Paying the salary of a foreign domestic worker

You must pay your foreign domestic worker (FDW) every month. The salary must not be lower than what you declared to MOM.

When to pay

You must pay your FDW her salary every month, no later than 7 days after the last day of the salary period.

The salary period must not exceed 1 month.

We encourage you to pay your FDW’s salary directly into her bank account.

Her bank account should not be a joint account with you as her FDW employer.

You must pay your FDW via direct bank transfer if she requests for it.

If you pay by cash, you must:

Both you and your FDW must sign each salary payment record to confirm that payment was made.

From 1 January 2019, as an FDW employer, you must not keep your FDW’s salary or any other money belonging to her, even if she requests for it.

You must not keep her bank book or bank card.

You should consider raising your FDW’s salary periodically as a reward for good performance and loyalty in service.

You should also consider giving the FDW a contract gratuity. This money can be paid to the FDW when she ends her contract with you.

This incentive, which both of you should agree on, could motivate her to perform better.

Resolving disputes