Maid agency fees in Singapore typically cost S$1,000 to S$4,000 in 2026, made up of the agency's service fee plus pass-through costs — and most first-time employers have no idea what they're actually paying for. Fee structures are often deliberately vague, with line items like "documentation fee," "processing fee," and "third-party charges" that vary wildly between agencies.

This guide breaks down what's standard, what's inflated, and exactly what MOM says you're entitled to get back if the placement doesn't work out.

Maid Agency Fees in Singapore (2026): At a Glance

Cost New helper (overseas) Transfer helper (in Singapore)
Agency service fee S$600 – S$1,500 S$800 – S$2,500
Work Permit + medical + insurance + SIP + ticket ~S$795 – S$1,325 ~S$520 – S$750
Total agency package S$1,395 – S$2,825 S$1,320 – S$3,250

Three quick answers before the detail:

  • Cheapest maid agency? No agency is reliably cheapest. The spread on the service fee alone is S$600–2,500, so get an itemised quote from two or three and compare the total, not the headline.
  • Transfer maid agency fee? The service fee is usually higher for a transfer (S$800–2,500 vs S$600–1,500), but you skip the air ticket and Settling-In Programme — so the all-in total lands in a similar range.
  • Placement fee? That's charged to the helper, not you. MOM caps what a Singapore agency can charge her at one month's salary per year of service, up to two months.

Service Fee, Placement Fee, and the Helper's Loan — Three Different Things

These three get mixed up constantly, and the confusion is where employers lose money.

1. The service fee — you pay this. The agency's own commission for matching you with a helper, handling paperwork, and providing post-placement support. S$600–1,500 for a fresh hire, S$800–2,500 for a transfer. This is the only part covered by MOM's refund rule.

2. Third-party costs — you pay these, but they aren't the agency's. Real costs the agency pays on your behalf and passes through:

  • MOM Work Permit application + issuance: S$70
  • Medical examination: S$50 – S$80
  • Insurance bundle (security bond + medical + personal accident): S$400 – S$600 for 26 months
  • Settling-In Programme (SIP): S$75 (first-time helpers only)
  • Air ticket (overseas helpers): S$200 – S$500 depending on origin country

These should appear as separate line items. A "package fee" with no itemisation is the single most common way agencies shrink the refundable portion — because third-party costs are excluded from the refund rule.

3. The placement fee, or "loan" — the helper pays this, out of her salary. This is not your cost. MOM caps what a Singapore employment agency may charge a worker at one month of her fixed monthly salary per year of service, up to two months' salary — so roughly S$1,200–1,400 on a typical two-year contract. It's calculated on basic salary plus fixed allowances, not bonuses or variable pay.

One thing worth knowing: helpers often repay considerably more than two months' salary, sometimes six or more. That's because MOM's cap governs the Singapore agency's fee, not what agents in her home country charged her before she arrived. If your helper's deductions run far beyond two months, that gap usually originates overseas — and it's a large part of why a new helper can arrive already under financial pressure.

You aren't obliged to cover any of it. But knowing the number tells you a lot about her first six months, and some employers choose to help with part of it.

Transfer vs New Hire: What Each Actually Costs

Cost Item New (overseas) Transfer (in Singapore)
Agency service fee S$600 – S$1,500 S$800 – S$2,500
MOM Work Permit S$70 S$70
Medical exam S$50 – S$80 S$50 – S$80
Insurance (26 months) S$400 – S$600 S$400 – S$600
Settling-In Programme S$75 S$0 (usually exempt)
Air ticket S$200 – S$500 S$0
Total range S$1,395 – S$2,825 S$1,320 – S$3,250

The counter-intuitive part: transfer helpers usually carry a higher agency service fee, not a lower one. Agencies charge more because they're coordinating between an outgoing and an incoming employer, which is more work than sourcing from a partner agency overseas.

