Most hiring problems can be seen in advance, if you know where to look. This is the checklist we would use ourselves.
Check the agency first
An employment agency must be licensed by the Ministry of Manpower. Ask for the licence number and look it up in MOM’s employment agency directory. Ours is EA Licence 22C1012.
A good agency shows you the full cost in writing, lets you interview the helper, and tells you plainly what happens if the placement does not work out.
Read the biodata carefully
The biodata is the helper’s own account of her age, family, education, languages and experience, and of what she is willing to do. Look for:
- Experience that matches your need: infants, young children, elderly care, cooking, pets.
- What she says she will not do: some helpers are not comfortable with dogs, or with caring for the bedridden. Better to know now.
- Her expected salary and rest days.
If something matters to you and the biodata is silent, ask. Silence is not a yes.
Look at her work history
For a helper who has worked in Singapore, how long she stayed with each employer is the most useful fact you can have. A completed two-year contract is a good sign. Several short placements are a question to ask, not an automatic no.
Interview her
Use the video call to check three things: can you understand each other, does she describe real experience in detail, and does she ask questions of her own. A helper who asks about your home is thinking about whether she can do the job.
Be honest in return. Tell her the size of the household, the hours, and where she will sleep.
Know what MOM requires
She must pass a medical examination within 2 weeks of arriving, which checks for tuberculosis, HIV, syphilis and malaria, and then a six-monthly examination. You need medical insurance, personal accident insurance and a security bond for her. If you have a child under 7 who is not fully vaccinated against measles, she must be immune to measles.
Read the contract
Before you sign, find these four things: the total cost, the loan amount and period, the replacement terms, and the refund terms. If any of them is unclear, ask until it is.
Our FAQ covers the rules in more detail, and we are happy to talk it through.