the right employer. A maid agency is responsible for finding the correct match for their employees as well as their clients. Therefore, communication plays a pivotal role in deciding what is best for either side.

2. The right support for the domestic helpers
An ideal maid agency in Singapore is the one which supports its candidates to go up in their career. Domestic helpers should have the freedom and access to ask advice for their betterment. The maid agencies should provide a platform for the employees to turn in without inhibitions whenever they are in an adverse situation.

3. Proper networking
Leveraging the best of technology is what is expected of a responsible maid agency. Whenever a client requires a domestic helper in Singapore, the maid agency must have access to the right candidate details at the click of a button. The agency that has an extensive network around the world with a database loaded with the correct information is sure to win many clients.

4. Reach out internationally
Many clients based abroad might require domestic helpers in Singapore, who can get along with their culture and language. A right maid agency must have candidates spread out in different parts of the world so that matching up the requirement can be done faster. Hence, recruiting candidates from across the globe can be an added advantage for a maid agency Singapore.

Browse the web to know more about how to hire maids from reliable maid agencies in Singapore.

4 Secret Mantras to Prepare Your Kids Before Hiring the New Maid

Kids are extremely sensitive to any change and if the change involves their primary caretaker, then   your kid can react differently. Finding the right person to take care of your kid and entrusting her with the kid is never an easy mission. But things may work out easily if you have a reliable maid agency by your side. Hence, you must choose a transfer maid from a trusted transfer maid agency in Singapore. These agencies list out transfer maids in Singapore who are trustworthy, reliable and honest towards their work duties.

Although you could entrust your kid with a transfer maid, it is advisable to prepare your kid for the new maid experience. Listed below are certain ways a kid must be prepared for a new maid.

1. Make your kid understand about the new arrival

It is a good practice to talk about the arrival of a transfer maid from the beginning. The kids must be made to understand how the maid is expected to behave and how the kid is expected to react. It is advisable to prepare a set of activities that could engage your kids and handover this to the maid when she comes. This will help the kids to continue their routine even if you are not around.

2. Moral preparations

Your kid must be psychologically and morally prepared to face the newcomer. Sit with them and make them understand that the maid is here to solve their problem and to look after them when you will not be around. Decide about how they should refer to her with respect. Advise them to be a helping hand for the newcomer and take care of their younger siblings during emergencies and untoward incidents. Hiring a transfer maid in Singapore through a reputed and reliable agency is the best solution to avoid an unsatisfying experience because their maids are highly professional and understand the importance of providing a safe and loving environment to kids when you are away.

3. Discipline your kid

Although it is good to give your kid enough confidence to face their caretaker, care must be taken that kids do not overstep boundaries and be bossy around them. The kid must understand that you are the employer and not them. Teach them to address their caretakers properly from the beginning itself.

4. Offer assurance to your kids

As stated earlier, the kid must be provided with an optional number to contact you. Also, ask them to believe their instincts and raise alarm if they find something is wrong. Always encourage the kid to explain their day’s activities and be attentive to their pains and unwarranted tantrums. It is always good to ask your neighbors to look out for your kid. In the same manner, maintain healthy relations with your kid’s care taker and ask them about your kid’s routine and behavior throughout the day. This will ensure that you treat your kid and the maid equally and you trust them for ensuring optimal safety of your loved ones when you are away or at work.

The above-mentioned preparations are not meant to create anxiety among the kids. Be careful that you do not explain these things objectively and scare them. Look out for the most trusted transfer maid agency in Singapore and employ the best transfer maid for your kids.

Hiring Maid for the First Time? The Ultimate Guide to Selecting the Best Maid Agency in Singapore

A statistical study shows that one in every eight Singaporean households have a domestic helper. Though it sounds easy hiring a maid in Singapore, it is difficult to choose a trustworthy maid agency in Singapore as there are hundreds of them out there. Below are a few points to consider when choosing the best maid agency in Singapore.

• Shortlist maid agencies:  Check out for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) directory for a list of licensed agencies.

• Choose the right maid agency: Check out for the following points on the MOM website.

1. License: Because you don’t want to hire an agency involved in illegal activities.

2. Demerit points: Because you don’t want to hire an agency that falls out of the Employment Agency act.

3. CASE accreditation: Because you want to hire someone with fair trading and transparency with their customers.

4. Retention rate: Because, higher the rate of helpers working with the same employer for a year or more, the better.

5. Transfer rate: Because, lower the percentage of all the maids who have been moved more than 2 times from one employer to another within one year, the better.

6. Customer ratings: Customer ratings in MOM will also help you.

• Things to check out for before deciding on the maid agency:

1. Post-dated cheque: Check with the chosen agency if they allow post-dated cheque so that you can cancel them at any point if you do not want to continue with them.

2. Agreement:  Read the agreement thoroughly to ensure there is no hidden clause or phrase. Make sure your agreement covers free replacement of maid if the need arises and it mentions the timeline for the arrival of your maid.

3. Maid application procedure:  Make sure your agency guides you through the maid application procedure.

Remember the above list is not exclusive but few important points to check before hiring the best maid agency in Singapore for you. With the above checklist, it would be easier for you to choose the best. The best agency helps you in hiring a maid in Singapore that suits your household.

Top 5 Benefits of Hiring a Domestic Helper

Many people think twice before they hire a maid or cleaning agency for their household chores. You have so many things to take care of and you may not be able to clean your house everyday and maintain it the way you would want. But if you hire a helping hand for you and divide your task with them, you can enjoy a clean and organized house. Here are some benefits of hiring a maid:

• You get some extra time for yourself which you can spend with your friends or family members or just relax and grab a sound sleep. You can use that time to go out and pamper yourself, play with your kids or pursue that hobby that you always wanted to do to make yourself feel happy. If you are lucky enough to get the best maid agency, then you would not need to supervise everything as they train professionals to serve you with the best.

• You can create schedules with the helper for all the jobs to be completed so that you accomplish all your tasks in a timely manner. You can share your job expectations with the domestic helper agency to avoid any future disputes.

• You do not need to arrange for cleaning equipment or supplies to clean your toilets, bathrooms, kitchen shelves etc. The domestic helper agency you hire would arrange for the best cleaners and equipment for completing the service. If you are hiring a full-time helper, then opt for a trained professional as he/she comes equipped with all the skills and knowledge that is required to complete the job timely. They have trained and qualified professionals to clean your house. They exactly know how to perform their job and in the most efficient manner.

• The best part of hiring a cleaning agency is that you pay only for the services you need. You can select from their packages or customize and create your own cleaning plan. This not only saves a lot of money but also helps you to plan your expenses in advance.

• If you are lucky and you have partnered with the best maid agency, then you can breathe worry-free even in emergence situations. These professionals will help to take care of your child if they fall sick and you are required to attend an important meet at work. They can take care of things to ensure your kid’s safety, maintain health and hygiene at your home, or even arrange things for your family member or elders while you are away. They can be a source of emotional support and sigh of relief when you feel tied up in your work schedules.

Explore the web to know more about benefits of hiring house help and why it is important to have one!