Number of migrant domestic workers in Singapore 2013-2022
In 2022, there were approximately 269 thousand foreigners employed as migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Singapore. The number of MDWs in Singapore in that year decreased due to the entry restrictions and border closures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Who qualifies as a migrant domestic worker in Singapore?
Migrant domestic workers, locally known as maids, make up the second-largest group of foreign workers in Singapore. MDWs must be women between 23 and 50 years from approved source countries, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, who come to Singapore to be helpers in the home. Women applying for this permit must have a minimum of eight years of formal education and undergo medical screening for infectious diseases before being eligible to work. Upon commencing work, their responsibilities range between general housekeeping, childcare duties, and caring for elderly or sick family members.
Maids in Singapore – a system rife for abuse?
MDWs in Singapore work long hours and are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Singapore does not have a minimum wage for MDWs, with salaries ranging from 300 to 650 Singapore dollars a month, markedly below the average monthly salary in Singapore. These women are wholly dependent on their employers for shelter, food, and income. As there are no regulations for working hours for MDWs, many work more than the average paid hours of a regular employee. Only from January 1, 2023, would employers be legally required to give their MDWs one mandatory rest day a month that could not be replaced by monetary compensation.
