How to Choose a Maid Agency in Singapore 2026 (Checklist)
The agency you choose does more than find you a helper — it shapes the entire experience of hiring one. For first-time employers, that decision carries unusual weight: you are about to let someone new into your home, trust her with your children or your elderly parents, and commit to a two-year financial obligation. The right agency makes every step of that process predictable. The wrong one costs you money, weeks of uncertainty, and in the worst cases, your sense of safety.
The good news is that Singapore regulates this industry more tightly than most employers realise. The Ministry of Manpower licenses every employment agency, caps what they can charge, and requires written agreements with refund rules built in. Those rules only protect you if you know what to check — which is exactly what this guide walks through.
At a glance: Every maid agency in Singapore must hold a valid MOM licence you can verify, free of charge, on the EA Directory. Agencies may charge at most one month’s salary for each year of the contract, capped at two months in total. If the placement ends within six months, you are entitled to at least 50% of the service fees refunded. And never pay a deposit before you have seen an itemised quote and a written service agreement.
Why It Matters
MOM publishes a free, public directory of every licensed employment agency, and it caps what agencies are allowed to charge — one month's salary for each year of contract, two months in total. Those protections only work if you know to use them. Employers who skip the licence check pay the price: fees above the legal cap, replacement guarantees that vanish exactly when they are needed, and in the worst cases, money paid to agencies that were never licensed at all. Choosing carefully is not fussiness — it is the single highest-leverage decision in the entire hiring process.
Step 1: Verify the Licence Before You Pay Anything
Start with the MOM Employment Agencies Directory at
service2.mom.gov.sg/eadirectory
The search is free, runs 24 hours a day, and takes about two minutes. Look up the agency by name and check three things: that its licence is currently active; that its licence number matches what appears on its documents and advertisements, since MOM requires agencies to print both; and that neither the agency nor its key personnel appear on the “Under Revocation, Suspension or Surveillance” tab. MOM maintains that public list specifically so employers can see which agencies are under action before they commit.
This step costs nothing and rules out the worst outcomes before they start. An agency that hesitates to share its licence number, or whose paperwork does not carry it, has already told you what working with them will be like.
Step 2: Know What You Are Allowed to Be Charged
This is the part most employers never hear about until it is too late. Under the Employment Agencies Rules, an agency may not charge you more than one month’s salary for each year of the contract, and the total is capped at two months’ salary. The cap is law, not a guideline. In one recent case, an agency worker was prosecuted for collecting S$3,200 from an employer whose helper’s declared salary was S$750 — the lawful maximum in that case was S$1,500.
The table below shows what the cap means at different salary points. Ask for an itemised quote before you commit, and measure every line against these numbers. For what the rest of the budget looks like — salary, levy, insurance and food — our full cost breakdown lays out real monthly figures for Singapore households.
Helper’s declared monthly salary | Maximum lawful agency fee (2-year contract) |
S$600 | S$1,200 |
S$700 | S$1,400 |
S$750 | S$1,500 |
S$800 | S$1,600 |
S$900 | S$1,800 |
A quote that sits at or under the cap is normal. A quote that exceeds it is not a negotiation — it is illegal. And be wary of vague lines such as “miscellaneous charges” or “government processing fees”: ask what each one covers and who receives it before anything is signed.
Step 3: Get the Refund Rules in Writing
MOM’s protections do not stop at the fee cap. If the helper’s employment ends within six months of starting, the agency must refund you at least 50% of the relevant service fees — whether the termination came from your side or hers. Agencies also cannot charge a helper a placement fee if she was never placed, and if a contract ends within six months, half of any placement fee she did pay must be returned to her.
These rules have real teeth, but they work in your favour only when the service agreement reflects them. Verbal assurances from a salesperson are worth nothing at the point of dispute — which is exactly when you will need them.
Confirm in writing | Why it matters |
Itemised fee schedule | Proves the agency stayed within MOM’s two-month cap |
Replacement guarantee terms | States the period, what triggers it, and what it costs you |
Six-month refund clause | Locks in the 50% service-fee refund MOM requires |
Who pays bond, insurance and renewal costs | Prevents surprise charges after placement |
Deposit refund conditions | Defines exactly when your deposit is returned |
Complaint and mediation route | Shows how the agency handles problems — before you have one |
Step 4: Compare Replacement Guarantees Properly
Here is something that surprises most employers: MOM does not set a minimum replacement guarantee. It is entirely contractual, which means a guarantee is only as strong as the terms the agency is willing to put in writing. Most agencies offer six months; some offer three, some a full year. The number alone tells you little — the conditions around it tell you everything.
A guarantee that only covers helpers who run away is far narrower than one that covers any termination within the period. Always clarify who bears the cost while a replacement is being found, too: your levy obligations continue during the gap, and an agency that folds that quietly into “your responsibility” is being honest — but you should know it before you sign, not after.
Guarantee term | What some agencies offer | What is worth pushing for |
Length | 3 months | 6–12 months |
What triggers it | Absconding only | Any termination within the period |
Cost during the gap | Employer bears levy and salary | Stated clearly, with no hidden extras |
Response speed | “As soon as possible” | A defined timeframe, in writing |
Step 5: Ask the Questions That Expose Everything Else
Licence and personnel numbers. Can you share your EA licence number and the registration number of the agent handling my file? Both appear on MOM’s public directory.
An itemised quote against the cap. Please break down every charge, and confirm that none of them exceeds MOM’s two-month salary limit.
