Home cameras, privacy and your live-in helper

By APEX Maids Agency Pte. Ltd. · MOM EA Licence 25C3180 · UEN 202547196H. Based in Jurong West and serving households across Singapore. Our website is apexmaids.sg and our phone is 8405 6661.

What MOM requires about recording devices

MOM's well-being guidance states that if you install video recording devices at home, you must inform your helper of the devices and where they are placed. You must not install them in areas that will compromise her privacy or modesty, for example where she sleeps, changes clothes or the bathroom area. Checked against MOM on 17 October 2026.

This is an employer obligation under the Work Permit conditions for foreign domestic workers. The quoted guidance concerns video recording devices; making a camera visible does not remove the disclosure or privacy requirements.

When a living room is also her sleeping space

If your proposed arrangement uses shared household space for sleeping or changing, assess that actual use before hiring. If a camera is in a room that the helper uses for sleeping or changing, the label "living room" does not automatically make the camera compliant with MOM's requirement. Consider:

• Does she change or sleep in the camera's field of view? Change the camera position or accommodation arrangement so it does not compromise those private activities. Do not assume that a timetable, an agreement or switching the device off is sufficient to meet MOM's requirement.
• Is the device visible? Visibility alone is not compliance. The obligation is to inform her and to not compromise her privacy or modesty.
• Does the device have an off switch or privacy mode? A switch or a claimed privacy mode does not itself establish compliance. Review the placement and actual sleeping or changing arrangement against MOM's requirement rather than relying on the feature.

If the helper's sleeping space is in a common area with a camera, discuss the arrangement before she accepts the placement. Record what was agreed. See the accommodation requirements for MOM's sleeping-space obligations.

What to discuss with the candidate before placement

Have this conversation before the helper starts work, not after:

• Where each camera is located in the home and what it records (video only, or audio and video).
• Whether the recording is continuous, motion-triggered or scheduled.
• Whether the camera covers any area she uses for sleeping, changing or personal time.
• Who can view the recordings and how long they are kept.
• Whether any proposed camera placement compromises a sleeping, changing or bathroom area and therefore needs changing before the arrangement starts.
• What the cameras are intended for — for example, monitoring children, elderly parents or general home security.

Discussion does not waive the employer's obligations: a helper agreeing to a camera does not make a privacy-compromising placement acceptable. MOM's cited passage requires notice and protects privacy; it does not settle every consent or data-protection question about a particular setup. Get appropriate advice if those questions arise.

Cameras and child or elderly care

Some families install cameras to monitor a young child or an elderly parent when no other adult is at home. This is understandable, but a camera does not replace an adult care or supervision plan:

• A camera shows what is happening; it does not intervene. If the child or parent needs immediate help, someone must be able to respond.
• Watching a recording after the fact does not prevent an incident. If the purpose is safety, discuss the helper's training, the emergency contacts and the family's response plan.
• Do not use camera footage as the primary method of managing the helper's work. Discuss expectations directly and provide feedback in person.

If you are hiring a helper specifically for child care or elderly care, describe the care duties, supervision and backup plan in the household brief. The camera arrangement is a separate conversation.

Recording access: practical good practice

MOM's well-being guidance addresses the employer's obligation to inform the helper and not to compromise her privacy. The cited passage is not a comprehensive guide to recording access or retention. The following are practical suggestions, not verified legal requirements:

• Limit access to recordings to household members who need it for the stated purpose.
• Do not share recordings of the helper publicly or on social media.
• Consider how long recordings are retained and whether automatic deletion is practical.
• Review who has access when household arrangements change, rather than leaving old access permissions in place by default.

For data protection questions beyond MOM's employer obligations, consult the relevant authority. This page does not provide legal advice on the Personal Data Protection Act or make general privacy law assertions.

Short discussion questions for the household arrangement

Related guides

• Accommodation requirements — MOM's sleeping-space, ventilation and storage obligations
• Rest days and rules — including the well-being guidance that contains the camera rule
• First week onboarding checklist — cover the camera arrangement on day one
• How hiring works — the full process from brief to placement

Source: MOM rest days and well-being guidance, accommodation section. Checked 17 October 2026. MOM's guidance applies to employers of foreign domestic workers under the Work Permit conditions. This page summarises the employer obligation regarding recording devices and provides practical household discussion points. It does not provide legal advice.