This is an old post from 2012 on our previous Find a Nanny website: We are putting it here because a lot of the information is still relevant. However, do be aware that some things may have changed and it is always best to check with Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MoM)
Employing Transfer Maid or Direct Hire from Indonesia.
The Find a Nanny website also allows advertising of transfer maids. Transfer maids, or foreign domestic workers, are often a good way to find a good maid quickly and avoid going through a lot of red tape. As the maids are already here in Singapore, often the transfer can be completed quickly. Or in the other scenario, multiple maids can be interviewed, the preferred maid selected and the transfer effected smoothly at the appointed time. Transfer maids generally are more experienced that the ones typically presented by maid agencies, have overcome their home-sickness and culture shock. If I may characterise the typical transfer maid (not meaning to stereotype), they might be goal driven (to save money for their children’s education for instance) and therefore more focused.
Employing a Transfer Maid Without Going Through an Agent.
It is the new employer’s responsibility to complete the process 30 days before the Foreign Domestic Worker’s (FDW) Work Permit expires. Here are the steps:
- Obtain consent of the transfer.
- Confirm that the present employer has sent the FDW for her six monthly medical exam and if the last exam was 5 months ago, send her for one.
- Submit a new Work Permit application for her, available here.
- Only allow the FDW to start with you (the new employer) after the new work permit has been issued.
- Collect the current Work Permit card before doing the transfer.
- The previous employer must continue to pay the levy up until the day the new Work Permit is issued.
If the maid’s, or foreign domestic worker’s application is unsuccessful and the Work Permit is cancelled, the current employer must send the maid back to her country within seven days of the cancellation or expiry of Work Permit.
Direct Hire from Indonesia.
You may want to hire a particular person from Indonesia based on a recommendation. This is not as hard as some people make it out to be. The whole process should only cost you a few hundred dollars compared to well over a two thousand dollars if you use a maid agency. There is really only one step in the procedure that can go wrong and, naturally, it is on the Indonesian side. She MUST obtain a KTKLN ID Card, otherwise there could be complications at the airport in Indonesia. Please read below:
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), has very detailed explanations of the process here.
The following is provided as a useful summary, but please do check the MOM website in case there have been changes.
You will need to gather all the relevant details about the lady you wish to employ as your new maid, such as:
- Full name
- Passport number
- Passport expiry date
- Date of birth
- If married, spouse’s details
- If she has worked in Singapore before, then get her previous Work Permit number.
Apply for the Work Permit (Foreign Domestic Worker)
- You can do this on-line here (you will need a SingPass)
- If you wish to do a manual submission, you can submit the completed Work Permit application form at any SingPost office
- You must pay a $20 Administrative fee. Payment can be made using Visa, Mastercard or eNets Debit.
- To process the Work Permit application will take one working day.
- You can view and print the Work Permit Application Form from here.
- It will take seven days for approval to be given by MOM after which the outcome of the application will be mailed to the employer.
- If successful, you will receive an In-Principle letter or a “Letter of Notification to bring the Foreign Domestic Worker into Singapore”.
- You will then have to pay the security bond for the maid. You can do that at NTUC Income, here, or with Anda Insurance here. Once purchased MOM will be automatically advised.
- Post the following by registered mail:
- In-Principle approval letter to the maid. She will need to show this to Singapore Customs upon arrival at the airport.
- Insurance Security Bond copy.
- The air ticket you purchased for her. (you can do this on-line)
- Your Indonesian Foreign Domestic Worker must obtain a KTKLN card and these can only be made while she is in Indonesia. A list of the KTKLN offices can be found here.
- As her employer, you will have to be at Singapore airport 30 minutes before her arrival to declare the In-Principal Approval Letter to the Immigration’s Office, otherwise the maid may be turned away.
- Once the maid is in Singapore you will have 14 days to complete her medical check-up, which can be done at SATA
The total cost of doing this excluding the air tickets is about $150. A Maid agency will charge well over $2,000 so the slight inconvenience of doing it yourself is far outweighed by the savings in money. If you have the time.
54 Responses to “Private: Transfer Maids and Direct Hire from Indonesia Procedures”
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As long as my ex-maid apply KTKLN card from here home town and approved thus I can proceed apply all documents here in order to bring in to Singapore..
Hi Jasmine,
Yes, that is correct. The KTKLN card will allow her to get through Indonesian Customs without hassle
Many people get their maids this way from Indonesia and save themselves the expense of going through a maid agency.
Is it still possible to direct hire indonesian FDW without going through agent?
That’s great Josephine, I believe that everything will be fine as it seems you have done everything correctly.
Thanks for offering to come back here to share your experience.
I can’t wait to hear from you
Thanks again.
That’s great news Josephine!
Thank you so much for coming back here and letting us know
Hi Josephine
Can you advise what did your maid said to the custom in Indonesia?
I heard the maid cannot say that she is going to work and must look confident.
Can you please reply me via leesl8012@hotmail.com
Hi Josephine,
Can you advise what did your maid said to Indonesia custom?
My maid will coming over soon. This conversation has been moved to here: https://findananny.sg/forum/direct-hire-from-indonesia/please-let-me-know-how-did-you-do-it/
Thanks 🙂
Hi Josephine
Can I know how you get the… This conversation has been moved to here: https://findananny.sg/forum/direct-hire-from-indonesia/please-let-me-know-how-did-you-do-it/
Regards
Joey
Please advise how the FDW can obtain the KTKLN card in Indonesia ??
Hi, Can we still direct hire from Indonesia? Cos I heard from sources that the Indonesia Embassy has restrict dire hire. Only can go through Agency. Is it true??
Hi just want to check if I want direct hire from Indonesia will MoM check our income? Heard employing maid must have $2.5k monthly?
Hi Josephine
Did you buy one way ticket to SIN or 2 way?
How much did your domestic help gave for kopi $?
Greatly appreciate the information shared on this website.
Thank you all for sharing you experience
I was told that the KTKLN card will take at least 2 weeks?
Any mommies with experience how long it actually takes?
Hi i m looking for a transfer maid who can help me look after my kids urgently but i am not sure where to find for one and how to go about. Can u pls help mi.
There are transfer maids with advertisements on this site.
Click this link: https://findananny.sg/?s=transfer+maid&sa=search&scat=3
To continue this conversation, please go here: This conversation has been moved to here: https://findananny.sg/forum/direct-hire-from-indonesia/please-let-me-know-how-did-you-do-it/
I need a maid urgently, anyone can help?
The direct maid that i will be taking is from Tanjung Pinang. Tk reach Singapore by ferry. So can I should get her the ferry ticket instead of flight ticket right?
Correct
Thanks
hi i just needed to enquire abt getting a helper from indonesia and tried calling indonesia embassy but was annoyed at nobody picking up the calls.
is the KTKLPN card compulsory if anybody knw?
lets just hope for the best. my helper is cmg via flight tho. she has also checked at her end the card is not required at all.
thanks btw!
Good luck.
Do let us know how it all went
My maid went back thinking shes not coming back so i cancel her work permit. Can i still do direct hire myself?? So she need to apply ktkLN card so she can come in without any hassle??
Hi, I need some advise regarding direct hiring of maid, which forum can go to?
Find a Nanny can now offer that service for you.
We take away all the hassle and uncertainty
Contact us through the contact form if you are interested: https://findananny.sg/contact/
Hi… I am looking for a direct employment to get myself a maid. As I am a single mum and a sole breadwinner to 4 kids, I can’t afford to spend much. This will also be my 1st time and I would need advises and how to go through the whole process. Hope that I could be guided through it and will definitely appreciate it much.