FDW work permit Singapore (2026): how to apply and renew

Short answerApply for a maid (FDW) work permit through MOM's FDW eService. It costs SGD 35 to apply and SGD 35 to issue, and MOM usually decides within 1 week. Before she arrives you need the in-principle approval, a security bond and insurance. To renew, wait for MOM's renewal letter, which comes about 8 weeks before expiry, then renew online for SGD 35. The outcome is immediate.

Who can hire

You must be 21 or older, not an undischarged bankrupt and have the mental capacity to understand and carry out an employer's responsibilities. MOM also considers your caregiving needs, such as young children or elderly family members, and your financial ability to support her in acceptable accommodation. Married couples can combine incomes when applying. First-time employers must attend the Employers' Orientation Programme at least 2 working days before applying. If there are children below 7 in your household who are not fully vaccinated against measles, your helper must have immunity against measles.

Who can be hired

She must be female, aged 23 to below 50 when you apply, have at least 8 years of formal education with a recognised certificate, and come from an approved source country or region: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan or Thailand. She must also work at your NRIC-registered address, not be related to you, and not be in Singapore while you apply (a transfer helper follows a different process).

How to apply

1. Apply with her written consent. SGD 35. Through FDW eService (with Singpass) the outcome usually comes within a week. Without Singpass, the online application form takes about 3 weeks. Agencies must use FDW eService.
2. Prepare for arrival. Send her the in-principle approval (IPA) and check her name and details match her passport, or she will be denied entry. If she needs more time to arrive, extend the IPA in FDW eService. Buy a SGD 5,000 security bond (not needed for Malaysians); your bank or insurer sends MOM the details within up to 3 working days, and it must take effect when she arrives. Buy medical and personal accident insurance. For a first-time helper, register her for the Settling-In Programme.
3. After she arrives. First-time helpers attend the Settling-In Programme within 7 days, not counting Sundays and public holidays. All helpers need a medical examination within 14 days.
4. Get the permit issued within 2 weeks of arrival. SGD 35. Give a delivery address and up to 3 authorised recipients for the card. Print the Temporary Work Permit and give it to her. It is valid for 1 month and lets her work, stay, and travel in and out of Singapore while waiting for her card. You can also apply for a POSB account for her salary at this step.
5. Card and digital pass. If the Temporary Work Permit says so, she registers her fingerprints and photo at MOM Services Centre within a week. MOM registers her for Singpass there and helps her set up the Singpass and SGWorkPass apps. The card is delivered within 5 working days after registration or document checks. You can track delivery in WP Online.

The Settling-In Programme (SIP)

The SIP is a one-day course for first-time helpers, taught in her own language. It covers adapting to life and work in Singapore, conditions of employment, working safely, and managing relationships and stress. She can start work only after attending, and cannot attend on the day she arrives. MOM lists three providers, with fees from SGD 76.40 to SGD 92.65 including GST, paid by the employer.

Renewing a maid work permit

• When. MOM sends a renewal letter about 8 weeks before expiry. If you did not receive it, you can print a copy. If she is travelling just before the expiry date, renew before she leaves.
• What you need. A scan of her passport particulars page, a medical examination form if her letter asks for one, a new security bond for non-Malaysian helpers (your bank or insurer sends MOM the details, which takes up to 3 working days, and it can start up to 1 day after the current permit expires) and extended or new medical and personal accident insurance.
• Measles rule. Since 1 September 2025, if children below 7 in your household are not fully vaccinated against measles, your helper must have immunity against measles.
• Cost and outcome. SGD 35, renewed online in FDW eService. The outcome is immediate.
• Her card. The new Temporary Work Permit says whether she keeps her existing card or gets a new one. If she keeps it, do not return it: MOM charges SGD 65.40 (including GST) to replace a card returned by mistake. If a new card is coming, cut the old one in half.
• How long it lasts. Usually 2 years. It is shorter if the insurance package covers less than 26 months (it then ends 2 months before the package expires) or if she turns 60 sooner. Her passport validity no longer limits the permit.
• Late renewal. You still owe levy after the permit expires, and levy penalties or an overstaying fine may apply. You can ask for an extension if you cannot renew on time.
• Not eligible? You can appeal, but MOM says an appeal is unlikely to succeed without new information.

Renewal is a good moment to review her employment contract together: salary, rest days and notice period. You do not need to sign a new safety agreement when you renew with the same helper.

Ending or terminating it

See how to cancel a work permit, or transfer her to a new employer instead. Need help choosing an agency to handle the paperwork? Start with our directory of licensed agencies.

Sources, checked 15 Oct 2026: MOM, Apply for a Work Permit; MOM, Renew a Work Permit; MOM, MDW eligibility; MOM, Employer requirements; MOM, Settling-in Programme; MOM, Employers' Orientation Programme; MOM, Contracts and safety agreement.

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