Helper / FDW hiring for HNW families — Step-by-step walkthrough
Helper / FDW hiring for HNW families covers the rules a household follows to employ a Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW), formerly termed a foreign domestic worker, in Singapore. The employer must hold a valid Work Permit for the helper, pay a monthly levy, post a S$5,000 security bond for non-Malaysian helpers, and provide medical insurance and acceptable accommodation.
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.
Helper / FDW hiring for HNW families
What hiring an MDW involves
Engaging a live-in helper in Singapore is regulated by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). The household becomes the legal employer and assumes obligations for the helper’s wellbeing, accommodation and lawful employment. High-net-worth families often employ more than one helper and may also engage drivers and other staff, but each domestic worker requires her own Work Permit.
The Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 is the governing statute, setting out the work-pass framework and the conditions imposed on employers of foreign manpower.
Who can be an employer
MOM assesses the employer’s ability to pay and care for a helper, considering household income and circumstances. A typical requirement is sufficient and stable income to support the helper alongside the family. For HNW families, the threshold is easily met, but the application still requires the employer to be 21 or older and not bankrupt.
The helper must meet age and source-country eligibility set by MOM, and complete a Settling-In Programme for first-time helpers.
Requirements and the employer's duties
Section 22 of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 underpins the requirement for employers to furnish a security bond for non-Malaysian helpers, currently S$5,000, which is a binding undertaking to MOM on the helper’s conduct and repatriation. Employers must also buy medical insurance and personal accident insurance for the helper, provide safe accommodation, and grant rest days.
The employer pays a monthly foreign worker levy. The concessionary levy, available to households with a young child, elderly or person with disabilities, is S$60 a month, while the standard levy is S$300 a month. Helpers must undergo six-monthly medical examinations.
Costs and timelines, with numbers
Upfront costs include the agency placement fee, often S$1,000 to S$3,000, the S$5,000 security bond (usually arranged as an insurance-backed bond costing a small annual premium), medical and personal accident insurance from around S$300 a year, and the helper’s airfare and settling-in costs.
Recurring costs are the monthly levy (S$300 standard or S$60 concessionary), the helper’s salary, typically S$600 to S$1,000 a month depending on experience and source country, plus food and accommodation. A Work Permit application is usually approved within about a week, and the helper can begin once formalities and the Settling-In Programme are complete.
Step-by-step process
1. Confirm employer eligibility and decide on direct hire or an agency.
2. Select a helper and obtain the necessary consent and documentation.
3. Apply for the Work Permit through MOM and pay the levy.
4. Arrange the S$5,000 security bond (for non-Malaysian helpers) and the required medical and personal accident insurance.
5. Complete the helper’s medical examination and, for first-timers, the Settling-In Programme.
6. Issue the Work Permit, set up safe accommodation and a written understanding on duties, salary and rest days.
Common mistakes and gotchas
Deploying a helper to a second household or to business premises, which breaches Work Permit conditions. Forgetting the six-monthly medical examination. Letting insurance lapse, which is an employer breach. Withholding rest days without a compensatory arrangement. And underestimating the security bond obligations, which can be forfeited if conditions are broken.
Ongoing obligations through the employment
Hiring is the start, not the end, of the employer’s duties. Migrant Domestic Workers must undergo a medical examination every six months, and their medical and personal accident insurance must be kept continuously in force. Employers grant weekly rest days, and where a rest day is not taken, the Ministry of Manpower expects compensation in lieu by agreement.
The Work Permit ties the helper to the named employer and residential address, and the helper may only perform domestic duties for that household. Deploying her elsewhere, or to a business, breaches the permit and can lead to the security bond being forfeited and future applications refused.
Cost planning for multiple staff
High-net-worth households often employ more than one helper, and sometimes a driver or other staff, each requiring a separate Work Permit, levy and insurance. The recurring monthly cost per helper, levy plus salary plus food and accommodation, commonly lands between S$1,000 and S$1,700 once the standard levy of S$300 is included, before agency or replacement costs.
The concessionary levy of S$60 a month can apply where the household includes a young child, an elderly member or a person with disabilities who meets the conditions, materially reducing the recurring cost for one helper. Households should confirm eligibility rather than assume it, as the concession is tied to specific family circumstances.
Good practice is to set out duties, salary, rest days and house rules in a simple written understanding at the start, alongside the statutory documents. This reduces disputes, supports a stable working relationship, and gives both sides clarity, which is the foundation the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 framework is built to protect.
Related guides and where to get help
For the wider context, see our related guide on iras voluntary disclosure programme vdp singapore. It also helps to read ordinary vs special resolutions in singapore companies a practical guide across the Raffles group of sites. On this site, our companion guide helper fdw hiring for hnw families complete 2026 guide goes deeper on the practical steps.
Official references
Always confirm the latest rules with the source authorities: ICA, HDB, LTA.
FAQs
How much is the levy for a domestic helper?
The standard foreign worker levy is S$300 a month. A concessionary levy of S$60 a month is available to households with a young child, an elderly member or a person with disabilities who meet MOM’s conditions.
What is the security bond for hiring a helper?
Employers of non-Malaysian Migrant Domestic Workers must furnish a S$5,000 security bond to MOM, an undertaking on the helper’s conduct and repatriation, reflecting the framework under Section 22 of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990. It is usually arranged as an insurance-backed bond.
Can my helper work in more than one household?
No. The Work Permit ties the helper to the named employer and residential address. Deploying her to another household or to business premises breaches the permit conditions and can lead to enforcement.
What insurance must I provide?
Employers must buy medical insurance and personal accident insurance for the helper at the levels set by MOM, and keep the cover continuous throughout the employment.
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.