After two years away from her own family, most helpers look forward to going home — and how you handle that trip says a lot about the kind of employer you are. But home leave in Singapore is often misunderstood: who pays for the air ticket, whether it's paid time off, how long it should be, and whether you still owe the levy while she's gone. This guide clears it up, so you can plan it fairly and without friction.

Is Home Leave Required in Singapore?

There's an important distinction here. Foreign domestic workers (FDWs, or migrant domestic workers) are not covered by the Employment Act, so there is no statutory MOM rule forcing a fixed amount of annual home leave the way there is for office staff. Rest days are governed separately (see our rest day rules guide).

What usually governs home leave is the employment contract and the rules of her home country:

  • Filipino helpers: The Philippine Embassy's standard employment contract is generally more generous than a typical Singapore agency contract, and employers commonly report that it includes an annual home leave clause as well as an employer-provided return air ticket. If you hired through a POEA/POLO-aligned agency, read your verified copy — the obligations in it are real ones.

  • Indonesian, Myanmar and other helpers: It depends on the agency contract you signed. Many include a home-leave air ticket at the end of each 2-year contract; some don't. Check the contract you actually signed.

So the honest answer is: home leave isn't a fixed statutory entitlement, but it is very often a contractual obligation — and for Filipino helpers it may be an annual one rather than a two-yearly one. Read your contract before assuming either way.

What Is a Maid's Home Leave Entitlement, Exactly?

Employers search for "home leave entitlement" expecting a number. MOM doesn't set one. The entitlement comes from three places, in this order:

  1. Her home country's standard contract — the strongest source. The Philippine contract is the most prescriptive, and commonly obliges the employer to provide the return air ticket.
  2. The agency contract you signed — many Singapore agency contracts state a home-leave ticket at the end of each 2-year cycle. Some are silent on it.
  3. Whatever you and she agreed in writing — this fills the gaps, and it is the part most households skip.

If all three are silent, there is no enforceable entitlement — only a negotiation. That is exactly why it's worth writing the terms down at the start of a contract rather than arguing about them twenty-three months later.

How Long Is Home Leave Usually?

There is no fixed legal duration, and this varies more than employers expect. In practice most home leave falls between two and four weeks, driven by three things:

  • Travel distance and cost — a trip to Batam is not a trip to Yangon.
  • What her family situation needs — a wedding, a sick parent, a child starting school.
  • What your household can absorb — see the handover section below.

One practical reason to aim for at least 7 consecutive days: that is the minimum that qualifies you for a levy waiver (see below). A five-day trip costs you the full month's levy; a seven-day trip doesn't.

Agree the dates in writing before she books anything. The single most common home-leave dispute isn't about money; it's about a return date that one side treated as approximate and the other treated as fixed.

What Happens to the Levy While She's Away?

This is the part most employers don't know, and it is worth real money.

The levy keeps running. MOM continues to charge the levy while your helper is on overseas leave — it doesn't pause automatically just because she isn't in Singapore.

But you can claim it back. MOM allows a levy waiver for overseas leave, subject to conditions:

  • The overseas leave must be at least 7 consecutive days
  • The waiver is capped at 60 calendar days per calendar year
  • You apply after she returns to Singapore (or if she fails to return)
  • You can apply from the 1st of the month after you receive the levy bill, and you must apply within 1 year of that bill
  • MOM processes the request in about 12 working days

At the standard S$300/month levy, a two-week home leave is roughly S$140 back. Over a helper's career with you, that adds up — and a great many households simply never claim it.

Hospitalisation leave works the same way: if she's given hospitalisation leave by a Singapore-registered doctor at a local medical institution, that also qualifies for a waiver, capped at 60 calendar days a year. Custody by the police or an embassy is another qualifying situation.

Levy rules and amounts change. Confirm your own situation with MOM before relying on any figure here.

Does Her Work Permit Stay Valid?

Yes — a normal home leave doesn't cancel anything. She leaves and returns on her existing Work Permit, using her digital work pass or Work Permit card at immigration. There is nothing to re-apply for.

Two things to watch:

  • Passport validity. Check it well before she books. A passport close to expiry can stall both the trip and the next Work Permit renewal. Myanmar rules in particular have been changing, and helpers have been told to renew earlier than expected — don't leave this to the last month.
  • Very long absences. If she'll be away for an extended period, some employers cancel the Work Permit instead. Be careful: cancelling means re-applying to employ her again, with everything that entails. For a normal few-week trip, don't.

