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Six-monthly medical examination (6ME) for MDWs

During your migrant domestic worker's (MDW) employment, you must send her for a medical screening every 6 months. This medical examination screens for pregnancy and infectious diseases such as syphilis, HIV and tuberculosis.

Requirements

The 6ME test results must be certified by a Singapore-registered doctor. You must pay for the 6ME and any medical expenses arising from it.

Tests done during 6ME

Our 6ME letters will state the tests your helper needs to do:

Tests  Frequency
Pregnancy and VDRL Every 6 months
HIV Every 2 years
Tuberculosis (TB) Once, upon 2 years of stay in Singapore

Changes to 6ME process

To strengthen the support and care for helpers, we are making changes to the 6ME process.

6ME notification emails and letters dated 29 August 2021 or later will contain instructions to cater for the new requirements. To check the exact requirements for your helper’s 6ME, please refer to your notification email and letter.

  Current requirements  New requirements from 29 August 2021
Tests conducted during 6ME
  • Pregnancy and VDRL- every 6 months
  • HIV- every 2 years
  • TB- Once, upon 2 years of stay in Singapore
  • Pregnancy and VDRL- every 6 months
  • HIV- every 2 years
  • TB- Once, upon 2 years of stay in Singapore
  • (New) Checks on Body Mass Index (BMI) and visible signs of
    abuse
Which 6ME results must be submitted to MOM?

If the 6ME:

  • Includes HIV or TB test, all results must be submitted to MOM. 
  • Only consists of pregnancy and VDRL, only positive test results must be submitted to MOM. 
 All 6ME results must be submitted to MOM. This is regardless of the tests helpers need to take. 
Who can submit 6ME results?
  • Clinics
  • Employers

All results must be submitted by clinics.

Employers can use our FDW eService to check if clinics have submitted their helpers' results and view the results. 
Where can 6ME be conducted?
  • Clinics
  • Employers’ houses (only for helpers who do not need to take a TB test) 
 

 All 6MEs must be conducted in clinics. 

Employers or their representatives should not be present during the examination.

From 29 August 2021, all 6MEs must be conducted in clinics. Home-based 6ME services will also be discontinued. We have notified service providers of this.

We understand this may be inconvenient, and seek employers’ cooperation and understanding on the need for such measures to safeguard the well-being of helpers. For more details, please refer to our FAQs. 

When to send your MDW for 6ME

You will receive a notification letter and 6ME form by post when your helper's 6ME is due. She must complete her 6ME by the due date. 

You can also log in to our FDW eService to check her previous 6ME date. You can then know when her next one is due, and also reprint the 6ME form.

If your MDW is 50 years old or above

If your helper is 50 years old or above, she doesn’t need to go for 6ME.

She only needs to go for a medical examination upon renewal of her Work Permit.

If your MDW is on overseas leave

If your helper is due for her 6ME while she is away on overseas leave, you can request to postpone it until she returns.

Prepare the following information:

  • Helper’s full name, Work Permit number and date of birth
  • Helper’s return flight details
  • Your details:
    • NRIC number/FIN
    • Residential address
    • Contact number

Use iSubmit to give us the information above and request to postpone the 6ME. Choose option 5 as the Request Type. 

If your MDW’s employment is ending soon

If you are sending your helper home within 1 month from her 6ME due date, you can choose not to send her for the 6ME. 

When to apply for waiver

If you intend to keep her for more than 1 month from her 6ME due date, you need to apply for a waiver.

Prepare the following information:

  • Helper’s full name, Work Permit number and date of birth
  • Helper’s confirmed travel ticket
  • Your details:
    • NRIC number/FIN
    • Residential address
    • Contact number

Use iSubmit to give us the information above and request for the 6ME waiver. Choose option 5 as the Request Type. 

If your MDW fails the 6ME

If your helper did not pass her 6ME, you must cancel her Work Permit and send her home immediately.

What's next

Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP)