At a Glance
- To place maids you need an MOM Comprehensive Licence (All). The Select Licence cannot be used for maid placement.
- Every key appointment holder must pass the CEI (KAH) before you apply. Staff doing EA work need CEI too.
- MOM fees: $400 to apply, $100 when issued, both non-refundable. Each registered staff member costs more.
- A new Comprehensive Licence agency must provide a $60,000 security deposit as a bank eGuarantee.
- Demerit points raise your deposit, can forfeit part of it, and at 24 points can cost you the licence.
- The paperwork is the easy part. Recruitment, matching and customer service are where agencies win or lose.
Maid agencies can look like an easy business from the outside. Before you register a company, here is what MOM actually asks for, what it costs to get started, and the day-to-day challenges agency owners have told us about.
Which MOM licence do you need to run a maid agency?
MOM has four employment agency licence types. Only one of them lets you place migrant domestic workers.
| Licence | Who you can place | CEI needed | Deposit (new agency) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive (All) | All workers, including maids | Yes | $60,000 |
| Comprehensive (non-MDW) | All workers except maids | Yes | $60,000 |
| Comprehensive (Local) | Singaporeans and PRs only | Yes | $60,000 |
| Select | Workers earning above $4,500 a month | No | $20,000 |
Swipe sideways to see the full table. Source: MOM, "Which employment agency licence to get".
Who is eligible to apply for an EA licence?
- The applicant must be a key person in an ACRA-registered business: sole proprietor or partner, director or managing director, LLP partner, or general partner of a limited partnership.
- Your ACRA principal activity should be SSIC 78103, domestic worker employment placement agencies.
- Key people must pass MOM's fit-and-proper checks. Past convictions under laws such as the Employment Agencies Act or Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, being an undischarged bankrupt, or running an agency whose licence was revoked can rule you out.
- Run MOM's EA self-assessment tool first. A rejected application does not get its $400 back.
What is the CEI and who must pass it?
The Certificate of Employment Intermediaries (CEI) tests your knowledge of employment law, including the Employment Agencies Act and the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. For any Comprehensive Licence:
Key appointment holders
Must hold the CEI (KAH) before the licence application is submitted, even if they do not do EA work themselves.
Staff doing EA work
Need CEI and must be registered with MOM as EA personnel. Budget time for this, as it often takes the longest.
How much does it cost to start a maid agency in Singapore?
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $400, non-refundable |
| Licence issue fee | $100, non-refundable |
| Security deposit | $60,000 eGuarantee for a new Comprehensive Licence. Can only be reviewed after 12 months. |
| Staff registration | Per person fee to MOM, plus CEI course and exam fees |
| Running costs | Rent, staff salaries, overseas recruitment, training, medical checks, airfares, marketing |
Swipe sideways to see the full table. Check MOM's site for the latest fees before you apply.
The deposit is a banker's guarantee from an approved bank, arranged through eGuarantee@Gov. Your bank may want collateral or charge a fee for it, so ask early. MOM only releases the bond six months after your licence ends.
Can you run a maid agency from home?
MOM's document list includes an approval letter from URA or HDB if you want to operate at a residential address. So a home office is possible only with that approval in hand. Many agencies choose a commercial unit, since employers often want to meet you and interview helpers in person.
How does MOM's demerit points system work?
Breaking the Employment Agencies Act, its rules or your licence conditions can earn demerit points. Here is what each level triggers:
| Points | What happens |
|---|---|
| 4 | Minimum deposit of $40,000 |
| 8 | Minimum deposit of $60,000 |
| 12 | $10,000 forfeited, top up to $60,000, surveillance, WP Online suspended, all KAHs re-take the CEI (KAH) exam |
| 18 | Another $15,000 forfeited, top up to $60,000, surveillance continues |
| 24 | Licence suspended or revoked |
Swipe sideways to see the full table. Source: MOM, "Demerit points system".
Being under surveillance is shown on MOM's public EA Directory, which employers can search. Running EA work without a licence is an offence, with a fine of up to $80,000, jail of up to two years, or both (MOM, 2021).
Should your maid agency get CaseTrust accreditation?
CaseTrust is an accreditation scheme run by the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), with a version for employment agencies. Many maid agencies display it because it signals fair contracts and a refund policy to employers. Check the current scheme rules with CASE directly before you plan for it.
What fees can a maid agency charge?
- From the worker: no more than one month of her fixed salary per year of service, capped at two months in total.
- No agency fees on work pass renewals.
- Levy and work pass fees are the employer's cost and cannot be passed on to the worker.
What are the real challenges of running a maid agency?
Agency owners we have spoken to keep naming the same ten things:
1. Compliance
Every form and process has to meet MOM rules. Mistakes mean demerit points, suspension or revocation.
2. Recruitment
Each source country has its own rules, language and culture. Checking a helper's reliability takes work.
3. Costs
Overseas fees, training, medicals and airfares add up, while your service fees still need to stay competitive.
4. Matching
A bad match leads to transfers, unhappy employers and reviews that hurt you.
5. Training
Helpers need to learn Singapore households and adjust to a new country.
6. Customer service
You handle complaints from employers and concerns from helpers, often at the same time.
7. Welfare
Homesickness, disputes and rest days all need attention if you want helpers to stay.
8. Technology
Online matching, training and admin tools cost money and time to set up.
9. Competition
The market is crowded. You stand out through service and reliability.
10. Trust
Bad news about how helpers are treated affects the whole industry, and your name with it.
What are the steps to get a maid agency licence?
- Register your business with ACRA under SSIC 78103.
- Run MOM's EA self-assessment tool.
- Pass the CEI (KAH) for every key appointment holder.
- Get URA or HDB approval if you will run from a home address.
- Apply through GoBusiness and pay the $400 fee.
- Arrange the $60,000 eGuarantee with a participating bank before the in-principle approval expires.
- Accept the licence conditions, pay the $100 issue fee and register your staff.
Licensed and ready to go?
More employers now look for helpers online. Register your agency on SearchMaid and list your maids where employers are searching.
Browse SearchmaidP.S. Rules and fees change. Check MOM's employment agency pages before you commit money to a licence.
