While an Indonesian helper in Singapore is subject to an additional levy on top of their usual fees, there are several reasons why you might want an Indonesian helper in your home. On top of the general benefits of having a helper in the first place, Indonesian helpers are specifically helpful for Indonesian-origin families or households in Singapore due to the similarity in language and culture. This also applies to combined families who have Indonesian aspects to their household, such as anyone who has an Indonesian spouse and frequently has Indonesian family members visiting.
As such, an Indonesian helper in Singapore are especially popular with Singaporean PRs or citizens who were originally from Indonesia but who moved into Singapore. If you are part of this demographic, read on to know why it makes sense to hire a helper from the same country
The benefits of an Indonesian Helper in Indonesian Homes
An Indonesian maid in Singapore is helpful in many ways to households with Indonesian relationships. As mentioned before, the language is incredibly helpful especially for those who have family members that only speak Bahasa Indonesia. This allows for a caretaker who is not only skilled, but who can understand and interact with said family members in their native language, thus increasing the comfort of caretaking as well as reducing miscommunications.
A second obvious benefit is the cuisine. Indonesian helpers, no matter where they are from, are typically familiar with many Indonesian dishes and can frequently replicate them to the household’s tastes in addition to cuisines from other countries. As such, this allows the family to be able to taste and eat foods that are authentic to Indonesia when they miss it and are unable to have it in Singapore. Many Indonesian dishes are time-consuming, and the restaurants that sell them may not quite have that taste of home. Having an Indonesian maid in Singapore allows this nostalgia to be fulfilled, which is especially helpful with homesickness when families are not able to return to Indonesia.
Additional considerations when hiring an Indonesian Helper in Singapore
An Indonesian maid agency in Singapore such as ours will be able to guide you through most of these processes. Indonesian helpers make up almost half of the FDW population in Singapore, but as mentioned, have some of the highest starting salaries (starting at 550 SGD) as well as an additional levy of around 60-300 SGD to be paid to the Ministry of Manpower as mandated by the Indonesian authorities.
However, employer families with Singaporean children or grandchildren can qualify for an additional concession of the levy, which reduces the price.
Other than the above, there are additional requirements that are local to Indonesia that your helper will need. Our Indonesian maid agency in Singapore will ensure better coordination of the Indonesian domestic helpers and assist with assurance that they perform the duties as per the requirements. On top of this, your Indonesian helper should be at least 23 years old, and should have proof that she has completed formal education in Indonesia. This guarantees a certain level of quality of work in your helpers, which is helpful as well.
Final considerations are typically standard across nationalities: you will need to purchase a yearly medical insurance for your helper, and ensure that she goes for a checkup every six months or so. The government will send an email regarding the medical exams as well as instructions. You will also need to renew their work permit based on how long it was previously applied for. These are all items that our agency can help with.