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Employer Orientation Programme (EOP) for First-Time Helper Employers: Fees, Online Course and Timing
Short answer: The Employers’ Orientation Programme (EOP) is a compulsory MOM course for anyone hiring a migrant domestic worker in Singapore for the first time. You must complete it at least 2 working days before the Work Permit application is submitted. The online version takes 2 hours and costs $29.98 to $35.65, including GST.
The employer orientation programme is the first formal step for a household hiring its first helper, and it is the step most often left until the last minute. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will not accept a first-time employer’s Work Permit application for a migrant domestic worker (MDW, also called a foreign domestic worker or FDW) until the EOP record is in its system. This guide explains who must attend, what it costs with each MOM-listed provider, how the online course differs from the classroom one, how to time it against the Work Permit application, and when a family member or sponsor may attend in your place.
Key facts at a glance
- The EOP is compulsory for first-time employers of a migrant domestic worker (per MOM, page updated 7 August 2026).
- It must be completed at least 2 working days before the Work Permit application is submitted.
- Online EOP: 2 hours, $29.98 to $35.65 including GST. Classroom EOP: 3 hours, $34.88 to $76.30 including GST, depending on provider and language.
- Foreigners who bring in their own helper must also attend if it is their first time employing one in Singapore (MOM FAQ, updated 14 March 2024).
- The fee is not refunded if the Work Permit is rejected, but your attendance counts for future applications.
- A representative or sponsor may attend for employers with a chronic medical condition, a physical disability, age 60 and above with physical discomfort, or a delivery date within 1 month. The appointment is made through MOM’s EOP exemption eService.
This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. For matters needing legal advice, we work with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms.
What is the employer orientation programme (EOP)?
It is a short MOM-mandated course that explains your role and responsibilities as the employer of a migrant domestic worker. MOM describes it as a 3-hour programme, and it is a pre-condition for a first-time employer’s Work Permit application.
The course is run by training providers that MOM lists on its Employers’ Orientation Programme page. You register and pay the provider directly, not MOM. MOM then matches your attendance with your Work Permit application, which is why it asks you to make sure that the name, NRIC or FIN and other particulars in the EOP registration are exactly the same as those in the Work Permit application. If they do not match, MOM cannot link the two records.
The EOP sits within MOM’s wider employer requirements. To hire a helper you must also be at least 21 years old, not be an undischarged bankrupt, and have the mental capacity to understand and discharge your responsibilities as an employer. Our complete employer guide to hiring a foreign domestic worker covers the full process. Some older guides describe the EOP as free or say it must be done 3 working days ahead. MOM’s current page lists fees and a 2 working day lead time.
Who must attend the EOP, and who does not?
Anyone employing a migrant domestic worker in Singapore for the first time must attend. Once you have attended, you do not repeat it for later helpers.
The rule turns on whether you have employed a helper in Singapore before, not on your nationality or pass type. MOM’s FAQ confirms that foreigners who bring their own helper to Singapore must attend if it is their first time employing one here. Experience of employing a helper overseas does not count. If you hold an Employment Pass or S Pass, our guide on whether an S Pass or EP holder can hire a domestic helper sets out the rest of the employer criteria.
MOM also says that if your Work Permit application is rejected, the EOP fee is not refunded, but your attendance can be used for future Work Permit applications. You do not need to sit the course again if you reapply or choose a different helper.
| Your situation | Do you attend the EOP? |
|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen or PR hiring a helper for the first time | Yes |
| EP, S Pass or other pass holder hiring a first helper in Singapore | Yes |
| Foreigner bringing their own helper to Singapore, first time employing one here | Yes, per MOM FAQ |
| Employer who has attended before and is reapplying after a rejection | No, attendance carries over |
| Employer unable to attend for one of MOM’s listed reasons | A representative or sponsor may attend instead (see below) |
How much does the EOP cost in 2026?
The online course costs $29.98 to $35.65 and the classroom course $34.88 to $76.30, all including GST. The price depends on the provider and, for the classroom, the language.
MOM lists three accredited training providers on its EOP page (updated 7 August 2026). The figures below are copied from that page as at 7 November 2026. Providers can change their fees and schedules, so confirm the price when you book.
| Provider (MOM-listed) | Online EOP (2 hours) | Classroom EOP (3 hours) | Classroom schedule per MOM |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAT Training Hub Pte Ltd | $35.65 | $35.65 (English, Mandarin, Malay or Tamil) | Fridays, 6pm to 9pm |
| Absolute Kinetics Consultancy Pte Ltd | $32.70 | $34.88 English; $40.33 Mandarin; $59.95 Malay or Tamil | Mondays, 6pm to 9pm |
| Grace Management & Consultancy Services Pte Ltd | $29.98 | $54.50 English or Mandarin; $76.30 Malay or Tamil | Fridays, 6pm to 9pm (English or Mandarin alternate weekly) |
All three providers offer the online course in English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. MOM notes that class schedules may change, so check before you plan around a particular evening. The EOP fee is a small part of the overall cost of hiring a helper. The monthly levy, the $5,000 security bond for non-Malaysian helpers and the two compulsory insurance policies are much larger. Our sister site sets these out in its guide to FDW security bond, insurance and repatriation requirements.
Should you take the EOP online or in the classroom?
Either format satisfies MOM. The online course is shorter, cheaper and can be done without travel, while MOM points out that the classroom version gives you case studies and personal experiences shared in class.
The online course suits employers who need to fit it around office hours. The classroom course suits employers who learn better in person, who want to ask questions of a trainer and other employers, or who want the course in Malay or Tamil with a live class (online sessions are available in those languages too).
