If the maid chooses not to take leave, then the employer should give her the equivalent of an air ticket in cash. The amount will only be paid if that happens. The easiest way to obtain foreign house help is to go to any of the numerous maid agencies available in Singapore, especially in places like Lucky Plaza on Orchard Road and Peninsula Plaza at High Street. There you can take a look at the maids' biodata and handpick the one you require. The process usually takes from 2 to 6 weeks, depending on whether the maid in question has a valid passport in her home country.
Different agencies charge different fees so be sure to call first before committing to one agency.
For those of you who want to know how to obtain a maid without an agency, we provide details at the bottom. Otherwise, finding an agency isn't a problem - there is even an extensive collection all in one place here online . We went to three separate agencies to get an idea of fees. It is very difficult to give any kind of concrete statement on costings, because Singapore maid agencies are in a fiercely competitive market and the above figures and what they cover can only be approximate at best. Salaries are generally a matter for the employer and the maid to agree upon, although the agency may well specify a minimum figure.