Settling-in Programme and EOP: First-Time Singapore Employer Guide

Direct answer: Singapore has two orientation courses for a first hire. You, the employer, take the Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP) at least 2 working days before you submit the Work Permit application, either online in 2 hours or in a 3-hour class. Your first-time helper attends the 1-day Settling-in Programme (SIP) within 7 days of arrival, not counting Sundays and public holidays. If she misses it, MOM will not issue her Work Permit and she will be sent home.

Most first-time employers hear about the settling in programme from their agency a few days before the helper lands. That is late. The SIP has a hard deadline, slots fill up, and the course comes after a separate course that you must finish before the application can even start.

This guide is for a family hiring a migrant domestic worker in Singapore for the first time. It also covers a household where a different family member becomes the employer, and a helper who is new to Singapore even though the family has hired before. Every fee and deadline below comes from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) pages checked on 16 October 2026. Check them again before you book, because provider lists and fees change.

EOP and SIP at a glance

The two courses sound alike but have different people, timing, and consequences.

Who must take the Employers' Orientation Programme?

MOM's rule is short. You must attend the EOP if you are hiring a migrant domestic worker for the first time. The requirement follows the named employer, not the household or the agency.

In practice, that means:

• A first-time employer must attend. This covers a Singapore Citizen, Permanent Resident, or foreigner. MOM's FAQ confirms that a foreigner who brings in their own helper must attend if they are employing a helper in Singapore for the first time.
• A repeat employer does not attend again. MOM's rule applies to employers hiring for the first time, so it does not apply if you have employed a helper in Singapore before.
• Check who is the named employer. The rule follows the person named on the application. If your spouse employed the last helper and you are the employer on the new application, confirm with MOM or the training provider whether you count as first-time.

MOM's EOP page does not list an expiry for the EOP certificate. If you took the course a long time ago and never submitted an application, or you are unsure whether MOM has your attendance on record, ask the training provider or MOM before you apply. A phone call costs less time than a held-up application.

A separate course applies to employers who change helpers often. An employer who is employing a fourth helper within 12 months must attend MOM's CONNECT Workshop, run by the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore). It is a 1-hour consultation that costs S$80, and MOM sends an email with booking instructions. See MOM's frequent changes of MDWs page for the current terms.

EOP online course, classroom option, and fees

You can take the EOP online or in a classroom. MOM describes the EOP as a programme that explains your role and responsibilities as an employer. The classroom version runs for 3 hours. The online version runs for 2 hours.

These are the approved providers and fees listed on MOM's EOP page, last updated on 7 August 2026:

All fees include GST. MOM notes that class schedules may change, so check with the provider when you book.

Three practical points save trouble later:

1. Register under your exact legal details. MOM says your name, NRIC or FIN, and other details must match across the EOP registration and the Work Permit application. A spelling difference can hold up the application.
2. Count working days, not calendar days. Finish the EOP at least 2 working days before the Work Permit application is submitted. If you finish on a Friday evening, the earliest submission day is not Saturday.
3. Tell your agency when you are done. If a licensed maid agency is submitting the application for you, give them the completion date so they do not submit early.

EOP exemptions: appointing a representative or sponsor

MOM does not offer a general opt-out from the EOP. It does let some first-time employers appoint a representative or sponsor to attend in their place. You may qualify if one of these applies:

• You have a chronic medical condition.
• You have a physical disability that prevents you from walking.
• You are 60 or older and have physical discomfort.
• You are a new or expectant mother whose delivery date falls within 1 month of the application, or who gave birth in the month before it.

The representative or sponsor must be over 21 and meet MOM's other conditions. That person attends the EOP at least 2 working days before the appointment application goes in. You apply through MOM's online service with Singpass, and an employment agency can apply for you. Once the appointment is approved, you can submit the Work Permit application one working day later. Keep the supporting documents for at least 3 months in case MOM audits the case.

Who must attend the Settling-in Programme?

The settling in programme applies to the helper, not to you. MOM requires every first-time migrant domestic worker to attend.

MOM's MDW eligibility page defines a first-time helper as one who has never worked in Singapore as a helper before. A helper who has an MOM employment record but never actually worked in Singapore also counts as first-time. A helper who has worked here before, including a transfer maid already in Singapore, does not attend the SIP.

You do not need to guess. MOM states the requirement in the notification letter that comes with the in-principle approval (IPA). You can also check WP Online to see whether your helper must attend.

What the SIP covers

The SIP is a 1-day course in the helper's native language. MOM lists four topics:

• Adapting to working and living in Singapore
• Conditions of employment
• Working safely
• Relationship and stress management

The working safely part matters for families with high-rise flats. Window cleaning rules come up again in the safety agreement you sign after the SIP.

SIP fees and providers

MOM's SIP page lists three appointed providers. Fees include GST, and MOM says the employer pays them.

Do not deduct the SIP fee from the helper's salary. MOM places this cost on the employer.

Booking the SIP

You, or your agency on your behalf, register the helper directly with a provider. MOM advises registering early to secure a slot inside the 7-day window. Book once you have the IPA and a confirmed flight. Do not wait until she lands.

On the day, she needs these documents at the training centre:

• The full set of the IPA letter
• Her passport
• A copy of her educational certificate
• A copy of her digital arrival card issued by ICA

Plan her transport to and from the centre. A helper who has been in Singapore for two days will not know the MRT system or the address.

SIP exemptions and what happens if she misses it

There are no exemptions for a first-time helper. MOM's FAQ says the SIP is mandatory and first-time helpers will not be exempted. Experience in Hong Kong, Taiwan, or the Middle East does not change this, because the test is whether she has worked in Singapore before.