For Filipino Helpers: The Embassy Step Employers Miss

If your helper is Filipino, there is an extra step that catches first-time employers out: the Philippine Embassy's contract verification. Employers consistently report that the embassy's standard contract is the one needed for home leave specifically — the day-to-day employment can run on the local contract format, but the embassy paperwork is what the trip requires.

Practical notes from employers who have done it:

  • Expect more than one visit to the embassy, so start early rather than the week before the flight.
  • There can be additional visa-related costs on the way back into Singapore, and employers report being told by the embassy that these are the employer's to cover. Budget for them rather than being surprised at the airport.
  • Do the verification before booking non-refundable flights, not after.

Who Pays for the Air Ticket?

This is the question that causes the most confusion. The answer comes down to your contract:

  • If your contract (or her home country's rules) requires an employer-provided ticket, you pay — usually a return ticket for home leave, or a one-way ticket if the employment is ending (see transfer or repatriation).

  • If there's no such clause, the cost is a matter of negotiation. Many employers still cover or share it as a goodwill gesture, especially for a helper who has served well.

A few practical notes:

  • Return vs one-way: Home leave = return ticket (she's coming back). Ending the contract = one-way ticket home.

  • Book early: Peak periods (December, Hari Raya, home-country holidays) get expensive fast. The same route can double within a month of departure.

  • Keep it reasonable: A standard economy ticket to her home city is the norm — not premium fares, and not the cheapest possible routing with a 14-hour layover either.

  • Check the name on the booking: Passport name mismatches are a common and entirely avoidable reason for a missed flight. Myanmar passports in particular often don't split into a first and last name the way booking forms demand — copy the passport exactly and ask the airline if unsure.

Is Paid Home Leave a Thing in Singapore?

Short answer: home leave is generally unpaid. She isn't working during that period, so no salary accrues unless you've agreed otherwise. Foreign domestic workers aren't covered by the Employment Act's annual leave provisions, so there is no paid-leave entitlement to fall back on.

That said:

  • Some employers choose to pay all or part of her salary during a reasonable home leave as a gesture of appreciation. It's optional, but it's remembered — and it costs far less than replacing someone who leaves.

  • You cannot quietly deduct the cost of her ticket, the levy, or "lost time" from her salary to claw it back. Salary deductions are tightly limited by MOM (see our salary deduction guide). Treating the ticket as a hidden loan against her pay is exactly the kind of move that destroys trust — and it can put you in breach of Work Permit conditions.

  • Whatever you decide, write it down before she goes. "I thought that month was paid" is a dispute that starts the day she lands back in Singapore.

What If She Doesn't Come Back?

This is the fear behind most of the anxiety about home leave, and it's worth naming honestly: sometimes a helper goes home and doesn't return.

It happens. It usually isn't sudden, though — and the warning signs are the same ones that predict any resignation:

  • She had already raised problems that went unresolved
  • The job was unstable — pay disputes, unclear rest days, an unhappy household
  • Nothing was confirmed in writing about her return

What actually reduces the risk isn't withholding the trip. It's making the job worth returning to:

  • Confirm the return date in writing before she leaves, and confirm her job is waiting for her. Uncertainty about whether she still has a role is a reason not to come back.
  • Don't pre-pay everything into a single lump sum you can't reconcile later — keep expense records and a record of money handed over clean on both sides.
  • Handle the levy properly. If she doesn't return, you can still apply for the waiver for the period she was away.
  • Fix the problem before the trip, not after. A helper who leaves an unresolved dispute behind is deciding on the plane, not at home.

Refusing home leave outright to prevent this rarely works, and where a contract requires the trip, it isn't yours to refuse. It also tends to produce exactly the resentment it's trying to avoid.

When Does Home Leave Usually Happen?

  • At the end of a 2-year contract: The most common point for helpers on Singapore agency contracts. Many take home leave before re-contracting, then return to the same employer. (See our contract renewal guide.)

  • Annually, where the contract says so: Common under the Philippine Embassy's standard contract. Check yours.

  • Mid-contract, by agreement: Some employers allow a shorter trip home partway through. This is entirely by mutual agreement.

  • Family emergencies: A death or serious illness back home. Handling these with compassion — even when inconvenient — builds enormous loyalty. Some employers give a few days off and a contribution rather than a full trip; either can be the right call depending on how long she's been with you.

Covering the Gap While She's Away

A week or two without your helper can be disruptive. Plan ahead:

  • Front-load and simplify: Do a deep clean before she leaves and lower the household bar while she's gone.

  • Temporary help: Some families arrange part-time cleaning for the gap. Do not borrow another employer's helper — that breaches Work Permit conditions for both households.

