SINGAPORE – Applications for the entry of new maids into Singapore opened on Friday (Oct 15) and employers can now apply for domestic workers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter Singapore from Nov 1 through the SafeTravel portal.

In a Facebook post about the updated regulations on Monday (Oct 18), Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang said that while the Government has increased entry approval quotas, numbers will still be regulated for public health reasons and preference will be given to families with caregiving needs.

“Due to the high demand for entry approvals, some employers may not be successful in getting entry approvals within the immediate period. They may want to access the portal again in the subsequent weeks, when further entry approval slots will be available,” she said.

Ms Gan advised those who urgently needed domestic workers to approach the commercial programme run by the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore).

The pilot programme was started four months ago to help meet the demand for foreign maids.

Working with overseas business partners, the association put in place additional safe management measures for maids in their home countries before they can enter Singapore.

Maids from the Philippines and Indonesia have entered Singapore under this initiative since July.

Homes that need maids urgently can tap on the programme, which has been effective in guarding against maids infected with Covid-19 slipping into the country.

Unvaccinated maids who enter Singapore through the programme will need to take both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine within two months after they arrive.

“With the latest increase in entry approvals for domestic workers, I hope more families will be able to meet their caregiving needs at home. My Ministry of Manpower colleagues and I are doing our best to facilitate the entry of more domestic workers while keeping the Covid-19 situation in Singapore well managed during this period,” Ms Gan added.

In a written reply to parliamentary questions on Oct 5, manpower minister Tan See Leng had said that priority for entry approvals would be given to homes with urgent and challenging caregiving needs, especially those with sick and elderly family members as well as those with special needs.

Mr Tan was responding to Workers’ Party MP Dennis Tan (Hougang), who had asked if the Government is planning to take urgent steps to get more maids into Singapore and help cut waiting time for families with critical caregiving needs.

While new maids can enter from Nov 1, Mr Tan had cautioned that it would take some time before employers could expect their helpers to arrive.

He said: “As entry approvals continue to be limited for public health reasons, it could take around three to six months before their migrant domestic workers can enter, depending on the Covid-19 situation at source and locally.

“If the situation improves in the region, we can approve more to enter.”

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