Ethical ways to hire a helper

[tiktok]

It seems most maid agencies here charge a few months salary to the helper, plus 1k or so to the employer. I'm not ok with the helper paying anything and even less ok with an agency getting $2k or so for doing what exactly?

Is it possible to hire directly without an agency? Or are there ethical, cheaper agencies? Anyone tried helperchoice?

[sundaymorningstaple]

viewtopic.php?t=114804

While it is possible to directly hire a foreign domestic worker without incurring the middleman fees from engaging an agency in Singapore, it is not the easiest option. For instance, even in the case of a direct-hire for a Filipino domestic worker, you will still need to engage an agency in the Philippines to get the paperwork done there – for which is intense and complicated. Once your hire enters Singapore, there’s still quite a load of paperwork which you’ll need to do before your domestic worker is considered a legal hire.

As many experienced employers of domestic workers can attest, finding a good worker is oftentimes a matter of luck but having a good agency can ease your frustrations should you face any issues with your domestic worker.

It can be done but most find it easier to use an agency initially, and from renewals onwards, skip the agency.

[abbby]

It seems most maid agencies here charge a few months salary to the helper, plus 1k or so to the employer. I'm not ok with the helper paying anything and even less ok with an agency getting $2k or so for doing what exactly?

Is it possible to hire directly without an agency? Or are there ethical, cheaper agencies? Anyone tried helperchoice?

Yes you can and quite easily...just follow the steps from MOM and you can hire without using an agency. it is recommended if you already have the helper in mind and in contact with her so you could send her the documents to sign and send her the flight tix. WIth this you would save a few thousand dollars as agencies usually charge about $1.7-2k+ to employers and another few K to the helper. Both local and their overseas agencies will earn.

https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi ... ork-permit

[tiktok]

Thanks. The Indonesian helper we have in mind has to pay 1 month to the local agency and 2 months to her one back home. Frankly that's disgusting. Unfortunately we don't have her contact, but assuming we could get it, would she be in for trouble with her agencies if we hired her directly?

[abbby]

I don't think so, but will probably be difficult to obtain her contact since some of them could come from more rural places and no access to FB. And they usually don't use their real names on FB so that would be difficult too.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Additionally you will need to check if there is a overseeing government agency e.g., in the 'peens you have the POEA(?) which the domestic must go through (and pay) before anything can happen. I've not had a helper from the 'peens since 1985 when my youngest turned 1 year old. Every country is different. Hopefully she is a christian Indonesian or you could find additional issues using that route unless you share the same religious following.

[abbby]

It seems most maid agencies here charge a few months salary to the helper, plus 1k or so to the employer. I'm not ok with the helper paying anything and even less ok with an agency getting $2k or so for doing what exactly?

Is it possible to hire directly without an agency? Or are there ethical, cheaper agencies? Anyone tried helperchoice?

Did you manage to do a direct hire?

[tiktok]

No, but the Indonesian agency ended up only charging her 1 month, so overall she lost 2 months salary. Wish we could have avoided it but we could not find a way.