Written Answer to PQ on Regulating placement of confinement nannies

NOTICE PAPER NO. 5 OF 2025 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 24 SEPTEMBER 2025
QUESTION NO. 13 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

MP: Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song

To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the policy rationale for allowing foreign freelance confinement nannies to work in Singapore without a contract with an employment agency; and (b) whether the Ministry has considered introducing a mandatory licensing framework for these nannies, including requirements for formal training, professional conduct standards, and a public register of licensed practitioners.

Answer:

All migrant workers, including migrant domestic workers and confinement nannies, must have a valid Work Permit to work in Singapore. Employers may apply for the necessary work permits directly with MOM or through an Employment Agency (EA). This provides flexibility for employers, who can self-help to hire directly without incurring the additional costs of engaging an EA.

2. Like other home-based care arrangements such as babysitters, confinement nanny services are private arrangements that employers source on their own. These arrangements are decentralised, varied and highly personalised in nature due to the diversity of home environments and employers’ needs. Hence, they are not amenable to standardisation and regulation.