Singapore’s fast-paced lifestyle often leaves no room for household chores, which leaves many families and individuals scurrying to find a trusted maid or domestic helper. Unfortunately, while there are many ways to source a maid, not all methods will lead you to reliable workers.
For instance, hiring a maid through dodgy sources and methods may lead you to recruit a worker who is not adequately screened or trained to carry out their duties. While most domestic helpers are trustworthy, employers should consider the risk of theft or fraud. Differences in values and beliefs, personality clashes, and differences in expectations can put both the employer and the maid under serious emotional stress.
To circumvent these risks, many employers rely on maid agencies to take the guesswork out of the hiring process, and with good reason. Maid agencies run pre-screening and background checks while handling proper documentation and legal compliance. However, maid agencies aren’t the only reliable way to find a skilled and trustworthy domestic helper.
Whether you’re looking for the best Indonesian maid agency Singapore has to offer or are willing to explore direct hiring and ask friends or family for referrals, here are the most reliable ways to source a new maid in Singapore.
Maid Agencies
Maid agencies are often considered the best way to hire reliable domestic workers in Singapore for a variety of reasons. First, maid agencies offer employers access to a large pool of candidates, which makes it easier to find a maid that suits your specific requirements. Agencies provide a wealth of information about each candidate’s experience, skills, and qualifications to help employers make smart hiring decisions.
Second, reputable maid agencies conduct background checks and pre-screening for you, so you can match with candidates that possess the experience and qualifications that you require. They can also assist you with legal compliance and proper documentation for hiring a maid, saving you time and money as well as helping you mitigate potential risks.
Lastly, maid agencies often allow replacements and refunds. If you discover during the maid’s tenure that she isn’t a good fit for you, maid agencies often have refund and replacement policies in place. This offers financial protection and peace of mind for employers.
Transfer Hire
Employers looking to bypass maid agencies may opt for transfer hiring when looking for domestic helpers. Transfer hiring is the process of recruiting a domestic helper who is already working for another employer in Singapore.
By choosing transfer hiring, the employer ensures that the worker is familiar with working in Singapore and understands the expectations of working in a household.
Employers looking to transfer hire must secure several documents to hire a maid successfully. For instance, new employers must meet with the maid’s current employer to check if the maid has completed their 6-monthly medical examination. Additionally, the current employer must provide written consent for the maid transfer, which indicates the transfer date.
Without a maid agency to conduct the screening process, employers must conduct a thorough background check themselves to ensure that the maid has the required traits, skills, qualities, and documentation. Employers should review the maid’s employment records, work history, and insurance and medical coverage.
Referrals
If you’re looking for a maid someone has already vouched for, ask your family, friends, or colleagues. Referrals are often reliable and trustworthy as they come from people you know who are connected to the maid personally. Before hiring a maid through referrals, ensure the worker has already obtained a valid work permit and meets the requirements of MOM.
Overseas Connections
Employers with friends and family from abroad may solicit recommendations on skilled maids available for work. You can skip the time and effort required when searching for domestic helpers online through word of mouth.
Unfortunately, directly hiring foreign maids is much more challenging than going through a maid agency, as it requires employers to comply with government requirements and regulations, and to file their own documents.
For instance, the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) requires employers hiring foreign maids from the Philippines to comply with specific criteria. The maid must then collect various documents from several Philippine government agencies and to comply with requirements from the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency to be allowed to work in Singapore.
Job Portals
Another popular option for finding a domestic helper in Singapore is through online job portals. These online platforms allow employers to look through profiles of maids who are currently residing in Singapore and who are looking for new employment opportunities. Employers can filter searches based on criteria like experience, nationality, and salary, then contact their preferred candidates to arrange interviews.
Most online job portals do not require long-term contracts or placement fees. They also offer a wide selection of candidates, just like local maid agencies.
Final Words
Finding a reliable maid in Singapore can be daunting, but numerous trustworthy options and methods are available. By selecting the correct method of sourcing a new maid, Singaporean households can find a domestic worker who meets their requirements and eases the burden of daily household chores.
