Maid travelling overseas

Overseas leave for foreign domestic worker

Your maid may wish to take time off to visit her family. You can get a levy waiver for the time she is away and defer her 6-monthly medical examination, if needed.

Before your helper leaves Singapore on overseas leave, you need to:

- Check ahead with her embassy on immigration requirements to re-enter Singapore.

- Make sure she brings along her Work Permit card and passport when she leaves. She will need these documents to re-enter Singapore.

- Keep a copy of her travel ticket or departure itinerary. If your helper is away for an extended period of time, you can choose to cancel her Work Permit. If you cancel her permit, you will need to apply for a new Work Permit to employ her again.

Applying for levy waiver

- You will continue to pay levy when your helper is on overseas leave.

- You can apply for a levy waiver when she returns to Singapore.

- To qualify for levy waiver, the overseas leave must be at least 7 consecutive days and the waiver period is capped at a maximum of 60 calendar days per calendar year.

Postponing the 6-monthly medical examination

If required, you can also request to defer your helper's 6-monthly medical examination (6ME) while she is on overseas leave.

If the FDW does not return

If your helper fails to return to Singapore from overseas leave, you must:

- Cancel the Work Permit to stop the levy.

- Keep a copy of your helper's travel ticket or a record of departure itinerary as proof.

After we have verified that your helper has left and not re-entered Singapore, we will proceed to discharge the security bond.

You can also apply for a levy waiver for the whole period of absence.

If the FDW re-enters Singapore before the security bond has been discharged, you must send the FDW home immediately. Otherwise, the security bond may be forfeited.

From Ministry of Manpower website.