Why Hire a Transfer Maid in Singapore (2026)
Prices checked October 2026 against the published price lists of 526 contractors listed on Homees, MOM's 2025 wage data and Qanvast's 2026 report. How we price →
A transfer helper is already here, already experienced with Singapore households, and can start almost immediately — often the smartest hire nobody considers first.Key takeaways
- Transfer helpers are already in Singapore — start in days, not months.
- Singapore experience means less settling-in and training.
- Always ask the current employer why she's transferring.
Transfer maids refer to maids who are already residing in Singapore or have worked in Singapore, and are seeking to transfer from one employer to another.
In this article, we will be going through some essential transfer maids topics:
- Why you should consider hiring a transfer maid over a new maid in Singapore
- How to transfer a maid to another employer (without an agency)
- How to interview, shortlist and choose a transfer maid (for hire with or without an agency)
- How to hire a transfer maid (without an agency)
- Some questions you might have
Reasons for Hiring Transfer Maid Over a New One
1. Lower costs
Hiring a transfer maid is considerably cheaper compared to a new maid. This is because you do not have to pay for the expenses that accompany hiring a new maid.Expenses include plane tickets to Singapore, work permit fees, pre-employment medical check-up fees, mandatory courses conducted by MOM and other miscellaneous fees.
You will roughly spend about $2400 to $3700, with an average of 7-8 months salary cut on a new maid.
Agency fee is much lesser when it comes to a transfer maid. . The transfer fee will be borne by the transfer maid which is equivalent to 1 to 2 months salary cut on the maid.
2. Transfer Maids Have Been Trained
You do not need to retrain a maid that has experienced with her previous employer.Usually, you will need to provide training to new maids such as:
- Purchase groceries
- Getting around Singapore
- Cleaning the household well such as washing the dishes, cleaning the floor
- Meeting the expectations of the employer
- Communicating well
- Proper use of electronics and appliances in the house
- Taking care of children or elderly in the household
These are the tasks that you most likely will not need to worry about when hiring a transfer maid.
3. Adapted to living in Singapore
Transfer maids are less likely to suffer from homesickness as they have been living in Singapore for a while. They would have already adjusted themselves to living away from their families. Also, they would have gotten used to the culture in Singapore.4. Availability of employment history
For transfer maids, you can always find their past employment records through MOM. You can also enquire through a maid agency or ask for the previous employment directly.You may want to avoid maids that have job-hopping history, i.e. they have changed multiple employers within a short period.
Some new maids may have done work outside of Singapore in other countries. In this case, you can ask for details about the training or enquire more information from the trainer, even though it might be biased.
5. Able to establish personal interviews
One key benefit is that you can interview the transfer maid face-to-face. A personal interview allows you to gauge her personality and abilities to ensure a better fit for your household.
Interview with the new maid is done through a webcam or a phone. Not seeing the maid face-to-face may cause some discrepancies in your expectations.
Reasons for Hiring New Maid over Transfer Maids
Nonetheless, there are also reasons why some employers are choosing new maids over transferred ones.1. Fewer demands
New maids are likely to be less demanding. Transfer maids are used to life in Singapore and have had a lot of experience with past employers. They usually know how to negotiate for a better arrangement with you.2. Higher control
Most transfer maids have friends and attend activities during their free day. You may not be able to control what kind of friends she hangs out with and activities she does.A new maid is unfamiliar with socialising in Singapore. You may even get her to work on her free day if she is agreeable, in which you would need to pay for the extra day of work.
How to Transfer a Maid to Another Employer (without an agency)
When you have found an employer to transfer your maid, here are the things that you need to do:- Send the maid for the usual six months medical examination
- Sign declaration form (provided by new employer)
- Ensure that you pay for her levy until the transfer date. This applies even if the maid is no longer working with you.
- Within one week of the transfer, you need to return the work permit card to:
Work Pass Division Ministry of Manpower 18 Havelock Road Singapore 059764
You will be informed once the security bond is released one week after the date of transfer.How to Interview, Shortlist and Choose a Transfer Maid
Sources of transfer maids
- Recommendations from your friends and family
- Search online
You can filter to your preferred transfer maid based on online reviews, ratings, skills and stated requirements.
Interviewing the transfer maid
Without a maid agency, you will need search, filter and arrange an interview with the maid by yourself.First, you check the FDW's employment history, by heading to WP online, and logging in using your Singpass and FDW's Work Permit number.
Here are questions that you can ask the transfer maid:
Basic questions (get to know her)
- How long have you been in Singapore?
- Why are you working as a domestic helper?
- What are your plans after working as a domestic helper?
- Why are you leaving your current employer?
- How long have you been not working after your last job?
- What are you best at doing?
- What kind of employer are you looking for?
- What do you usually do with your previous employers?
- What is the past salary amount?
- What is your expected salary amount?
- What are you expecting for your next job?
- What do you usually do during your free day?
- Are you able to take care of children and/or elderly?
Choosing the right maid
Before choosing the maid, it is best to prepare a list of expectations and rules:- The daily schedule of work
- Cleanliness level for different parts of the house
- Behaviour in the house
- Specific practices to follow in the household
- Salary
- How long you are looking to engage her for
- Specific advance tasks that she is required to do or expected to learn, e.g. changing babies nappies or learning to cook
Finally, get to know her living habits like how much rests and breaks she requires etc.
How to Hire a Transfer Maid (without an agency)
If you are looking to hire a transfer maid, how do you do that without an agency? Here are the details:- Meet the employer's requirements set by MOM
- Decide on the date of transfer
- Ensure maid has done her six-monthly medical examination
- Apply for a work permit
- Purchase insurance and bond
- Print and sign a declaration form
- Obtain work permit
Find Reliable Maid Agencies in Singapore
Homees.co provides a list of the best maid agencies in Singapore. If you are looking for maid agencies to match your personalised requirements, you can contact Homees.co for a more quick and fuss-free experience.Related Articles
- Commonly Asked Questions When Hiring Maids In Singapore
- 6 Simple Steps to Direct Hire a Maid in Singapore (Without An Agency)
- Ultimate Guide For a Good Maid Agency in Singapore 2022
- Where to hire your maid? Indonesian, Filipino or Myanmar?
- Why You Should Hire a Transfer Maid in Singapore
- Part Time Maid: Should You Hire One Or Not?
The official bits
Employment agencies must be MOM-licensed — verify any agency's EA licence number on MOM's online directory before paying. Employers are responsible for the work permit, levy, insurance and settling-in requirements; always check MOM's current rules, and for elderly-care services, AIC's subsidy schemes.
Looking for vetted maid agencies or elderly caregivers? Start with our shortlists, or browse the Homees directory.
