Earnings of a Maid in Singapore

Introduction

In Singapore, there are a lot of reasons to employ a maid. No matter you are hiring one to take care of your kids or your elderly parents, or help you with your housework, it pays to be aware of all the charges upfront. If you want to hire a maid in Singapore, you may consider doing it yourself or hire an employment agency. You must comprehend the legal requirements of hiring a maid in Singapore as it entails a specific set of responsibilities, as well as the maid’s salary. The minimum pay for maids  in Singapore might range from $450 to $500, excluding levy. You may refer to the quick guide on salary rates for maids of different countries below to help you to budget your monthly expenses.

The Average Monthly Earnings of a Maid in Singapore

If you hire a maid, you won’t bother thinking of having to do housework when you are back from work after a long day. You can choose to direct hire a maid or through agency. In either way, one of the things you should plan for is the salary. The average salary of the maid is determined based on the factors such as her years of experience and her nationality. Due to a recent survey conducted by a worldwide market research firm, Singaporeans choose to pay their maids about $600 or more monthly, which is greater than the minimum salary. Less than half of the Singaporean who responded to the poll chose to stick to the minimum salary. The minimum salary for the maids of different nationalities is shown below:

The younger and less experienced maids hired through employment agencies would likely to accept the offered minimum wage as shown in the figure above. However, for the older and more experienced maids who have worked in Singapore for years would demand for a higher pay. There are also maids which you can hire from Malaysia, India, Thailand, Taiwan, Bangladesh, South Korea and Macau. When you are having an interview with your potential maid, ask her if she had worked as a helper maid and for how long. You can decide on a reasonable salary rate for her based on the information provided. The maid of your choice should age between 23 to 50 years old. If the maid is 50 years old and above, her work permit can only be renewed until they reach the age of 60.

Filipino Maid Salary

In the year of 2012, the minimum salary of a Filipino maid used to be $500, however the Philippine Embassy asked for an increase due to a “fluctuation in the exchange rate”. In 2017, the request was approved and the salary is increased from $500 to $570. As a result of the increase in the minimum salary, there are more Filipino maids attracted to work in Singapore.

Filipino maids can be a better option if you’re seeking for a maid who can speak English very well. These maids usually work as nannies to take care of young kids, elderly people or a sick family member. They earn more money compared to the maids from other countries as they speak English more fluently. For Filipino maids, their starting pay rate is $570, however for those who have worked in Singapore for years may receive up to $700.

Indonesian Maid Salary

Indonesian maids were paid $450 per year back in 2014 until the Indonesian Embassy increased it to $500. The salary was then increased to $550 again after two years. However, the increased monthly salary is only applicable to the maids who came into Singapore after the increasing took effect.

An Indonesian maid is the best caregiver for elderly people. Indonesian maids are the best option if you want to hire someone to take care of your parents, grandparents or a sick family member, as well as keeping your house clean. Despite being a popular choice, their limited English proficiency is a drawback. However, most of them can pick this up later on in their employment and also learn a variety of dialects in order to communicate with the older family members. The starting pay rate of an Indonesian maid must be at least $550, or $650 to $700 for those experienced maids.

Myanmar Maid Salary

Maids from Myanmar are the most dependable and kind-hearted maids any employer can find. Their nice demeanor makes it simple for employers to trust them and allow them to take care of their families when they are at work. However, it could be difficult to explain things to fresh candidates, especially in English, so you would have to put in more effort.

A Myanmar maid receives a salary of at least $450 per month, which is less than the maids from the Philippines and Indonesia. However, these maids can receive up to $500 per month if they opt to work on their designated rest day(s). For the more skilled and productive Myanmar maids, they can make money between $580 and $600 per month in Singapore.

Considerations of Deciding on a Salary for a Maid in Singapore

Find out the maid’s country’s minimum monthly wage as a starting point. This is to ensure the maids who leave their family to work overseas are compensated fairly. Their years of experience is another aspect you should take into consideration. We have prepared a basic guide on the salary rates according to the maid’s years of experience in case you’re unsure of the amount you should pay to your maid.

Salary Adjustments

It’s a good idea to offer your maid an increment from time to time, much like how employees receive salary increases annually. This will honor her additional experience while rewarding her for a well done job. Another strategy to retain your maid’s loyalty is to pay her a contract gratuity at the end of her employment. This reward may inspire your maid to work harder.

Conclusion

We find it’s challenging to balance between our responsibilities at home and the stress at workplace. These responsibilities include doing housework and taking care of children. So, hiring a maid is definitely a good idea to let yourself taking a break when you become exhausted from the demanding work you do whole day.

The decision on the amount you pay to your maid and any increment is all depends on you. Remember that you must adhere to the minimum rates set by their governments at all times.