Trend of Migrant Domestic Workers Seeking Transfer of Employer before Contracts End

Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Manpower (a) over the past six months and 12 months, whether there had been an increase in migrant domestic workers requesting for transfers before their contracts ended; (b) what are the typical reasons for making such requests; and (c) whether the Government will consider enhancing regulations to protect local employers with real care needs from premature terminations by migrant domestic workers for frivolous reasons.

An employer’s consent is required before a migrant domestic worker (MDW) can be transferred to another employer. An employer may agree to the transfer of an MDW for various reasons. For example, when the employer’s family caregiving needs change, when the employer has relocated overseas, where the MDW was not able to meet the needs of the household, or if she was not able to get along with the household members and vice versa.

Over the past 12 months, the number of MDWs transferred to new employers per month has remained stable.

We understand the disruptions to households when their MDWs are transferred. Employers have to incur additional costs to hire a replacement MDW. Those with caregiving needs will have to make alternative caregiving arrangements while waiting for the arrival of the replacement MDW.

MOM has been working on various fronts to help employers achieve a better match with their MDWs.

First, we make available to prospective employers the employment history of the MDWs they are looking to hire, including key job scope and reasons for leaving past employment. For example, a prospective employer will be able to see if an MDW left her previous employment because the employer no longer needed her services or whether the MDW herself wished to end the employment.

Second, to encourage employment agencies (EAs) to take greater ownership of matching outcomes, MOM is working on an initiative to require employment agencies to provide an option to refund 50% of the service fees charged to employers if an MDW employment ends within the first six months. This will be implemented by early next year.

Third, we understand that employers are concerned that some MDWs may deliberately perform badly at work to get their employers to terminate their employment. MOM facilitates the sharing of feedback between employers via the employer reference channel. Employers may leave their contact details for prospective employers to contact them for feedback on the work performance of their previous MDWs.

We understand the difficulties employers go through if an MDW seeks a transfer before the end of the contract. To help alleviate the financial burden incurred by employers, MOM recently introduced a policy to allow employers to share the Stay-Home Notice (SHN) and related COVID-19 tests costs incurred by an MDW when she entered Singapore, if the change of employer takes place prematurely.

The recent concerns over MDWs changing employers mid-contract partly stem from the limited number of MDWs entering Singapore. MOM will continue to do our best to facilitate the entry of more MDWs within the parameters permitted by the Multi-Ministry Task Force to safeguard public health.