For Employers

Frequently asked questions

Employing a migrant domestic worker is a significant responsibility — and a relationship.

This page covers the key legal questions we hear from employers in Hong Kong and Singapore, alongside practical guidance on building a working relationship built on mutual respect. For detailed or case-specific queries, the Labour Department (HK) and Ministry of Manpower (Singapore) remain the authoritative sources.

Rest Days, Holidays & Leave

Under the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57), your domestic worker is entitled to one rest day in every seven-day period — at least four rest days per month. She is also entitled to 15 statutory holidays per year, including Lunar New Year (three days), Easter Monday, Labour Day, Buddha’s Birthday, Tuen Ng Festival, HKSAR Establishment Day, Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day, Chung Yeung Festival, Christmas Day, the day after Christmas, and 1 January.

Rest days and statutory holidays are separate entitlements — one cannot substitute for the other.

Yes, under certain conditions. You must give at least 48 hours’ advance notice, and you must arrange a substitute day off within 60 days — either before or after the original holiday. You cannot pay cash instead of granting the day. Doing so is illegal and carries a fine of up to HK$50,000.

Yes. Annual leave is tied to continuous service with the same employer, not to individual contracts. It starts at seven days after the first year and increases by one day each year, up to a maximum of 14 days. Each renewal with the same employer counts toward that total.

Pay & Allowances

You must provide either food free of charge or a monthly food allowance of HK$1,236 (as of June 2026). The allowance applies when you do not provide free meals — it must be paid separately from wages and cannot be bundled in.

You may deduct for damage or loss caused by the worker’s neglect, but the deduction per incident must not exceed HK$300, and total deductions in any one wage period cannot exceed one quarter of wages payable that period.

Long service payment applies when your domestic worker has been employed continuously for at least five years and is dismissed — or her contract is not renewed — for reasons other than serious misconduct or redundancy. It also applies if she resigns due to ill health or retirement (aged 65+). It does not apply if she chooses not to renew, or if you choose not to renew but intend to hire a replacement.

Rest days and statutory holidays are separate entitlements — one cannot substitute for the other.

All outstanding entitlements must be settled within seven days of termination. Final payment typically includes:

  • Outstanding wages up to and including the last working day (calculated as monthly wage × 12 ÷ 365 per day)
  • Wages in lieu of notice — one month’s wages if you do not give one month’s notice
    Pro-rata annual leave pay for any accrued but untaken leave
  • Return airfare to her place of origin, including any domestic leg of the journey

Depending on length of service, severance payment or long service payment may also apply — but not both. Both are calculated as: two thirds of last month’s wages × years of service, up to a maximum of HK$390,000. These entitlements cannot be reduced or waived by private agreement.

What Your Domestic Worker Can and Cannot Do

No. A domestic worker may only be employed by the employer named in her visa. Working for any other person — even a family member, even with extra pay — breaches her conditions of stay and is an offence under the Immigration Ordinance. You are also liable if you facilitate this. If you want her to work for your parents, a formal change-of-employer application must be submitted to the Immigration Department.

Not automatically. Driving is not included in domestic duties under the Standard Employment Contract. Your domestic worker must hold a valid Hong Kong driving licence, and you must apply for special permission through the Immigration Department before assigning any driving duties.

Yes, on a mutual consent basis. Both parties must observe the visa requirements and laws of the destination country. Check the entry requirements well ahead of your travel date.

Accommodation & Documents

No, but you must provide suitable accommodation with reasonable privacy. Arrangements such as a makeshift bed in a corridor, or sharing a room with an adult or teenager of the opposite gender, are considered unsuitable. Your domestic worker must also reside at the contracted address throughout her employment, including on rest days.

No. A passport belongs to its holder. Retaining it for any reason — however well-intentioned — is unlawful and recognised as a practice that leaves workers vulnerable to exploitation. Her documents remain hers.

Yes. Annual leave is tied to continuous service with the same employer, not to individual contracts. It starts at seven days after the first year and increases by one day each year, up to a maximum of 14 days. Each renewal with the same employer counts toward that total.

