Is it really mandatory that you go through an domestic worker 僱傭中心 if you want to employ a foreign domestic worker, FDW? This is a question that most people usually ask themselves, especially if they intend to save some money or simply don’t have the kind of money that most employment agencies ask for. Well, the big answer is no. You don’t need to go through an employment agency to employ and FDW. In fact, employment agencies are more expensive even if there are certain advantages associated with using them such as having them handle all the work involved for you.

In most Asian countries where the rate of employment is going down as the standard of living continue to improve, the number of FDWs is growing steadily. Employing as FDW is no longer something that only well-off people can do. You can also do it even on your current salary and the good thing about it is that you don’t have to go through an employment agency.

Here is the process for doing it.

 Attend Employer’s Orientation Program (EOP)

In a country like Singapore, in order to employ an FDW, you have to attend an EOP as one of the major requirements by the government. Besides this requirement, you will also need to be financially capable of paying the worker, be above the age of 21 years, not be an undischarged bankrupt person, and be mentally sane. You can attend the program online or in person and there is actually some fee you have to pay to the government. If this requirement doesn’t apply in your country, then you can start by finding and filtering suitable candidates.

There are a few ways you can use to find a maid that you can then go ahead to determine if they are suitable for you. For instance, the maid may be referred to you by another maid. You could also have family members in the country of origin of the maid who may then refer them to you. Also, may be you met the maid when you last visited their country and decided to bring them over to your country to work for you.

The maid will have to meet the minimum requirement of an FDW in your country, so check with the department of labor.

Negotiate terms and apply for a work permit

You will need to negotiate the terms of employment with the FDW before you get them into the country. When agreeing to the terms of the contract, you will need to consider personal circumstances of the maid such as medical needs, days off, familial status, and religion. You will have to be open about yourself too and how much work they will be handling. If the two of you agree, then you can proceed with applying for a work permit.

Purchase maid insurance and sign the contract

Next, you will need to purchase maid insurance to protect yourself and then draft a contract that must be signed by both of you. Involve your lawyer for safety purposes.