Work Permit for Confinement Nanny in Singapore

If you are a Malaysian nanny, you may be able to work as a confinement nanny in Singapore.

Singapore offers many different types of work passes and permits, one of which is the Work Permit for a confinement nanny. It is offered to Malaysians who want to come to Singapore to help take care of a newborn for the first 16 weeks of the child’s birth.

Eligibility for a Work Permit for Confinement Nanny in Singapore

There are eligibility requirements that both the nanny and the employer have to meet.

Eligibility criteria for the employer

In order to qualify for hiring a foreign nanny to take care of your newborn, the employer must meet the following criteria:

• They are at least 21 years old.
• The newborn is under 4 months old.
• They will get the nanny a Work Permit.
• They will pay a monthly levy for the nanny:
  • If the newborn is a Singapore citizen the levy is S$60 per month.
  • If the newborn is not a Singapore citizen the levy is S$265 per month.
• They will buy the nanny medical insurance of at least S$15,000.

Eligibility criteria for the confinement nanny

You can qualify as a confinement nanny in Singapore if you meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You are Malaysian.
• You are between the ages of 23 and 70.
• You will work at your employer’s residence.

Conditions for Hiring a Confinement Nanny in Singapore

The conditions that the nanny and employer have to meet are:

• The employer has to get the nanny a Work Permit.
• The nanny can only work for the employer stated in the Work Permit.
• The nanny can only work in the residential address stated in the Work Permit.
  • Unless they are in another address during the day to take care of your newborn.
• The nanny cannot work any other job, not even part-time.

If an employer hires a confinement nanny illegally, they may have to pay a fine of up to S$10,000.

If they hire a confinement nanny without a valid Work Permit, they could be fined between S$5,000 and S$30,000, or even risk imprisonment for up to 1 year.

How to Apply for a Work Permit for Confinement Nanny in Singapore?

It is your employer or an appointed employment agency who must apply for the Work Permit for a confinement nanny in Singapore.

They can apply:

• No earlier than four weeks before the child is born.
• Up to 16 weeks after the child is born.

The application is submitted online. The application for obtaining a Work Permit for a confinement nanny in Singapore is as follows:

• You (the nanny) write a consent letter, agreeing to be employed and giving consent to submitting the application.
• The employer or EA logs in to the Ministry of Manpower’s eService and completes the application form.
• They attach all the required documents (see below).
• The employer or EA pays the application processing fee (S$35).

The processing time for a confinement nanny Work Permit is usually about 1 week.

Due to the short amount of time that you will be working in Singapore as a confinement nanny, you will get a Work Permit letter rather than a Card.

Documents needed for a Work Permit for Confinement Nanny Application

When submitting an application for a Work Permit for a confinement nanny, you and your employer must have the following documents:

• If the employer is a Singapore citizen or Permanent Resident: Copy of their ID card.
• If the employer is not a Singapore citizen or Permanent Resident: Copy of their passport or Employment or Dependent’s Pass.
• Copy of your passport/travel document.
• Copy of your ID.
• Copy of a letter from a doctor stating the expected date of birth for the child.
  • If the child is already born: Birth Certificate/Notification of Live Birth.
• Copy of your educational certificate.

The Validity of the Work Permit for Confinement Nanny

You can work as a confinement nanny in Singapore for a maximum of 16 weeks starting from the newborn child’s birth. This means that if you are employed after the child is born, your Work Permit as a confinement nanny will be shorter.

However, you will also receive a single-entry Visit Pass when you cross immigration. If your visit pass is shorter than the validity of your Work Permit, your employer has to apply to extend your stay.

After your Work Permit expires (or you stop working for them) your employer has to log in to MOM’s eService and cancel it. Your employer must cancel your Work Permit either:

• One day after it expires.
• Within one week after you have stopped working for them.

You cannot work in Singapore after your employer has canceled the Work Permit, even if you still have a valid Visit Pass.

Is it Possible to Extend a Confinement Nanny Work Permit?

No, a Work Permit for confinement nanny cannot be extended. However, if when you entered Singapore, the immigration services gave you a Visit Pass which is shorter than your Work Permit, your employer has to apply to extend your stay. They will also need to submit a request to extend your stay if you leave Singapore temporarily while your Work Permit is still valid. That’s because your Visit Pass is only valid for one entry.

They can request to extend your stay via iSubmit (MOM’s eService for work passes). They need to attach the following documents:

• Copies of your request letter: electronic or scanned.
• Copy of your passport.
• Copy of your Disembarkation/Embarkation card.
• The Notice of issuance of your Work Permit.

The processing time for extending a confinement nanny’s stay usually takes about 14 days, so you have to make sure to apply in advance. You will have to leave Singapore if your Visit Pass expires before you receive your extension.

If you wish to continue to work for your employer after the 16 weeks are up, you will need a Work Permit for a Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW).