Nanny - not maid

[Shona]

I will soon relocate to Singapore. I have 2 kids age 9 and 2. I will need childcare, but I dont want someone who cooks, cleans, irons, shops and washes the car at 6am. I just want someone looking after the children.

It seems like there are nannies/aupairs in Singapore, but there is no information on salaries.

Can anyone give me a rough idea of what I would pay?

a) Live out
b) Live in

I would look at either option. Live out would probably be needed 8am-6pm Monday to Friday.

Live in would be obviously all fairly negotiated and give-and-take.

I dont really care about qualifications, I just want someone nice, kind and sensible who can have fun with my kids, drop off and pick up from school,help with homework until I get home, maybe take them on outings now and then, and organise to feed them when they are hungry. Just normal Australian lifestyle, if you know what I mean.

If there are any au-pairs/nannies out there, or anyone who has this set-up, can you give me a clue as to what I should offer, or what is expected? I assume (hope) we are looking at more than the few hundred a month paid to maids. And also, does this government levy also apply?

Any info gratefully recieved.

[sundaymorningstaple]

The Singapore government does not differentiate between maids and nannies. Therefore you are stuck with a problem of having to use "traditional source" hired help. This translates to foreign maids from India, Sri Lanka, Philippines & Indonesia. These have varying level of education from none to degree holders and 21 to 60 years of age. It would be difficult to find an au pair unless you found an westerner with those qualifications AND PR or Citizenship. That would be about the only way to accomplish it as the government would not let you bring one in from the west to work. Good luck.

If you get PM'd by potential au pairs remember, you can get in trouble for hiring illegally just as they can.