Yes, and it is a good idea for both of you. A bank account makes salary payment straightforward and creates a clear, auditable record. Employers are not required to accompany their domestic worker to the bank, but you can help a lot in their communication. Some banks may ask for documents the worker may not know how to obtain — such as proof of address — and your presence makes it easier to provide these on the spot.

The account will be entirely in her name. Several major banks in Hong Kong — including HSBC, Hang Seng, Bank of China, Standard Chartered, and BEA — offer accounts with no minimum monthly balance. Documents typically needed include a valid passport, Hong Kong ID, and sometimes a copy of the employment contract. Your domestic worker should check directly with each bank to compare requirements.

Pregnancy & Maternity

You cannot dismiss her. From the date pregnancy is confirmed by a medical certificate until she returns to work after maternity leave, dismissal is unlawful. Migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong enjoy the same maternity protections as all other employees. She is entitled to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave, calculated at four-fifths of her average daily wages. You may apply to the government for reimbursement of weeks 11 to 14.

If you have questions about your obligations, contact the Labour Department on 2717 1771 or visit fdh.labour.gov.hk.

If Things Go Wrong

Start by trying to reach her directly and through her emergency contacts. If you cannot locate her:

  1. Report to the police and notify her country’s consulate and the employment agency concerned.
  2. Notify the Immigration Department that the contract has been unilaterally terminated. Both parties must do this in writing within seven days. You can do this at gov.hk/fdhtermination or by submitting Form ID 407E.
  3. Do not assume outstanding wages and wages in lieu of notice cancel each other out. Document everything — her last working day, wages paid, and all contact attempts — and confirm the correct course of action with the Labour Department on 2717 1771 before proceeding.

You are not responsible for your domestic worker’s personal debts. If the financial institution is causing a nuisance, you may inform them that employment has ended, and consider reporting harassment to the police.

On the preventive side, it helps to open a gentle conversation with your domestic worker about her financial situation — monthly remittances, savings habits, any loan agreements. Financial wellbeing is something we care deeply about at Uplifters, and our free courses include a module on this. A little early dialogue can make a significant difference.

Refer also to the Employers’ Guide on Handling Foreign Domestic Helpers’ Borrowing Issues, published by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau. Official guidance: fdh.labour.gov.hk.

Rest Days, Holidays & Leave

Your domestic worker is entitled to one rest day per week. The two of you should agree on which day this will be. A rest day can be taken as a full day or split into two half-days. If she cannot take her rest day in a particular month, it can be deferred by up to one month.

If she agrees to work on her rest day, you must pay at least one additional day’s salary. This is a separate, extra payment — it cannot be absorbed into her basic monthly wage. Importantly, at least one rest day per month cannot be compensated away at all: she must take one actual day off each month regardless of any agreement.

Her rest day is hers. She is free to spend it as she chooses — and she cannot legally take up paid work elsewhere during that time.

For official guidance, see mom.gov.sg — rest days and well-being for migrant domestic workers.

Not automatically. The standard Work Permit conditions do not include the 11 public holidays that apply to other employees. Many employers choose to give public holidays as a gesture of goodwill — if you do, make sure this is agreed and stated clearly in the employment contract.

For the official position, see mom.gov.sg.

What Your Domestic Worker Can and Cannot Do

No. Her Work Permit is tied to you as the named employer. Allowing or requiring her to work in another household — even temporarily, even with payment — is illegal deployment under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. Both you and the other household could face prosecution. A new Work Permit must be applied for if she is to work for a family member.

Contact MOM at mom.gov.sg for the transfer process.

No. Her Work Permit permits domestic duties only at your residential address. Deploying her to your business constitutes illegal deployment and is an offence under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, with penalties including fines and debarment from hiring migrant domestic workers.

Not automatically. Driving is classified as non-domestic work, so you must obtain MOM’s written approval before she can drive for your household. Approval is case-by-case and requires a genuine caregiving or practical need.

She must already hold a valid Singapore Class 3 or 3C driving licence — foreign licences and international driving permits are not accepted. You must also update your motor insurance to name her as a driver.

Yes, on a mutual consent basis. MOM places no restriction on her accompanying you abroad. She will need a valid visa for the destination country — check requirements well in advance. Her Work Permit conditions apply only in Singapore; she is not covered by Singapore employment law while overseas.