Guarantee terms in writing. What exactly is covered, for how long, and what does it cost me if I need to use it?
History verification. How do you verify a helper’s previous employment, and check that she is not on MOM’s debarment list?
The sample agreement. MOM publishes a sample service agreement — may I see yours before I pay anything?
Post-placement support. Who helps with the Settling-in Programme, the six-monthly medical check, and contract renewal?
The exit question. If this placement fails in the first month, what happens — step by step?
Notice what the last question does. Any agency can describe a smooth process; how they answer the failure scenario tells you which one you are actually dealing with. And if your search is specifically for elderly care, the stakes on vetting are higher still — our guide to choosing an agency for elderly carecovers the extra checks that matter in that case.
Red Flags That Should End the Conversation
Cash only, with no official receipt. Licensed agencies issue proper receipts; anything else is a warning.
No licence number on documents. MOM requires it on advertisements and paperwork — its absence is a compliance failure.
A fee above the MOM cap. There is no “negotiating” an illegal number downward.
Guarantees that live on chat messages only. If the terms are not in the service agreement, they do not exist.
Pressure to sign today. “Special price if you decide now” is a sales tactic, not a regulation.
Promises of a “perfect” helper. No agency can guarantee personality fit — honesty about that is a better sign than certainty.
When You Honestly Do Not Need an Agency
For balance — and because an agency that earns your business should not fear the truth — there are situations where going direct makes sense. If you are rehiring a helper you already know, perhaps a former helper returning to Singapore or one leaving a family member’s household, the Work Permit process can be handled yourself through MOM’s online systems, and paying a full placement fee again buys you very little. Our guide to hiring without an agency walks through what that involves, and the direct hire versus agency comparison sets the two routes side by side.
What an agency genuinely adds is verification and backstop: checking work history and debarment status, drafting bilingual contracts, handling the security bond and insurance paperwork, and stepping in when a placement goes wrong. If you are hiring for the first time, caring for a newborn or an elderly parent, or simply cannot supervise the first ninety days closely, that support is usually worth far more than the fee. For the rest of the hiring journey — the steps before and after the agency hands over the file — our step-by-step hiring process guide covers everything in order. And if your household needs are still taking shape, start with how to choose the right domestic helper for your home.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Most bad agency experiences trace back to the same handful of shortcuts. Avoid these five and you will already be ahead of most employers.
Paying before verifying the licence. Two minutes in the MOM directory separates a licensed agency from an unlicensed one — and an unlicensed agent cannot be held to any promise made.
Choosing on price alone. The cheapest quote often means fees pushed into hidden charges, or an agency cutting corners on paperwork you pay for later.
Accepting verbal promises. Guarantee periods, replacement terms and fee breakdowns mean nothing unless they appear in the service agreement you sign.
Skipping the itemised fee schedule. If the agency cannot show exactly what each dollar pays for, you have no leverage if the total drifts above the MOM cap.
Assuming the agency handles the EOP. First-time employers must complete the Employers' Orientation Programme themselves — forgetting this only delays your helper's arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a maid agency in Singapore is licensed?
Search the MOM Employment Agencies Directory at service2.mom.gov.sg/eadirectory. The search is free and available 24 hours a day. Confirm that the licence is active, that the licence number matches the agency’s documents, and check the “Under Revocation, Suspension or Surveillance” tab for both the agency and its key personnel.
How much can a maid agency legally charge in Singapore?
The cap is one month’s salary for each year of the contract, with a maximum of two months’ salary in total. For a helper earning S$750 a month, the lawful maximum agency fee is S$1,500. Any quote above the cap breaches the Employment Agencies Rules, regardless of what the extra amount is labelled.
Is a S$2,000 agency fee reasonable for a two-year contract?
It depends entirely on the declared salary. At S$800 a month, the legal cap is S$1,600, so S$2,000 would exceed it. Compare any quote against the cap first, then against what the fee actually includes: history verification, contract drafting, bond and insurance handling, and the replacement guarantee.
What refund am I entitled to if the placement fails?
If the helper’s employment ends within six months, the agency must refund at least 50% of the relevant service fees — whether you or the helper ends the employment. Make sure that clause appears in your service agreement, and keep every receipt the agency issues.
Do I still need to attend the EOP if I hire through an agency?
Yes. First-time employers must complete the Employers’ Orientation Programme at least two working days before the Work Permit application. Classroom sessions cost S$35 to S$76 and online sessions S$29 to S$36. An agency can help you register, and a representative may attend on your behalf under MOM’s rules, but the requirement itself does not disappear because you are using an agency.
What is the difference between a transfer maid and a new maid from an agency?
A transfer helper is already in Singapore and changing employers — the process is faster, often cheaper, and typically skips the Settling-in Programme. A new helper is flown in from her home country and goes through the full process, including medical examinations and the settling-in programme. Both routes can be facilitated by an agency, and both are subject to the same MOM fee rules.
The Bottom Line
Choosing an agency is the first act of good hiring. Take the licence check, take the itemised quote, and take your time — the right partner will never rush you, because they know a good placement starts with a well-informed employer.
iHome Agency is a MOM-licensed employment agency (EA Licence No. 26C3446) based in Punggol and Northshore, serving families across Singapore’s north-east. If you would like a straightforward read on your options — including when an agency is not the right answer — message us on WhatsApp at 8042 6581.
Let us guide you home.
