Advance Placement Scheme (APS) Maid Agency: How It Works for Employers

If your family has urgent caregiving needs, waiting weeks for a helper to arrive from overseas can be hard. MOM's Advance Placement Scheme (APS) was set up for exactly this situation. It lets participating maid agencies bring helpers into Singapore before they have an employer, so families can interview them face to face and they can start sooner. This guide explains how APS works, who qualifies, and how it compares with hiring a transfer helper or a new helper from overseas.

What APS is

According to MOM's APS page, the Advance Placement Scheme for migrant domestic workers is a pilot that started in August 2016. It was proposed by the employment agency industry to enable faster placement and better matching of helpers for employers with caregiving needs.

Under the scheme, participating agencies are allowed to source and bring in a specific number of helpers before they have found an employer. Because these helpers are already in Singapore:

You can interview them in person, which helps with matching.
They can be deployed to your home quickly once you decide.

Who qualifies

MOM says that to use APS, you need to be eligible for the migrant domestic worker concessionary levy. In general, that means your household includes one of the following, subject to MOM's conditions:

A Singapore citizen child below 16.
An elderly person aged 67 or above who is a Singapore citizen, or a permanent resident who meets MOM's conditions.
A person with disabilities certified by a Singapore-registered doctor as needing help with at least one activity of daily living, with a recommendation from the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC).

The eligible person usually needs to share your NRIC address and be listed as a household member in FDW eService. Our MDW levy and concession guide explains the conditions, and MOM's levy concession page has the full details.

APS vs transfer vs new overseas hire

	APS helper	Transfer helper	New hire from overseas
Where she is now	In Singapore, brought in by a participating agency	Working for another employer in Singapore	In her home country
Who can use it	Households eligible for the concessionary levy	Any eligible employer	Any eligible employer
Interview	Face to face	Face to face	Usually video or phone
Speed	Can be deployed quickly	Depends on the agreed transfer date	Longer: travel, then first-week steps
Singapore experience	May be new to Singapore	Has worked here	May be new to Singapore

A transfer helper is often the closest alternative. MOM asks you to apply with written consent from her current employer, and the in-principle approval states the transfer date. Read our transfer maid guide for the full process, or browse transfer maids currently listed on SmartMaid.

Finding APS-participating agencies

MOM's APS page lists the participating employment agencies, with their licence numbers and contact emails. You can approach any of them to ask about hiring an APS helper. The list is split into agencies that take part in the Eldercarer Migrant Domestic Worker Scheme and those that do not.

The Eldercarer scheme is a Ministry of Health pilot that works through APS. Helpers placed under it receive caregiving training; AIC describes two days of classroom training before arrival and three hours of on-the-job training after arrival. AIC's Caregivers Training Grant may help with the cost of approved courses; check AIC's website for current details.

Before you contact an agency, look it up on MOM's EA Directory to confirm its licence and review its record. APS helpers are arranged directly through participating agencies; the SmartMaid catalogue does not currently list biodata marked as APS, so use MOM's list as your starting point.

What to check before interviewing an APS helper

Your eligibility: confirm your household qualifies for the concessionary levy before you start.
Her background: ask about her caregiving experience, training and languages.
Care match: share a short care profile of your family member, including mobility, medication and night needs.
Terms in writing: itemised fees, the replacement policy and the refund policy.
First steps: ask the agency to explain the Work Permit application, insurance, security bond and medical examination steps that apply, and who handles each one.

When another route may suit you better

APS is designed for speed and face-to-face matching. If your need is not urgent, or you want a helper with several years of Singapore experience, a transfer helper or a carefully chosen new hire may give you more choice. Many families compare all three routes with one or two agencies before deciding.

Interview tips

Because APS helpers are in Singapore, you can meet them in person. Bring your family member if possible, and use practical scenarios: "How would you help my mother stand up from a low chair?" or "What would you do if my father refused his medicine?" Watch how she speaks to your family member as well as what she says.

FAQ

Can any employer hire an APS helper?

MOM ties APS to eligibility for the concessionary levy, so it is intended for households with a young child, an elderly family member or a person with disabilities. Other employers can consider transfer helpers or new hires from overseas.

Are APS helpers trained in eldercare?

Helpers placed through agencies in the Eldercarer Migrant Domestic Worker Scheme receive caregiving training. Ask each agency what training its APS helpers have completed.