Profile of Families Benefiting from Concessionary Migrant Domestic Worker Levy

Mr Gabriel Lam asked the Minister for Manpower (a) in the past five years, how many families have benefitted from the concessionary Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW) levy for parents with children under 16 years old; (b) what proportion of these families were first-time parents; and (c) whether the Ministry has studied demand from first-time parents for MDWs in the months leading up to childbirth.

Between 2020 and 2024, an average of 100,000 employers benefitted annually from the concessionary Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) levy for households with children under 16 years old. This concession is a reduction of the MDW levy from $300 to $60 per month for the first MDW and is given to all households with a Singapore Citizen below 16 years old. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not track whether these employers are first-time parents.

Households that hire MDWs in the months leading up to childbirth would be eligible for a concessionary levy when the Singaporean child is born. The application process and expected timelines to process work permit applications for MDWs are available online on the MOM website. These support households to plan for the arrival of their newborns.