For many mainland families, live-in help at home is a familiar idea, but hiring a domestic helper as a Chinese family in Singapore works differently from arranging an ayi (阿姨) back home. Here a helper is a work-pass holder under the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), which means you take on real legal duties as an employer, not just a private arrangement. The good news is that the system is well organised and predictable. This guide walks you through who can hire, where helpers come from, what it costs, and how to find someone who fits your household, including families who want a Mandarin-speaking helper.
Who Can Hire, and What You Take On
To employ a foreign domestic worker (FDW), you generally need to be a Singapore citizen, permanent resident, or a holder of an eligible work pass such as an Employment Pass or S Pass, and you must be at least 21. MOM also expects you to be able to house, feed, and maintain the helper properly, and to have a clean record on matters like bankruptcy. If you are still settling in yourself, it is worth reading our note on the wider process of getting set up before adding a household employee.
Being the employer is a formal role. Your core duties include:
- Paying the salary in full and on time, within the period MOM sets after each salary cycle.
- Buying and maintaining the required insurance and posting a security bond where applicable.
- Paying the monthly foreign worker levy to MOM.
- Providing acceptable accommodation, adequate food, rest, and a weekly rest day or agreed compensation in lieu.
- Being fully responsible for the helper’s medical care, including sending her for the required medical examinations.
You cannot pass medical or recruitment costs on to the helper by deducting them from her salary. Treating the helper fairly is not only the law, it is what keeps a live-in arrangement working for years.
Where Helpers Come From (and Why China Is Not on the List)
This surprises many newcomers: MOM allows FDWs only from an approved list of source countries and territories, and mainland China is not on it. In practice, helpers in Singapore come mainly from places such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar, among the approved sources. So a Chinese family cannot bring a helper from their hometown the way they might imagine.
What you can do is look for a helper who speaks Mandarin. Some experienced helpers, particularly those who have worked for Chinese-speaking households or in the region, speak workable or even fluent Mandarin. Agencies can filter for this. Be realistic: a strong Mandarin speaker who also has the childcare or elderly-care experience you want may cost more or take longer to find, so decide early which needs are non-negotiable.
Helpers must also meet MOM’s own criteria, including a minimum age and a minimum level of formal education, and they must pass a medical examination in Singapore. Your agency handles most of this, but you should understand it so nothing surprises you.
What It Costs to Employ a Helper
Budget for more than the monthly salary. The real cost of a domestic helper for a Chinese family in Singapore is the salary plus the government levy, insurance, the security bond arrangement, agency fees, and everyday living costs such as food and toiletries. Salaries are set by the market and by the helper’s nationality and experience, and MOM does not fix a single national wage, so do not assume a fixed number.
Because figures move, verify the current levy rate, concession rules, insurance minimums, and bond requirements directly with MOM before you commit. If you care for a young child, an elderly parent, or a person with disabilities, ask specifically about the concessionary levy, which is lower than the standard rate for qualifying households.
| Cost item | What it is | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly salary | The helper’s wage, paid in full and on time | Market and mutual agreement |
| Government levy | A monthly fee to MOM for employing an FDW | MOM (standard or concessionary) |
| Insurance and bond | Medical and personal-accident insurance, plus a security bond for non-Malaysian helpers | MOM sets minimums |
| Agency fee | One-time cost to recruit, match, and process | The employment agency |
| Living costs | Food, toiletries, phone, and home essentials | You, ongoing |
Working With an Agency, or Transferring a Helper
Most first-time employers hire through a licensed employment agency. A good agency shortlists candidates, handles the work-pass application, arranges the medical and insurance, and briefs both sides. Check that the agency is licensed by MOM, ask how it screens helpers, and read the contract before signing. A cheap fee is not a bargain if the matching is careless.
You can also take a transfer helper, someone already in Singapore whose current employment is ending. Transfers let you meet and interview the person face to face, which many families prefer, and they skip the wait for someone to arrive from overseas. Whichever route you choose, spend time on the interview. Ask about cooking, languages, experience with children or elderly care, and expectations around the rest day. A frank conversation now prevents friction later.
A few practices that keep things smooth:
- Put expectations in writing, including duties, off-days, and house rules.
- Give a proper handover in the first weeks; do not assume she knows how your household runs.
- Keep salary records and pay through a traceable method.
- Settle disagreements calmly and early, and use the agency or MOM channels if needed.
A Note on Accuracy and Advice
Employment rules for domestic helpers are set and updated by MOM, and details such as levy rates, insurance minimums, source-country lists, and eligibility can change. This article is general information, not personalised legal, financial, or employment advice. Confirm the current requirements with MOM before you hire, and for anything touching your own immigration status or documents from home, check with the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in Singapore or the relevant Chinese authorities, since rules on both sides change over time.
Explore More
Settling a household often runs alongside other moves, so see our guide to utilities and home setup for newcomers when you are getting the home ready. If the helper is joining to support older relatives, read bringing grandparents for childcare in Singapore and elderly care for Chinese parents in Singapore, and for the bigger picture start with settling in Singapore, a guide for newcomers from China.