The Standard Employment Contract for Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore

The Employment Act 1968 expressly excludes domestic workers from its scope. The exclusion reflects the historically distinct nature of household employment — work performed in the employer's home, intertwined with family life, with reciprocal obligations on accommodation, food, and personal care that have no straightforward parallel in commercial employment.

The exclusion does not mean FDWs have no protections. The applicable framework is the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 (EFMA) and the conditions of the Work Permit issued by the Ministry of Manpower, supplemented by:

• The MOM standard employment contract, which sets out core mutual obligations;
• The Penal Code and the Protection from Harassment Act 2014, which apply equally to domestic workers as a matter of general law;
• The Employment Agencies Act 1958 and the licensing regime for employment agencies, which regulates the engagement and conduct of agencies that source and place FDWs.

Who is the FDW

FDWs in Singapore are female foreign workers, typically from the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, and other source countries, engaged to perform domestic duties — cooking, cleaning, child care, eldercare, and household maintenance — in private households. They are issued a Work Permit under EFMA, distinct from Employment Passes and S Passes.

Who is the employer

The employer is the individual householder named on the Work Permit application, not the household generally. The employer carries personal legal responsibility for the worker's wages, accommodation, food, medical care, and safety, and is the named counterparty to the standard employment contract.

MOM publishes a standard employment contract template for the engagement of FDWs. The contract is used as the baseline agreement between the employer and the worker and, in practice, is the document signed at the time of the worker's deployment to the household.

Core provisions

The standard contract typically covers:

• Identification. Names and identification details of the employer and worker, the worker's Work Permit number, and the placement agency (where engaged).
• Term. The duration of the contract, aligned to the Work Permit validity (typically two years, renewable).
• Duties. A description of the household duties expected. The contract distinguishes domestic duties from caregiving and is read against MOM's prohibition on FDWs being employed on commercial work.
• Salary. The agreed monthly salary, currency, and payment arrangements. The contract typically requires payment through a bank account in the worker's name, with electronic records.
• Rest days. The statutory weekly rest day requirement, with provisions on compensation if the worker agrees to work on a rest day.
• Accommodation and food. The employer's obligation to provide safe and adequate accommodation and three meals per day.
• Medical care. The employer's responsibility for the worker's medical expenses, including hospitalisation, with the mandatory medical insurance and personal accident insurance under the Work Permit conditions.
• Communication. The worker's right to communicate with family and to retain her own identification documents — the practice of employers holding worker passports is contrary to MOM expectations.
• Termination. Notice periods, severance, and the practical arrangements on early return to the source country.

Translations

MOM publishes the standard contract in multiple languages, including the principal languages of source countries. Both the English version and the worker's preferred-language version are typically signed, with the English version as the operative document for MOM purposes.

Since January 2013, MOM has required that FDWs whose Work Permits are issued or renewed after that date are entitled to a weekly rest day. The right is delivered through two routes:

• An actual day off. The worker takes a full day off each week, with no household duties to perform;
• Compensation in lieu. The worker agrees in writing to work on a rest day in return for an extra day's salary, subject to a minimum and to MOM's conditions on the form of agreement.

The agreement to work on a rest day must be voluntary and in writing. Employers should record the worker's decision (where she has chosen compensation in lieu) using the form prescribed by MOM. Where the worker takes the actual day off, she has full discretion over how to spend it.

Implementation in practice

Households commonly accommodate the rest day on Sundays, aligned with community gathering points and the practical availability of services. Some workers prefer to combine rest-day take-up across consecutive weeks, which is permissible by agreement.

What employers cannot do

Employers may not unilaterally insist on payment in lieu without the worker's voluntary, written agreement. Withholding the rest day, or pressuring the worker to forgo it, is contrary to the standard contract and to MOM's expectations.

Many FDW disputes that escalate to MOM begin with rest-day issues. Documenting the rest-day arrangement clearly at the outset and respecting it consistently is one of the most effective ways to maintain a stable employment relationship.

Salary

The monthly salary is set by agreement between the employer and the worker, informed by source-country expectations, the worker's experience, and prevailing market rates. There is no statutory minimum wage; however, source countries publish reference rates, and the agency, source-country embassy, and worker will all have expectations. Payment should be made monthly through a bank account in the worker's name, with itemised records.

Accommodation

The employer must provide safe and adequate accommodation. MOM's expectations include a designated sleeping area with privacy (separate room or a clearly defined sleeping space within the household), ventilation, lighting, and access to basic amenities. Housing the worker in a balcony, corridor, or area without privacy is not acceptable.

Food

Three nutritious meals per day, with consideration for the worker's dietary requirements (including religious or health-based requirements where applicable). The employer cannot deduct salary for food unless the worker has voluntarily agreed in writing to a defined arrangement.

Medical care

The employer is responsible for the worker's medical expenses, including outpatient and hospitalisation expenses. Mandatory medical insurance and personal accident insurance are required under the Work Permit conditions, with minimum coverage levels published by MOM and updated periodically.

