Having a domestic helper can be a huge relief to your household when both spouses are working and have young children or elderly parents that need looking after. She can help with cleaning, cooking, picking up the kids from school, and shopping for groceries in the wet market nearby.
After a tired day at work, you can return home to relax and spend some quality time with your family, knowing that your household is being well taken care of.
There are about 250,000 Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) in Singapore, and they come from MOM-approved sources of countries. These countries include the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, India (Mizoram), Sri Lanka and Cambodia. Once you decide to engage a domestic helper, which country to hire from is an important factor to consider, apart from economic considerations such as her monthly salary.
To help you to make an informed decision, we have put together a mini guide on the domestic helpers from different countries so you can evaluate which one is a better fit to your household requirements.
Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of Indonesia, is rather similar to the Malay language which is most frequently spoken by 12.23% of Singaporean households. Meanwhile, despite English not being its official language, it is widely spoken in Indonesia. Thus, most Indonesian domestic helpers can speak a little English, and this would help reduce the communication gap between employer and employee.
Over 87% of Indonesians identify themselves as Muslims. This means that your Indonesian domestic helper may have different dietary habits, for example, they cannot eat pork. However, while they are unable to consume pork, some are comfortable enough to cook or handle related dishes although it is highly dependent on individuals. In any case, if there is a need for your Indonesian domestic helper to handle pork, it is highly recommended that you first seek out her opinion and agreement.
Indonesian domestic helpers are generally hardworking, industrious and flexible when treated fairly by their employers. Their diligence in completing their assigned tasks will give employers a peace of mind. When instructions are communicated clearly, Indonesian domestic helpers will have no trouble finishing their chores.
Domestic helpers from Myanmar are known to be quick learners and tend to pick up different skills fairly quickly. While they speak little English compared to their Indonesian counterparts, their ability to pick things up faster will be beneficial to the households. This would help them get over the language barrier quickly since they can learn basic English within a short span of time.
Majority of Myanmar domestic helpers are Buddhists and may have certain dietary restrictions. While some may be strict vegetarians, others might be less restricted in their food consumption. Aside from religious influence, their eating habits may differ due to their ethnic background, for example, their traditional breakfast may be rice or noodles instead of bread commonly eaten by most Singaporeans. Once again, it is still highly recommended that you check with your helper on her food choices and eating habits.
Myanmar domestic helpers have a good reputation for being kind natured and having a good temperament. They seldom lose their cool and will focus on working hard because they wish to do all that they can do to better their lives.
If you decide to hire an Indonesian or Myanmar domestic helper, there are some procedures that you will have to comply to. Here are some tips to guide you along.
Your domestic helper is required to have an overseas worker card (KTKLN card) before being legally allowed to take up work outside of Indonesia. At Nation, Indonesian domestic helpers would generally possess the overseas worker card, which is one less issue for you to worry about.
Myanmar domestic helpers are generally paid a monthly salary of $450, but this has been increasing over the years. It is encouraged that they get at least one day off in a month to rest. The domestic helpers also undergo basic training before they arrive in Singapore.
To qualify for employment in Singapore, all domestic helpers must be 23 years and above and have received minimum 8 years of formal education, according to MOM requirements. Nation will ensure that only those who qualify would be allowed to work in Singapore.
If you happen to have someone in mind that you would like to hire, but are unsure of the process, we hope this article helps you out. Look out for the next article on domestic helpers from the Philippines and Mizoram.
To ensure a clean, healthy and happy home, it is important to find a reliable employment agency that will provide well-trained domestic helpers for your family. Since 1992, Nation has been providing trained foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to over 50,000 households in Singapore. Get in touch with us to start looking for the most suitable domestic helper for you and your family today.
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