  • Write down the routine before she leaves, so the restart isn't a week of re-explaining. A shared task list she can reopen on landing removes that entirely.

  • Check your insurance: Your MDW insurance and security bond are designed around her employment in Singapore. If you want to understand what is and isn't covered while she's overseas on personal leave, ask your insurer directly rather than assuming — policies differ, and this is not something to find out afterwards.

Making It Fair

Home leave is one of those moments where a little generosity pays back for years. A helper who feels her need to see her family is respected — and who comes back to a secure job and a clean handover — is a helper who stays, and stays committed. The cost of a fair ticket is far less than the cost of constant turnover.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a maid's home leave entitlement in Singapore?

There is no fixed entitlement set by MOM, because foreign domestic workers aren't covered by the Employment Act. The entitlement comes from her home country's standard contract, the agency contract you signed, and anything you agreed in writing — in that order. The Philippine Embassy's standard contract is the most prescriptive and commonly includes both an annual home leave clause and an employer-provided return air ticket. If all three sources are silent, there is no enforceable entitlement, only a negotiation.

Do I still pay the levy while my helper is on home leave?

Yes, the levy continues to be charged while she is overseas — it doesn't pause automatically. However, MOM allows a levy waiver if the overseas leave is at least 7 consecutive days, capped at 60 calendar days per calendar year. You apply after she returns, from the 1st of the month following the levy bill and within 1 year of it, and MOM processes it in about 12 working days. At the standard S$300 levy, a two-week trip is roughly S$140 back. Confirm current rules and amounts with MOM.

Do I have to pay for the maid's air ticket when she goes on home leave?

It depends on your contract. If the contract or her home country's standard terms require an employer-provided ticket — which is common for Filipino helpers — you pay, and for home leave that means a return ticket rather than a one-way one. If there is no such clause, it is negotiable, though many employers cover or share the cost as goodwill. If employment is ending rather than continuing, a one-way repatriation ticket is a separate obligation.

Is home leave paid or unpaid in Singapore?

Home leave is generally unpaid, since the helper isn't working during that time, unless you have agreed otherwise. Some employers pay part or all of her salary during a reasonable trip home as a gesture of appreciation. You cannot secretly deduct the ticket cost, the levy, or "lost time" from her salary afterwards — MOM strictly limits salary deductions, and doing so can breach Work Permit conditions.

How long is home leave for an FDW?

There is no fixed legal duration. In practice most home leave runs between two and four weeks, depending on travel distance, what her family needs, and what your household can manage without her. Aim for at least 7 consecutive days if you want to qualify for the MOM levy waiver. Agree the exact departure and return dates in writing before anything is booked — a return date that one side treats as approximate and the other treats as fixed is the most common source of home-leave disputes.

Does my helper's Work Permit stay valid while she's on home leave?

Yes. A normal home leave doesn't cancel the Work Permit — she leaves and returns on the same pass, using her digital work pass or Work Permit card at immigration, and there's nothing to re-apply for. Check her passport validity well before she books, since a passport close to expiry can stall both the trip and the next Work Permit renewal. For very long absences some employers cancel the permit instead, but that means re-applying to employ her afterwards.

What if my helper doesn't come back from home leave?

It does happen, though rarely without warning — unresolved disputes, unclear terms and an unstable job are the usual precursors. Confirm the return date and the fact that her job is waiting in writing before she leaves, and resolve any outstanding problem before the trip rather than after. If she does not return, you can still apply for the levy waiver covering the period she was away, and you'll need to cancel the Work Permit. Refusing home leave to prevent this generally backfires, and where the contract requires the trip it isn't yours to refuse.

Can I give cash instead of a flight ticket?

If your contract requires an air ticket, the cleaner approach is to provide the ticket itself, or pay the equivalent fare with clear written agreement. Some employers and helpers agree on a cash equivalent if she wants to defer her trip. Put any such arrangement in writing so there's no dispute later about what was owed or received.

How HelperMate Helps

HelperMate keeps the handover smooth when your helper takes home leave:

  • A shared task list so you can pause or reassign routines while she's away — and restart them the day she's back
  • A clear record of schedules, so nobody has to re-explain the routine from memory
  • Salary and expense records in one place, so what was paid before and after the trip is never in dispute
  • MOM deadline reminders, so the passport expiry that would stall her trip doesn't surprise you
  • translation into your helper's language, so the terms you agreed before she left are understood exactly the same way on both sides

A well-planned home leave means she comes back rested — and your household barely skips a beat.