When should you attend the EOP relative to the Work Permit application?
Finish the EOP at least 2 working days before the Work Permit application is submitted. In practice, do it as soon as you decide to hire, before you shortlist candidates.
If you or your employment agency submit earlier than that, MOM’s requirement is not met. Because the classroom sessions listed by MOM run on Monday or Friday evenings, a weekend or a public holiday can easily push your earliest submission date back. A sensible sequence for a first-time employer looks like this:
- Check that you meet MOM’s employer requirements (age 21 and above, not an undischarged bankrupt, able to support a helper).
- Register for the EOP with a MOM-listed provider. Use exactly the same name and NRIC or FIN that will appear on the Work Permit application.
- Complete the course and keep the provider’s confirmation.
- Choose your helper, either directly or through a licensed employment agency. If you use an agency, check its MOM licence in the EA Directory first.
- If an agency is filing for you, authorise the agency in MOM’s FDW eService with your own Singpass.
- Submit the Work Permit application no earlier than 2 working days after the EOP. If you are unsure how the working days count around a weekend or public holiday, allow an extra day.
- After in-principle approval, arrange the security bond and insurance before the helper arrives. If she is a first-time helper, she must attend the Settling-in Programme within 7 days of arrival, excluding Sundays and public holidays, and may start work only after attending it.
The EOP is for you, the employer. The Settling-in Programme (SIP) is a separate 1-day course for the helper, paid for by you.
Can someone else attend the EOP on your behalf?
Yes, but only in the situations MOM lists. A qualifying representative or sponsor attends the course, and you then apply online to appoint them before submitting the Work Permit application.
MOM allows this if you meet one of the conditions in the left column below and one of the conditions in the right column also applies.
| If you | And one of these applies |
|---|---|
| Have a chronic medical condition; or have a physical disability and are unable to walk; or are 60 years old and above and suffer physical discomfort | A sponsor or representative (above 21 years old) has attended the EOP on your behalf; or your sponsor or the sponsor’s spouse has employed a migrant domestic worker before |
| Are a new or expectant mother | Your delivery date is within 1 month of applying for your spouse to attend on your behalf; or you delivered within 1 month or less of that application |
MOM’s FAQ adds that a sponsor who has not employed a helper before must attend the EOP if the official employer has a valid reason for not attending, because the sponsor will be managing the helper day to day. The appointment process runs in this order:
- Your spouse, sponsor, sponsor’s spouse or representative attends the EOP at least 2 working days before the appointment is applied for. They must register using the same name and identification number that will be used in the application.
- You, or a third party such as your employment agency, apply through MOM’s EOP exemption eService. Employers log in with Singpass. Agencies log in with Corppass and need the agency’s licence details. The outcome is shown immediately.
- The Work Permit application can be submitted 1 working day after the appointment succeeds.
- Keep the supporting documents for at least 3 months for MOM audit. These include NRIC or FIN copies, medical documents, the representative’s EOP certificate of attendance, and, for new mothers, the child’s digital birth certificate or a doctor’s certification of the expected delivery date.
The eService is available 24 hours but is down for maintenance every Thursday from 8.30pm to 9pm. For questions on the appointment process, MOM lists a contact line on the eService page.
What are the common EOP mistakes that delay a Work Permit?
Almost every EOP problem is a timing or matching problem, not a question of passing the course. The common ones are listed below.
- Leaving the EOP until a candidate is ready, then losing several days waiting for the 2 working day gap.
- Registering under a different name format, such as a shortened name or a name without the surname order on the NRIC or FIN. MOM cannot match the records.
- Assuming that years of employing a helper overseas count as experience. For MOM, only previous employment of a helper in Singapore counts.
- Having a parent, spouse or relative attend “for you” without meeting MOM’s conditions or without filing the appointment online. Attendance by another person does not count unless the appointment is approved.
- Submitting the Work Permit application on the same day the representative’s appointment is approved. MOM requires 1 working day in between.
- Confusing the EOP with the helper’s Settling-in Programme, and booking only one of them.
- Discarding medical or birth documents used for a representative appointment before the 3 month audit period ends.
For families relocating with an existing helper, the EOP is an easy item to complete early, once you have the NRIC or FIN that will be used on the Work Permit application.
Frequently asked questions
Is the employer orientation programme free?
No. As at 7 November 2026, MOM lists online EOP fees of $29.98 to $35.65 and classroom fees of $34.88 to $76.30, all including GST. You pay the training provider directly.
How long is the EOP certificate valid?
MOM’s EOP page does not state an expiry. MOM’s FAQ says that if your Work Permit application is rejected, your attendance can still be used for future applications. Once you have employed a helper in Singapore, you are no longer a first-time employer.
Do I need to attend the EOP for my second helper?
No. The EOP is required only of first-time employers. If you have previously employed a migrant domestic worker in Singapore, it does not apply to later hires.
Can my employment agency apply to appoint my representative?
Yes. MOM allows the employer or a third party, such as an employment agency, to submit the appointment through the EOP exemption eService. The agency logs in with Corppass and needs its licence number. Your representative must already have attended the EOP at least 2 working days earlier.
Does my spouse also need to attend the EOP?
Only the person named as the employer must attend. A spouse attends in your place only under MOM’s conditions, for example where you are a new or expectant mother and the delivery date is within 1 month of the application.
Need help with this? Call, SMS or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133, or email [email protected]. Little Big Employment Agency (EA Licence 19C9790) works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.
Last reviewed: 7 November 2026. The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency.
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