What you save is elsewhere — no air ticket, no Settling-In Programme, and usually a shorter wait. So the totals land in a similar band, and the real differences are non-financial:

  • She's already in Singapore, so you can meet her in person before deciding
  • She has a track record here you can ask about, rather than an agency profile
  • She knows how Singapore households run, which shortens the first month considerably

A transfer also matters for her: when a placement is taken over rather than ended, the incoming employer may take on the remaining loan, which is usually better for the helper than being sent home mid-contract.

MOM's Refund Rule: At Least 50% Within Six Months

This is where most employers get caught off guard, and it's the most valuable thing on this page.

The rule. For contracts entered into on or after 1 June 2022, if a migrant domestic worker's employment is terminated within the first six months, the employment agency must refund at least 50% of the service fees you paid — provided the refund conditions are met.

It cannot be pro-rated. An agency may not refund 25% because she left in month three and 50% only if she left in month six. Terminated within six months means at least 50%, full stop.

The deadline. The agency must pay within 14 working days of either your written request or the work pass cancellation — whichever is later.

What counts as "service fees." Everything you paid the agency, except: Work Permit processing, medical examinations, entry air tickets, home-country requirements (such as the Philippine Overseas Employment Certificate), third-party training you specifically asked for, and the helper's own placement loan.

When you are not entitled to a refund

The rule has conditions, and agencies rarely volunteer them. You lose the entitlement if:

  1. The agency only performed administrative work, without any matching service
  2. You breached employment law, or committed an offence against the worker
  3. You failed to notify the agency promptly of your intent to cancel the Work Permit, repatriate, or transfer her
  4. Up to two replacement workers lasted beyond six months, or a third replacement was already provided
  5. She was hired as a caregiver and the caregiving need has ended (the person passed away or moved into other care)

Condition 3 is the one that catches ordinary employers. Tell the agency in writing, immediately, when you decide to end the placement — before you cancel anything. A delay of a few weeks can cost you the entire refund.

How to protect yourself

  • Get the fee breakdown in writing before signing — service fee separated from third-party costs
  • Keep every receipt, quote and message thread
  • Notify the agency in writing the moment you decide to end the placement
  • Make the refund request in writing, and note the 14-working-day clock
  • If the agency refuses, file with MOM's Employment Agency Department

Rules and figures change. Confirm your own situation with MOM before relying on any number here.

Hiring Without an Agency

It is legal to hire a transfer helper directly without an agency. You handle the Work Permit application through MOM's FDW eService yourself.

Pros

  • No agency service fee — a saving of S$800–2,500
  • A direct relationship from day one
  • You control the timeline

Cons

  • All paperwork is your responsibility
  • No post-placement support if problems arise
  • Finding candidates requires your own network or online platforms
  • Insurance and medical arrangements are on you
  • No service fee means nothing to refund if it doesn't work out

Many employers who've been through the process once or twice choose direct hiring for subsequent helpers. First-time employers generally benefit from agency support.

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No itemised breakdown. If an agency can't tell you exactly what each charge is for, that's the problem, not a formality.
  • Pressure to decide quickly. "This helper will be taken by tomorrow" is almost always a sales tactic.
  • Prices changing after the deposit. If the agreed price moves after you've paid, you're entitled to withdraw and get the deposit back.
  • Vagueness about the refund rule. Any licensed agency knows the 50% rule. Claimed ignorance is a reason to walk.
  • Inflated "documentation fees." Shifting cost out of the service fee and into third-party charges shrinks what you can get back.
  • "Free replacement instead of a refund." A replacement can be the better outcome — but it is your choice, not a substitute the agency gets to impose.

How to Compare Agencies — and What "Cheapest" Really Costs

Get itemised quotes from two or three agencies. The spread is wide enough that this is worth an afternoon:

  • Service fee — the only refundable part. S$600–2,500.
  • Third-party costs — should be near-identical between agencies, since they're pass-through. Large differences here are a warning sign.
  • Refund policy in writing — confirm the 50%/six-month rule and how to trigger it
  • Post-placement support — how many months, and what's actually included
  • MOM licence — check it at mom.gov.sg
  • The helper's loan length — ask. It affects her, and an over-indebted helper is a less settled one.

