What Are Transfer Maids?
Transfer Maids are foreign domestic helpers who are already in Singapore with legal status and have either fulfilled their employment contract or are seeking to transfer to a new employer. They are looking to change employers for several reasons, it could be that they want a change of environment after having finished their contracts or their employer finds them not suitable for the job. In this case, the domestic helpers will have to look for another family to continue their employment in Singapore.
There are pros and cons of hiring a transfer maid. Some of the advantages are they are already familiar with our Singapore cultures, they have prior on-the-job training, employers get to have a face-to-face interview, lower upfront costs as compared to hiring a new maid from overseas, etc… but in this article, we are going to look into some of the common challenges faced by employers when hiring a transfer maid and tips on choosing the right transfer maids. Without further ado, let us dive into them now!
5 Common Challenges When Choosing A Transfer Maid
- Contractual Issues
- Time And Effort
- Competition
- Higher Expectations/Off Days
- Bad Habits
Contractual Issues
When a domestic helper is not suitable for your household or asked to be transferred, it usually means headaches and costly for the employer. First of all, employers should always explain to their helper the terms of the domestic helper’s contract – which is typically a 2-year contract. This contract is drafted by a licensed maid agency following the rules and regulations of the Ministry of Manpower of Singapore, MOM. According to MOM, if maids choose to end their contracts early, they need to serve a minimum notice period or pay compensation in lieu of notice. The compensation in lieu of notice is the amount of money the maid would have earned during the required notice period, paid by her employer.
Once the decision to terminate the contract is final, employers will have to cancel the domestic helper’s work permit within 7 working days starting from her last day of work in your household. Employers can either choose to repatriate the helper to her home country by buying an air ticket and ensuring that she returns home safely or choose to send her to her maid agency. Employers must follow the MOM regulations to avoid their security bond being forfeited. A security bond is a S$5,000 binding pledge by the employer to be paid to the government if the employer or their maid breaks the law or work permit rules.
Do speak to your maid agency to understand and to ensure that proper procedures are taken by the previous employer to avoid longer processing time when considering a transfer maid. A trusted maid agency will do background checks on the maid and match you with the most reliable and suitable maid.
Time And Effort
It can be very time-consuming and exhausting sifting through candidates and conducting face-to-face interviews which may require employers to go to the maid agency a few times, this can be time-consuming and incur more cost.
“Time is money” – Benjamin Franklin
Besides, you will need to understand the reasons why the maid is seeking a transfer. It is advisable to find out the reasons why the maid is asking for a transfer only after a few months of work or why her employer is letting her go. Remember, it is extremely stressful having to re-train a new helper. If you are not using a maid agency, paperwork such as applying for work permit, health checks and employment contracts will sure to tire you out.
Competition
Given Singapore’s strong demand for domestic helpers, employers have to move fast and efficiently to find the most competent maid for their household. This process can be stressful especially if it requires you to make a decision on the spot because the maid might be taken by another family within a day. Finding a suitable maid is a process not to be taken hastily. You will need to ensure that the transfer maid fits your requirements, has relevant working experience, has good language skills, is cheerful and has a good positive attitude. Finding a maid who not only meets your criteria but aligns with your family’s values is a demanding task.
Higher Expectations/Off Days
With prior working experience in Singapore, transfer maids tend to ask for a higher salary and more off days. This can be challenging for some households who need help with elderly care and might not be so convenient to offer more off days to their maid. Transfer maids also tend to ask for a higher salary, this backfires the benefit of having a lower upfront cost.
Bad Habits
Having worked for previous employers, some transfer maids might bring along the routines they are familiar with to the new household. Some habitats and routines are harder to change. They might have their ways of doing things, and taking instructions may be a little harder for them. Transfer maids tend to be more demanding of their employer such as asking for an advance salary whereby their previous employer might oblige.
Tips When Choosing Transfer Maids
Here are some tips to help you when considering a transfer maid:
- Maids that have completed at least 1 year of their contract.
- Have competent language skills.
- Show a positive attitude.
- Maids who can understand their roles and responsibilities.
- Maids who can communicate their needs clearly and express what they are not keen on doing to employers.
- Maids who are less demanding on certain off days.
- Maids who will accept a reasonable salary.
Conclusion
Finding the right transfer maid might be challenging and requires some extra effort, but once you have a good mental attitude and know your family’s requirements, you will undoubtedly find a good helper for your home.
Entrust your selection with a reliable maid agency to find the best maid for you. At Hire A Maid, we use the latest technology to streamline our candidates to ensure the best fit for your household’s needs. We help employers do an extensive search in our database to find the most ideal maid that matches your specific requirements.
Hire A Maid specializes in both Myanmar maids and Indonesian maids.