Food, Accommodation & Documents

Yes. Under Work Permit conditions, you must provide three meals a day. Be sensitive to her dietary needs and religious requirements — do not require her to eat food that conflicts with her beliefs. Failure to provide adequate food is considered ill-treatment under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

No. The passport belongs to its bearer. You may help her find secure storage — such as a locker — but she must have unrestricted access to it at all times. Retaining her passport for any reason is not permitted.

Yes. MOM requires salary to be paid within seven days of the salary period ending; bank transfer is the most reliable way to meet this obligation and creates a clear record for both parties. Several major banks — including POSB/DBS, OCBC, UOB, and Standard Chartered — offer basic accounts with no minimum balance suited to migrant domestic workers.

Your domestic worker can check current requirements directly with each bank. MOM’s guidance on opening an account is at mom.gov.sg/faq.

Pregnancy

Under Work Permit conditions, a migrant domestic worker is not permitted to become pregnant or give birth in Singapore unless she is married to a Singapore citizen or permanent resident with MOM’s prior approval. If she becomes pregnant:

  1. Notify MOM via the iSubmit portal or by emailing mom_wpd@mom.gov.sg, with a doctor’s memo confirming the pregnancy.
  2. Cancel the Work Permit. She is no longer permitted to work once pregnancy is confirmed.
  3. Cover medical expenses until she departs. Standard domestic worker insurance does not cover pregnancy-related costs.
  4. Arrange repatriation and purchase her return airfare. Failure to notify MOM or arrange repatriation risks forfeiture of your S$5,000 security bond.
  5. Contact your employment agency to manage the paperwork, departure, and any contract replacement process.

Pregnancy is a significant event for your domestic worker. While the legal steps above must be followed, we encourage employers to handle the process with care and respect — give her time to understand the situation, communicate clearly, and ensure she departs with her full entitlements and dignity intact.

Ending the Contract

Regardless of who initiates termination, all outstanding salary must be paid within three working days of the last day of employment. Final payment typically includes:

  • Outstanding wages up to and including the last working day
  • Wages in lieu of notice, if you do not give the contractual notice period
  • Pro-rata annual leave pay for any accrued but untaken leave
  • Return airfare — you are legally responsible for the cost of her journey home, regardless of who terminated the contract

Once the final payment is made and she departs, you must cancel the Work Permit online via the MOM WP Online portal.

See mom.gov.sg/fdw-eservices.

If Things Go Wrong

Try to reach her directly and through her emergency contacts first. If you cannot locate her, act promptly — delays have legal and financial consequences.

  1. File a missing person report with the police as soon as possible. You will need this report for the steps below.
  2. Notify MOM via the FDW eService at mom.gov.sg/fdw-eservices. Include the police report details.
  3. Cancel the Work Permit within one week of knowing she is missing. Until it is cancelled, you will continue to be charged the levy. Cancel via MOM’s eService, or submit a request via form.gov.sg if you do not have SingPass.
  4. After cancellation, you have one month to locate her. If you have made reasonable efforts and she is not found, half of the security bond (S$2,500) will be forfeited.
  5. Settle any wages owed up to her last working day and document everything carefully in case of a future dispute.

You are not liable for your domestic worker’s personal debts under any circumstances.

If you are being harassed, call the police on 999 or the X-Ah Long hotline on 1800-924-5664. Do not engage with debt collectors or attempt to resolve the situation yourself.

If unlicensed moneylenders are involved, the situation is serious. A domestic worker found to have borrowed from or assisted unlicensed moneylenders — including handing over her ATM card — faces immediate Work Permit revocation, repatriation, a permanent bar from future employment in Singapore, and criminal prosecution.

For licensed borrowing: Singapore caps the total a domestic worker earning under S$10,000 annually can borrow from all licensed moneylenders combined at S$500. Your domestic worker can also register for voluntary self-exclusion via the Moneylenders Credit Bureau, which bars licensed lenders from granting her loans. You can help her with this online application if she consents.

Prevention matters. Uplifters’ free financial wellbeing courses are designed to help migrant domestic workers build savings habits and make informed financial decisions. Encouraging her to enrol is one of the most practical things you can do.

For MOM’s official guidance, see mom.gov.sg — resolving disputes.