Transfer maids in Singapore

Whether it is transferring your maid to another family member, or transferring her from or to another employer, it is not difficult to transfer a maid within MOM records. Transferring a maid is pretty easy. It is the cheapest way to hire a maid if you know how to do so. Full step by step process on how to transfer a maid is explained below.

Let’s look at why Transfer maids in Singapore are good?

Transfer maids in Singapore Tend to Be Knowledgeable

If you don’t have time to train and oversee your domestic helper, hiring a transfer maid is a good choice because they already have a certain amount of experience attending to a Singaporean household.

For one thing, they are conversant with current electrical appliances, which many new maids are not. This is especially true if the new maids are from rural areas and have not had the opportunity to utilize such equipment in their own nations.

Transfer maids may have also already received training from their former employees. That means they know how to conduct themselves and observe proper personal hygiene. They also have sufficient awareness of what they must accomplish to meet their employers’ expectations. More importantly, you won’t have to teach them how to shop for groceries or around Singapore using public transportation because they’ll already know how to do so based on their previous experiences.

Perhaps, the only downside of having significant work experience is that transfer maids can be less receptive to new ways of doing things. You’ll have to exert a little more power if you want them to change how they execute their work.

The Adjustment Period Is Minimal with Transfer Maids

One of the most common problems faced by a new maid in Singapore is homesickness. After all, being away from family and loved ones while living in an unfamiliar place is difficult. New maids frequently experience homesickness and have trouble adjusting to and doing their tasks for a period of time. That implies you’ll have to wait a long before you can rely on your housekeeper to complete all of the necessary jobs.

With Transfer maids in Singapore, you’re unlikely to have this problem. They are familiar with the culture, language, and living conditions in Singapore because they have lived here for some time. That means they’ll be ready to work the moment they walk into your house.

They can focus and perform their duties with ease. You can also communicate with them readily because they will likely be familiar with many of the local terms and idiomatic expressions. 

You Can Interview Them in Person

One of the main benefits of hiring a transfer maid is the ability to meet and speak with your potential maid before making a decision. Although video conferencing can be used to interview potential maids, a face-to-face interview is arguably preferable. Look at the person, ask more questions, and pay attention to their body language. Keep in mind that all of these factors are crucial in determining the character and personality of someone who will manage your property while you are away.

You Can Get More Information about Their Skills and Attitude

When you opt for a transfer maid, you have every opportunity to learn more about their skills and attitude before you employ them. Besides the face-to-face interview, you can also call their former employer to acquire more information about their behavior, credibility, and sense of responsibility, for example. You can also check the maid’s employment records with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) if you want. It is worth noting that you won’t be able to access such information if you choose to hire a new maid.

You Need to Carry Out Several Steps Before You Can Directly Hire a Transfer Maid

You can hire a transfer maid directly or through an agency. However, to hire from another employer, you need to follow these steps.

• Make sure that the maid has had her 6-monthly medical examination. You can check this with the helper’s current employer at least 30 days before the expiration of her work permit.
• Visit the FDW e-service of MOM to request the current employer’s permission for the transfer. This request should be lodged at least 30 days before the expiration of the work permit as well. Once you receive the consent, you can then apply for the maid’s work permit.
• When you receive the in-principle approval along with the consent, you need to get a copy of the Declaration form from the MOM e-service. This form should be signed by you and the maid.
• Get in touch with the current employer to set a date for the maid’s transfer. During the agreed transfer date, get the new work permit issued, upload the signed Declaration form, and print the temporary work permit using the MOM e-service so the maid can start working for you.

Hopefully, the information above gave you a better understanding of what you can expect when you choose to hire a transfer maid. Essentially, a transfer maid is your best bet if you need a domestic helper who can start working as soon as possible and does not need constant supervision. Just make sure to do the necessary vetting process to find a trusted and reliable helper for your household.

Step By Step Process For Transferring Maid

Here is how you go about transferring a helper from one employer to another.

1. Get the existing employer’s signed agreement

The existing employer must agree for the maid to transfer in writing.

However, if the existing employer is deceased, a death certificate from the deceased would suffice.

This form should have the following information:

• Name of existing employer
• NRIC for existing employer
• Name of domestic helper
• FIN number of domestic helper
• Name of new employer
• NRIC for new employer
• Date of transfer
• Signature of existing employer
• Signature of new employer

2. Apply for maid’s In-Principle Approval

This is to inform Ministry of Manpower that you intend to transfer the maid from the old employer to the new employer.

Take note: you do not need to cancel the IPA from the old employer’s side – the approval and issuance of a work permit under a new employer will cancel the work permit from the old employer’s name automatically.

HOWEVER: you need to make sure the previous employer keeps the green work permit card and mail it back to MOM.

Apply at this site and login with your Singpass.

Select either a new maid, replacement maid, or additional maid based on your requirements.

Key in the information from the domestic helper, along with your own details.

Once submitted, the IPA will take between 1 day to 1 week to get approved/rejected. You will receive the status confirmation via email from MOM directly.

Once IPA is approved, you can then proceed to step 3.

3. Purchase Maid Insurance + Security Bond

You can then purchase the maid’s insurance. MOM law requires the following insurance duration:

• If maid works for 1 year or less – 14 months
• If maid works for 2 years – 26 months

Along with this, MOM requires you to purchase a $5000 security bond with a bank as a pledge. This is a deposit that will be discharged back to you after your maid is successfully sent back to their home country / transferred to the next employer without any outstanding fees due.

Make sure to do the following so as not to lose your security bond:

• Pay your maid’s salary on time
• Give your maid 3 meals a day
• Pay for your maid’s off day compensation
• Pay your maid’s levy to MOM on time
• Pay for your maid’s medical expenses (from outpatient to hospitalisation, latter which is covered up to $15,000 under insurance)
• Purchase your maid’s air ticket back home

4. Sign and upload declaration form

Once your insurance is approved, you can now collect your maid from the previous employer.

You can then bring the declaration form attached in the email for IPA and bring it along with you to the existing employer.

Make sure that all 3 parties (previous employer, maid and new employer) sign the document. Once you bring the maid back to your place, immediately upload the declaration form to the same MOM website you applied to IPA under.

Take note that your maid’s salary will start from the date of upload.

In addition to this, you need to send the maid for fingerprint registration at the MOM building.

That’s it! – you have now completed the Transfer maids in Singapore process! Isn’t that easy?