Communication and time off

The worker is entitled to communicate with her family. The employer should not restrict the worker's communication or hold her identification documents. The worker should retain her own passport and Work Permit card.

Training and skills

Many employers provide training in household tasks (cooking specific cuisines, particular caregiving needs). Source countries also require pre-departure orientation. Onboarding the worker to the specific household's expectations and routines is generally a productive investment in the first weeks.

The standard contract provides for termination by either party, with notice or salary in lieu. The notice period is typically one month. Where termination is on grounds of misconduct, summary termination may be possible, subject to fair process and to the Work Permit conditions.

Employer-initiated termination

The employer may terminate with the contractual notice. On termination, the employer must:

• Pay all outstanding salary, including pro-rated salary for the current month;
• Pay any agreed compensation for unused rest days where applicable;
• Notify MOM of the cancellation of the Work Permit;
• Arrange the worker's return to her source country (return air ticket and reasonable transport), unless the worker has secured a transfer to a new employer with MOM approval.

Worker-initiated termination

The worker may also terminate with notice. Where the termination is in response to mistreatment, non-payment, or breach of the standard contract, the worker may be entitled to terminate summarily. MOM and the embassy of the worker's source country are common first ports of call where the relationship breaks down.

Early return and repatriation

The employer's repatriation obligation is fundamental. Failure to repatriate, or pressuring the worker to bear the cost of the return air ticket, is a recurring source of MOM enforcement and embassy intervention. Where the worker has secured a transfer to a new employer with MOM approval, repatriation is not required.

Disputes

FDW disputes do not generally proceed to the Employment Claims Tribunals (which is reserved for employees under the Employment Act 1968 and certain other categories). Disputes are typically handled through MOM's Foreign Manpower Management Division, the relevant source-country embassy, and (in serious cases) through criminal proceedings under the Penal Code or civil proceedings in the courts.

Most FDW placements are facilitated by licensed employment agencies. The Employment Agencies Act 1958 and its subsidiary legislation regulate the licensing, conduct, and fees that agencies may charge.

Agency licensing

Employment agencies sourcing FDWs must hold a current MOM licence. The MOM website publishes the public register of licensed agencies and their grading. Engaging an unlicensed agency is contrary to the Act and exposes both the employer and the agency to penalties.

Agency fees

Fees are capped at prescribed levels under the regulations. The employer pays the placement fee to the agency; the worker may be charged a fee within a prescribed cap, typically over a defined number of months at source. The worker should not be charged fees outside the prescribed framework, and agencies cannot make deductions inconsistent with the regulations.

Agency responsibilities

Agencies are responsible for due diligence on both the employer and the worker, for ensuring that documentation is in order, for orientation of the worker, and for ongoing support during the placement period. Where a placement breaks down, the agency typically supports a replacement under defined commercial terms.

What employers should check

• The agency's current MOM licence and grading;
• The agency's compliance record (publicly available through MOM);
• The placement fee structure, with itemisation;
• The replacement policy where the placement does not work out;
• The agency's approach to source-country recruitment and the screening it applies.

Source-country agencies

FDWs are typically recruited by source-country agencies before deployment to Singapore. The relationship between the Singapore agency and the source-country agency varies, and employers should understand the chain to the extent it affects the worker's deployment, training, and any fees the worker has paid at source.

Salary disputes

Disputes over salary — late payment, partial payment, or non-payment — are the most common FDW grievance. The standard contract requires monthly payment with electronic records. Employers maintaining proper records and paying through bank transfer largely avoid these disputes.

Rest-day disputes

As described earlier, rest-day issues are a frequent source of complaint. Clear initial agreement, voluntary documentation of any compensation-in-lieu arrangement, and consistent respect for the agreement are the practical safeguards.

Working conditions

Inadequate accommodation, inadequate food, or working hours that effectively eliminate rest time are recurring complaints. Where MOM or the source-country embassy receives complaints, follow-up is substantial and can include suspension of work-pass privileges for the employer.

Mistreatment

Physical or verbal mistreatment is a criminal matter under the Penal Code and is treated extremely seriously in Singapore. Where established, it leads to criminal charges, civil liability, and revocation of work-pass privileges.

Best practice for employers

• Use the MOM standard contract as the documented baseline. Sign at deployment, retain a copy.
• Engage a licensed agency with a clean record. Document the placement fee, the orientation, and the replacement policy.
• Pay salary monthly by bank transfer. Retain electronic records.
• Document the rest-day arrangement. Respect it consistently. If the worker chooses compensation in lieu, capture her voluntary written agreement using MOM's prescribed form.
• Provide adequate accommodation, food, and medical care. Maintain the mandatory insurance.
• Treat the worker with respect. Many disputes that escalate to MOM or embassies start with patterns of disrespect that the employer did not perceive as serious.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Always consult a Singapore-qualified lawyer holding a current Practising Certificate before acting. For employer enquiries on FDW disputes or contract review, see Singapore employment lawyers or contact us via contact us.