Then the caveat that the sticker price hides: a low service fee is often subsidised elsewhere — a longer loan for the helper, thinner screening, or minimal support if the placement fails in month three. Since a failed placement costs you the replacement process, lost time, and possibly a second set of third-party fees, the cheapest quote and the cheapest outcome are frequently not the same agency.

Compare service fee + loan length + what happens if it fails, not the headline number.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to hire a maid in Singapore?

The total upfront cost usually falls between S$1,000 and S$4,000, depending on whether she's a fresh or transfer helper and which agency you use. That covers the agency service fee (S$600–2,500), insurance (S$400–600 for 26 months), the medical examination (S$50–80), Work Permit costs (S$70), and for overseas helpers the Settling-In Programme and air ticket. On top of the one-time cost, budget for ongoing monthly expenses — salary, the levy, food, and insurance renewals.

What is the maid placement fee in Singapore, and do I pay it?

No — the placement fee is charged to the helper, not the employer, and she repays it from her salary. MOM caps what a Singapore employment agency may charge a worker at one month of her fixed monthly salary per year of service, up to a maximum of two months, so roughly S$1,200–1,400 on a two-year contract. Helpers often repay more than that, because MOM's cap covers the Singapore agency's fee and not what agents in her home country charged her before arrival.

What is the transfer maid agency fee?

The agency service fee for a transfer is typically S$800–2,500, which is usually higher than for a fresh hire (S$600–1,500), because the agency coordinates between the outgoing and incoming employer. The saving comes from elsewhere: no air ticket and no Settling-In Programme. All-in, a transfer commonly totals S$1,320–3,250 against S$1,395–2,825 for a fresh hire — a similar band, so decide on fit and timing rather than price.

Which is the cheapest maid agency in Singapore?

There isn't one, and the service fee alone ranges from S$600 to S$2,500 between agencies for comparable work. Compare the itemised total — service fee plus insurance, medical, Work Permit and ticket — rather than the headline number, since third-party costs are pass-through and should look similar everywhere. Also compare the refund terms and the length of the loan charged to the helper: a low service fee is often subsidised by one of those two.

Do I get my agency fee back if the helper leaves early?

For contracts from 1 June 2022 onward, if the employment ends within the first six months the agency must refund at least 50% of the service fees you paid, and it cannot be pro-rated by how far into the six months you are. It must be paid within 14 working days of your written request or the work pass cancellation, whichever is later. Third-party costs — Work Permit, medical, entry ticket, home-country requirements — are excluded, which is why an itemised quote matters so much.

When do I lose the right to that refund?

There are five disqualifying situations: the agency only did administrative work with no matching service; you breached employment law or committed an offence against the worker; you failed to notify the agency promptly of your intent to cancel the permit, repatriate or transfer her; two replacements already lasted beyond six months or a third was provided; or she was hired as a caregiver and the caregiving need ended. The third one catches ordinary employers most often — notify the agency in writing the moment you decide, before cancelling anything.

Can an agency give me a replacement helper instead of a refund?

A replacement is often the outcome employers actually want, and many agencies offer it. But it is your choice, not something the agency can impose in place of the refund you're entitled to. If you'd rather have the money, say so in writing and cite the six-month rule. If you accept a replacement, get the terms in writing too — including what happens if the replacement also doesn't work out.

How HelperMate Helps

HelperMate doesn't replace agencies — it gives you the tools to run the employment relationship yourself after placement:

  • MOM compliance tracking — Work Permit expiry, the six-monthly medical, insurance renewal
  • Financial records — a clear salary and expense history both sides can see, so nothing is reconstructed from memory
  • Shared task lists in 10 languages — the employer writes once, the helper reads it in her own language

Most of what agencies charge for after placement is support you can handle yourself, once the records and reminders are in one place.

Download HelperMate on Google Play → | App Store →

Figures reflect MOM guidance and market ranges at the time of writing and are subject to change. This article is for informational purposes only — confirm your own situation with MOM.