The monthly government charge
The migrant domestic worker levy is a monthly charge you pay to MOM for as long as your helper's work permit is active. The standard rate is $300 a month for a first helper and $450 a month for each subsequent helper. If someone in your household is an eligible person, you pay the concessionary rate of $60 a month instead. Eligible persons are a Singapore citizen child under 16, a Singapore citizen aged 67 or above, or a person with disabilities certified as needing help with at least one activity of daily living. Concession is granted for one helper per eligible person, capped at two helpers per household.
| Type of levy | Monthly rate | Daily rate |
|---|---|---|
| Normal — first helper | $300 | $9.87 |
| Normal — subsequent helpers | $450 | $14.80 |
| Concessionary | $60 | $1.98 |
The daily rate only applies to a helper who did not work a complete calendar month, for example in her first or last month with you. Otherwise you are billed the monthly rate.
Figures on this page were checked against the Ministry of Manpower on 15 August 2026. MOM sets these rates and can change them. If you are reading this much later, confirm on mom.gov.sg or ask us and we will send you today's figure in writing.
You qualify if there is an eligible person living in your household. Concession is granted for one helper per eligible person, capped at two helpers per household — so a second concession requires a second eligible person.
Most concessions start automatically, which is exactly why people miss the ones that do not. The two that need action are the person-with-disabilities concession, which has to be applied for through AIC, and any eligible person who is not you or your spouse — a parent living with you, for instance — who has to be listed as a household member on FDW eService before anything happens. A household paying $300 that should be paying $60 is losing $240 a month, $2,880 a year. Tell us who lives with you and we will tell you which category you fall into before you commit to anything.
Separately from the levy, a household where someone needs permanent help with three or more activities of daily living may qualify for the Home Caregiving Grant, a monthly grant of up to $400 administered by the Agency for Integrated Care. It is a different scheme with different criteria, and it is worth checking if elderly care is the reason you are hiring. See our elderly care placements.
The levy is payable for as long as the work permit is active, including while your helper is on home leave, and it stops when the permit is cancelled or expires. It is billed monthly and most employers pay by GIRO. Non-payment is an employer offence, not an agency one, so keep the GIRO active. Levy is only part of the picture — see what hiring a helper actually costs for salary, insurance, bond and one-off items.
The concession is $60 instead of $300 a month. That is $2,880 a year, and households qualify for it without ever claiming it.
Questions
As at 15 August 2026, the standard levy is $300 a month for a first helper and $450 a month for each subsequent helper. The concessionary rate is $60 a month. Daily rates of $9.87, $14.80 and $1.98 apply only for part months. MOM sets these rates and can change them.
Households with an eligible person: a Singapore citizen child below 16, a Singapore citizen aged 67 or above, an elderly permanent resident aged 67 or above where you or your spouse is a citizen, or a person with disabilities certified as needing help with at least one activity of daily living. Concession covers one helper per eligible person, capped at two per household.
Usually yes. For a parent with a citizen child it starts from the date of birth, and for yourself or your spouse turning 67 it starts on the birthday. It is not automatic for a person with disabilities, which must be applied for through the Agency for Integrated Care, or for an eligible person who is not you or your spouse, who must first be listed as a household member on FDW eService.
Yes. The levy is payable for as long as the work permit is active. It stops only when the permit is cancelled or expires.
MOM charges $450 a month rather than $300 for subsequent helpers. If you have two eligible persons in your household, both helpers can be on the $60 concessionary rate instead, which is the cap.
Talk to us
Tell us who lives in your household — ages, citizenship, and whether anyone needs help with daily activities. We will tell you whether you qualify for the $60 rate before you commit to anything.
