Short answerThe security bond is a SGD 5,000 guarantee from a bank or insurer that you must buy for each helper who is not Malaysian, before she arrives. It is a pledge to pay the government if you or your helper breaches the Work Permit or bond conditions, and you pay for it, not her. MOM usually discharges it about one week after she leaves Singapore, once her permit is cancelled. It may be forfeited if, for example, her salary is not paid on time or she is not sent home when her permit ends.
The security bond is one of the things you arrange before your helper arrives, together with her insurance. This page explains what the bond is, how to get it right at the start and at renewal, and what decides whether it is discharged or forfeited, using only MOM's own pages. For her medical and personal accident cover, see our maid insurance guide.
What the security bond is
- A binding pledge to pay the government if you or your helper breaches the Work Permit conditions.
- It takes the form of a banker's or insurer's guarantee, and you can buy it at any bank or insurance company.
- SGD 5,000 for each helper you employ. Malaysian helpers do not need one.
- You pay for it. You cannot ask your helper to pay for the bond.
- You can buy it in a package with her medical and personal accident insurance, or separately.
Buying it before she arrives
- Buy the bond and her insurance.
- Ask your bank or insurer to send MOM the bond details. This takes up to 3 working days.
- If they ask for her Foreign Identification Number (FIN), it is on her in-principle approval (IPA) letter or renewal invitation. For a new helper, the FIN is assigned within 3 working days after the work permit application is approved; regenerate the IPA to get it before you buy the bond.
- Make sure the bond takes effect when she arrives. You can check its status.
- Print the security bond acknowledgement letter in WP Online and send her a copy.
If the bond is not in effect when she lands, the immigration officer will not let her enter Singapore. MOM cannot change the bond's effective date, and you would have to send her home immediately. See the work permit guide for the other steps before she arrives.
At renewal
When you renew her work permit, buy a new security bond and ask your bank or insurer to send MOM the details before you renew, which takes up to 3 working days. The new bond can start up to 1 day after the current permit expires.
When the bond is discharged
You are released from the bond only when all of these are true:
- You have cancelled her work permit.
- She has returned home.
- Neither of you breached any of the bond conditions.
The bond is then usually discharged about one week after she leaves Singapore, and MOM tells you by post. If you have not received the discharge letter 1 week after she left, you can submit a request to MOM online, and MOM will email or call you with the outcome within 1 week. If she has already gone home before you cancel, see how to cancel a work permit.
When it may be forfeited
- You or your helper breaks a Work Permit or security bond condition.
- Her salary is not paid on time.
- She is not sent home when her work permit expires, is revoked or is cancelled.
- She goes missing. Within 1 week of knowing, file a missing person police report and cancel her work permit. If she is not found within 1 month of the cancellation, SGD 2,500, half the bond, is forfeited to cover repatriation and related costs.
- You took a short permit extension but are not keeping her, and did not cancel her permit before the extended expiry date.
- She did not return from home leave, you cancelled her permit, and she re-entered Singapore before the bond was discharged, but you did not send her home immediately.
Her breaches and your protection
MOM says you are not liable for your helper's own breaches, such as those relating to pregnancy, if you can show that you told her the Work Permit conditions she must follow, and reported a breach as soon as you knew of it. Explaining the conditions to her kindly and clearly at the start, in a language she understands, helps both of you.
The bond and her insurance
You can buy the bond as a package with her medical and personal accident insurance, or separately. Whichever you choose, check the insurance against MOM's minimums: our insurance guide covers what to compare. If an agency arranges the package, ask what each part covers and costs, and see agency fees.
Sources, checked 15 Oct 2026: MOM, Security bond requirements for MDWs; MOM, Apply for a Work Permit; MOM, Renew a Work Permit; MOM FAQ, Bond not discharged within a week; MOM, Notify MOM of changes (missing helper); MOM, Short Work Permit extension; MOM, Overseas leave for MDWs.
Common questions
What is the security bond for a maid in Singapore?
A SGD 5,000 banker's or insurer's guarantee that you buy for each non-Malaysian helper before she arrives. It is a pledge to pay the government if you or your helper breaches the Work Permit or bond conditions.
Do I need a security bond for a Malaysian helper?
No. MOM requires the SGD 5,000 bond for each helper except Malaysian helpers.
Can my helper pay for the security bond?
No. MOM says you cannot ask your helper to pay for the bond.
When is the security bond discharged?
When you have cancelled her work permit, she has returned home and no bond conditions were breached. It is usually discharged about one week after she leaves Singapore, and MOM tells you by post. If there is no letter after a week, you can submit a request to MOM online.
When can the security bond be forfeited?
If a Work Permit or bond condition is broken, her salary is not paid on time, she is not sent home when her permit ends, or she goes missing. If she goes missing and is not found within 1 month of the cancellation, SGD 2,500 is forfeited.
What happens if the bond is not in effect when she arrives?
She will not be allowed to enter Singapore. MOM cannot change the effective date, and you would have to send her home immediately. Ask your bank or insurer to send MOM the details at least 3 working days ahead.