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Cancel a Work Permit for a migrant domestic worker (MDW)

You must cancel your MDW's Work Permit if she no longer works for you or when her Work Permit expires.

At a glance

When to cancel the Work Permit

Depending on which comes first, you must cancel the Work Permit:

  • Within 1 week after the last day of work.
    OR
  • 1 day after the Work Permit expires.
Who can cancel Employer, sponsor or employment agent
How long it takes Cancellation is immediate
When levy stops 1 day before cancellation

Note: If your helper has left Singapore and will not return to work for you, you must cancel her Work Permit within 1 week from her departure date.

Instead of cancelling your helper’s Work Permit, you can consider transferring her directly to another employer or through an employment agency. 

If you still need help with household chores, but do not plan to hire a helper, you can consider part-time household services.

Before cancelling

You must:

  1. Agree on the last day of work with your helper.
  2. Settle all outstanding employment issues that your helper may raise, including salary payment. 
  3. Ensure your helper has a valid passport.
  4. Buy an air ticket and pay for any connecting transport costs to the international port of entry in your worker’s home country/region nearest to their hometown: 
    • You must pay for the air ticket and it must include check-in luggage.
    • The departure date must be within 2 weeks from the cancellation.

You and your helper should also discuss and agree on the following in writing before buying an air ticket:

  • Transit arrangement, such as connecting flights and layover hours
  • Allowance needed to sustain her during the transit

  • Before booking the flight, please check:
    • Whether the airline has any requirements for boarding (e.g. pre-departure COVID-19 test) and ensure your helper complies with them. Otherwise, she may not be allowed to board.
    • The home country's or region's embassy website for the entry requirements or refer to MFA's travel guide.
  • Additional step for employment agencies: Please get the employer’s authorisation using our FDW eService before you can perform any transactions for them. For more details, you can refer to our FAQs and infographic.

When to cancel the Work Permit

Depending on which comes first, you must cancel the Work Permit:

  • Within 1 week after her last day of work.
    OR
  • 1 day after her Work Permit expires.

How to cancel

 
  1. Log in to our FDW eService to cancel the Work Permit. 
  2. Print the Special Pass and give it to the helper. The Special Pass allows the helper to stay in Singapore before leaving.
  3. The helper needs to show the Special Pass and a valid passport to the immigration officer when leaving Singapore.
If you need your helper to work only for a short period beyond the Work Permit expiry date, you can request for a short extension of her permit.

You must ensure your helper leaves Singapore as scheduled. The security bond will usually be discharged 1 week after your helper’s departure, and other conditions are met.

 
  1. Log in to our FDW eService to cancel the Work Permit.
  2. Choose the cancellation reason "My helper or I wish to end this employment or she has gone home and will not be returning".

The security bond will be discharged within 2 weeks after we have verified that the helper has left Singapore.

After cancelling

Once the Work Permit is cancelled, your helper cannot work, even while waiting to leave Singapore.

Levy will be charged until 1 day before the cancellation.

Once the Work Permit is cancelled, please cut the card in half and discard it to prevent misuse.