Transferring Maid Contract in Singapore - How to do?

Singapore is probably one of the best city when you need to quickly hire a domestic helper for your family. A lot of potential candidates are already working there and they are looking for a new employer. So, if you are looking to transfer a helper, but are absolutely unsure of how things need to be gone about, then right at the onset, you ought to note that transferring maid contract is a two-step procedure that requires the cooperation of the current employer and the new employer.

For starters it is essential that the two parties work in unison to get the job done. Failure to communicate and work together as a team, is bound to cause a lot of friction as well as complicate the entire process. If everything is done right and all procedures are followed very carefully, then the job can truly be done in a fuss free manner.

Transferring maid contract in Singapore is something that is done rather often in this day and age. It is absolutely nothing to be afraid or get flustered about. If you find that you are getting engulfed in fear, then the first thing you can do, is get in touch with someone who has been through the process before or even do some research online to see how things really function. You have also the option to hire a maid agency to process the paper but in this case it won't be free.

If you are the current employer, then given here are the things which you ought to take care of first and foremost

1. The matter of medical examination

During the process of your FDW’S employment, it is essential that you as the current employer must send her for her medical examinations which are conducted every six months. This medical examination is no big deal and is usually just conducted to make sure of two things. First it is conducted to ensure that the FDW or foreign domestic worker is not with child (pregnant) and secondly it is conducted to make sure that he or she has no infectious diseases such as HIV or even syphilis.

2. Declaration form

The second task is to be done, by you as the current employer is to sign the declaration form. This declaration form is usually either provided by the new employer or the employment agency and your signature bears testimony to the fact that you agree with and are supportive of the impending transfer. The declaration form is addressed to the ministry of manpower.

3. Paying the levy

It is imperative, that you as the current employer must continue to pay the levy even if the FDW is not with you. Take note that this levy needs to be paid, till the transfer has been done.

4. Work Permit card

The work permit card needs to be returned within the frame of one week after the transfer has taken place. Sending the work permit card to the proper address is indeed the job of the current employer.  Please send the work permit to the following address. Work Pass Division Ministry of Manpower 18 Havelock Road Singapore 059764 When you will complete these 4 steps, you will be previous employer! If you happen to be the new employer, then you too will need to take care of some protocol. This protocol might seem daunting at first, but while doing it, you will realise how simple all of it really is. Believe it or not, people who have gone through the process in the past have been scared as well, but with a little extra effort they have managed to do the needful without any trouble at all.

As New Employer and for transferring maid contract the sequence which you will need to follow includes

1. Cross check about the medical examination

At least 30 days prior to the helpers work permit expires, it is imperative that you as the new employer make sure that he or she has gone for the medical examination which is conducted every six months. After all, there are some current employers who slacken when it comes to doing this every six months.

2. Apply for a new work permit

Within the same time period too, you will need to apply for a new work permit on behalf of the helper. It is also necessary to mention that you are getting her transferred to you from the current employer. The work permit application must be done through MOM website.

3. Procure a copy of the Declaration form

Once the above has been done you will receive outcome and IPA within the matter of one week itself. Once you have received the IPA or the in- principle approval then you can do on to print out a copy of the declaration form. This form needs to be signed by not merely you, but the current employer and the helper as well.

4. Print Temporary work permit

Once the date of transfer has been set up, then you can upload the said declaration form and print out the temporary work permit. All this is fairly simple to do especially in this technological age. This temporary work permit, needs to be then handed to the helper, who can start working for you immediately.

5. Expiration of the already existing work permit

Many people worry about what will happen to the previous work permit of the helper, but this is certainly not something that needs to be worried about, because the previous one will automatically get cancelled.

6. Changing the transfer date is also a viable option

Changing the transfer date is a possibility and can easily be accomplished as long as both the current and new employer are in agreement. For this to be accomplished in the following manner. Firstly you will need to log into the online portal of MOM. Once you have done this, click on the extend workers IPA function in order to carry out the extension. Following this, you will finally need to take a print out of the new IPA letter. This letter will indicate the new transfer date. Modern technological advancements have made things very easy. All the work can be done by the simple click of a button and one no longer has to indulge in time consuming activities like standing in lines or waiting for months on end for responses.

7. Transferring maid contract is not difficult but require to carefully follow all the steps. If you need to connect with your future maid, just try HelperPlace. HelperPlace is a social platform freely connecting employers and transfer maids.