The penalty for missing the deadline is severe. MOM says that if a first-time helper does not attend the SIP within 7 days of arrival, excluding Sundays and public holidays, she will not be issued her Work Permit and will be sent home. See MOM's FAQ on what happens if she does not attend the SIP.

Two timing rules trip families up:

• She cannot attend on her arrival day. MOM blocks same-day attendance so she can rest. A Monday arrival means Tuesday is the earliest SIP date.
• She cannot start work before the SIP. MOM says she may start work only after she has attended. She can rest at home, but she should not cook, clean, or care for anyone until the SIP is done.

If a public holiday falls in the first week, it does not count toward the 7 days. Check the provider's class dates against her flight date.

First-week timeline for a first-time helper

The SIP is one step in a tight sequence. MOM's Work Permit application page sets the order and deadlines. This table puts them in one place.

Medical examination

MOM requires the first medical examination within 2 weeks of arrival. The Work Permit is issued only if she passes. Since 1 September 2025, if your household has a child under 7 who is not fully vaccinated against measles, your helper must have measles immunity, and you declare her status when the permit is issued. MOM's measles immunity announcement explains the declaration options.

Insurance and security bond

Buy the insurance and bond before she travels, not after. MOM's insurance requirements set a minimum annual claim limit of S$60,000 for medical insurance since 1 July 2023. For a full comparison of policy terms, read our guide to Singapore maid insurance requirements.

Safety agreement and rest days

MOM says a first-time helper signs the safety agreement after she attends the SIP and before she starts work in your home. The agreement covers restrictions on cleaning the outside of windows. Her copy is in her native language.

Agree on her rest day in the first week too. MOM's rest day rules give her one rest day a week. If she agrees to work on a rest day, you pay at least one extra day's salary. At least one rest day a month cannot be replaced with pay. Record the agreed number of rest days in the FDW eService.

First-time employer checklist

Use this list in order. Tick each line before you move to the next.

Before the application

• Confirm you are the named employer and that this is your first helper in Singapore.
• Book and complete the EOP online or in class, using the exact name and NRIC or FIN you will use on the application.
• If you qualify, apply to appoint a representative or sponsor instead, and keep the documents for 3 months.
• Wait at least 2 working days after the EOP before you submit.
• Budget the levy. Our guide to Singapore maid levy rates and the concession explains who pays S$60 instead of S$300.

After the IPA

• Send the IPA letter to the helper.
• Check the notification letter or WP Online to see if she must attend the SIP.
• Buy the security bond, if she is not Malaysian, and confirm it starts on her arrival date.
• Buy medical and personal accident insurance.
• Book an SIP slot inside the 7-day window, avoiding her arrival day.
• Prepare copies of her educational certificate and plan transport to the training centre.

First two weeks

• Send her to the SIP with the IPA set, passport, certificate copy, and digital arrival card.
• Sign the safety agreement after the SIP.
• Book the medical examination with a Singapore-registered doctor.
• Request Work Permit issuance and pay the S$35 fee within 2 weeks of arrival.
• Complete fingerprint and photo registration if the Temporary Work Permit says so.
• Agree the weekly rest day and update it in the FDW eService.
• Start salary records from the first month.

For the wider budget, including agency fees and food, read the Singapore domestic helper cost and hiring guide.

Common mistakes that delay a first hire

• Submitting the application on the day you finish the EOP. The 2 working day gap is a hard rule.
• Registering for the EOP under a nickname or old passport name. MOM checks the details against the application.
• Booking the SIP after the helper lands. Slots fill up, and you have only 7 counted days.
• Letting her start work before the SIP. MOM allows work only after she has attended.
• Assuming overseas experience counts. Only work in Singapore makes her a repeat helper.
• Charging her for the SIP or insurance. MOM places those costs on the employer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who must attend the Employers Orientation Programme in Singapore?

Anyone employing a migrant domestic worker in Singapore for the first time must attend the EOP at least 2 working days before the Work Permit application goes in. This includes foreigners who bring in their own helper. An employer who has employed a helper in Singapore before does not need to attend again.

Can I take the EOP online?

Yes. MOM lists an online EOP of 2 hours from three approved providers, with fees between S$29.98 and S$35.65 including GST when checked on 16 October 2026. A 3-hour classroom version is also available. Your name and NRIC or FIN must match on the EOP registration and the Work Permit application.

Who must attend the Settling-in Programme and when?

Every first-time migrant domestic worker must attend the 1-day Settling-in Programme within 7 days of arriving in Singapore, not counting Sundays and public holidays. She cannot attend on her arrival day, and she can start work only after she has attended.

Can my helper be exempted from the Settling-in Programme?

No. MOM says the SIP is mandatory and first-time helpers will not be exempted. A helper who has worked in Singapore as a domestic worker before is not a first-time helper, so she does not need to attend. Your IPA notification letter and WP Online tell you whether she must go.

What happens if my helper misses the Settling-in Programme?

MOM says a first-time helper who does not attend the SIP within 7 days of arrival, excluding Sundays and public holidays, will not be issued her Work Permit and will be sent home. Book a slot before she flies so the deadline does not slip.

A practical next step for Singapore families

Book your EOP this week, even before you choose a helper. It costs about S$30 to S$36 online, takes 2 hours, and removes the first blocker in the application. Then shortlist candidates, confirm whether each one has worked in Singapore before, and plan the SIP date around her flight.

Helpers is a marketplace that connects families with domestic helpers. It does not submit Work Permit applications or run the EOP or SIP. When you are ready to look at candidates, create a family account, browse profiles on the Singapore page, and read more family hiring guides before your first interview.