Best maid agency Singapore: 7 checks to find a good one

Short answerThere is no official list of the best maid agency in Singapore, so the right one depends on your needs. A good agency holds a current MOM licence, uses staff registered with MOM, has a real placement record, puts every fee in writing, follows MOM's 50% refund rule, and explains each document and gives you time before you sign. You can check the licence and track record in MOM's Employment Agency Directory.

Seven checks

1. Licence. Search the licence number in MOM's directory. It is an offence to engage an unlicensed agency. Our directory lists the 485 licensed agencies with 55 or more helper placements in the last 12 months. Agencies must also keep their contact details and operating address current in GoBusiness Singapore, updating changes within five working days, so check the address you visit matches.
2. Registered staff. Registered agency personnel carry a registration card with their name, registration number and agency. Check those details against MOM's directory, which also shows the names and photos of registered personnel.
3. Track record. MOM publishes how many helpers each agency placed in the last 12 months. 312 agencies placed 100 or more. MOM also suggests looking at the performance indicators shown in its directory. Volume shows activity, not quality, so ask about helpers like the one you need.
4. Fees in writing. MOM does not cap employer fees, because employers have more bargaining power than workers. Get an itemised quote. See typical fees.
5. Refunds. Agencies must refund at least 50% of service fees if employment ends within six months and conditions are met, within 14 working days of your written request or the work permit cancellation, whichever is later. They cannot set their own terms. The rule does not apply if the agency only did the paperwork and no matching. Tell the agency before you cancel, transfer or send the helper home. The rule in full.
6. How they treat you. Since 1 Oct 2026, agencies must explain every form, make sure it is complete and give you time to review before you sign. Their advice must be backed by verifiable documents where applicable, in a language you understand.
7. How they treat helpers. Agencies must not advertise helpers in an undignified way or make them look "on display". MOM caps the placement fee an agency can charge a helper, and the agency cannot charge her at all if she is not placed. Ask how they checked her age and education details, and whether a first-time helper attended the Settling-In Programme before placement, as MOM expects.

What a licensed agency must do

• Look after the helper's upkeep and accommodation from her arrival until she is placed, or send her home at its own cost if she is not placed.
• Make sure you and your helper sign the safety agreement.
• Give you her detailed biodata, such as age, name and skills.
• Carry out at least one post-placement check within three months of her joining your household, by phone or in person.

Reading maid agency reviews

Online reviews show individual experiences, so read them alongside MOM's directory, not instead of it. Look for patterns: were fees as quoted, were refunds and replacements handled fairly, and did the agency treat helpers with respect? Ask the agency how it handled its last complaint. A good agency will answer plainly.

Questions for your first conversation

• What exactly does your fee include, and what is refundable?
• Which helpers do you represent now who fit our household's needs?
• What fee, if any, will the helper pay you?
• Do you handle transfer helpers?
• Who drafts the employment contract, and can I review it in advance?

Red flags

• An agency that uses MOM's logo or implies MOM endorsement in its ads. This is not allowed.
• Staff who cannot show a registration card, or whose details do not match MOM's directory.
• Advice to keep your helper's passport. Agencies must not help employers break MOM rules.
• Refund terms stricter than MOM's rule.
• Pressure to sign the same day.

Ready to compare? Browse licensed agencies by placements, or read how hiring works first.

Sources, checked 15 Oct 2026: MOM EA Directory; MOM FAQ, Check an EA licence; MOM, Eight steps to hiring a helper; MOM, Refund of EA service fee; MOM FAQ on employer fees; MOM EA Alert, 28 Sep 2026; MOM FAQ, What the EA is responsible for; MOM, Three mandatory measures; MOM press reply on fees (2020).

Common questions