Recent Chaos in hiring Filipino Maid

Hi all,

For those of you that are looking for Filipino maid, I am writing this just to let more people aware what is happening after June 2013. There are a few rules that the Philippine embassy enforce which make it even more harder for the Filipino maid to be hire.


Starting from June 2013, Philippine embassy enforce the rules that all Philippine workers' hiring expenses to be paid by the employer. Employer cannot force the worker to work for them if the worker do not wish to. Employer have send the worker back to their own country and the employer cannot stop them, even with a contract stated.

Personally I find all these rules unfair and unacceptable.

As you all know, when hiring a Filipino worker, you need to engage a Philippine agent and a Singapore agent to do the POEA. So naturally both side's agent would want to make a profit out of it. with all the food, lodging, airtickets, transport etc etc cost to bring the maid into Singapore. The total cost incur would be more than $3000. As long as the worker find it unsuitable to work with you, they have the right to go to embassy and stop the employment straight away. Employer risk losing all the expenses paid, and further more, have to send the worker back to their original country.

Any agent found to be caught or even a complain from the worker that breach the rules, will have their license suspended by the embassy. Because of these, there are many agent in Singapore stop hiring worker from Philippine. but rather, only do transfer maid in Singapore.

Why is the agent only do transfer maid?

Here is the reason,

The transfer maid is already in Singapore. The agent only need to fulfil the laws of Singapore to do the placement. so, for most agent, they are pushing the cost of hire to the worker, so that the employer do not have to incur the hiring expenses. but that is not legal as far as Philippine embassy is concern.
Which means, the agency in Singapore skip the Philippine's side documents when doing transfer. so that part of expenses incur will be bear by the worker. so in this way, both party bear some of the expenses.

Having to said all that, there are still some of the agency going through other means to bring the maid into Singapore. so for those who are hiring Filipino maid, you might find a huge different in cost of hire with different agent.

Those who go through the proper channel might find that employer are bearing a huge amount of cost, estimate more than $3000 with no guarantee of success employment.

So, is chaos everywhere, good luck for everyone hiring. Stay calm and go through carefully. Good luck!