The MOM EA Directory lists every licensed employment agency (EA) in Singapore. Search by agency name or licence number at mom.gov.sg, confirm the agency is active, then browse that agency's published biodata and compare helpers on SmartMaid.com.sg.
Stats help you ask better questions — they do not pick your helper
Singapore publishes information on licensed employment agencies so employers can check who is allowed to operate and review selected performance-style figures. Using MOM EA directory stats when choosing agencies is a smart first filter. It is not a substitute for interviews, biodata reading, or clear replacement terms.
This page is an employer briefing. General guidance only. Always confirm the live Ministry of Manpower (MOM) employment agency directory and any published notes on mom.gov.sg — labels and available fields can change. SmartMaid.com.sg is a maid search platform for agency-published biodata. Licensed EAs handle placement.
Neighbouring hubs:
- Boutique vs large service style: Boutique vs large agencies: service trade-offs
- Replacement questions: Replacement policy questions to ask your agency
- Interview volume: How many maids to interview before deciding
- This article: how to use MOM EA directory stats without cargo-culting numbers
Step 1 — Confirm the agency is licensed
Before you fall in love with a biodata:
- Open MOM’s employment agency resources on mom.gov.sg
- Find the EA you are speaking with (legal name / licence details as shown on the live directory)
- If you cannot confirm a licence, stop and ask the consultant to clarify — or move on
Marketplace listings should still map to a real licensed EA you can verify.
Step 2 — Read published figures as context, not destiny
MOM may show agency-related statistics (for example retention- or transfer-oriented indicators, depending on what the live directory currently displays). Soft rules for employers:
- Newer or smaller volume can make percentages swing wildly — ask the EA to explain their book of business
- High transfer activity is not automatically “bad” or “good” without context (employer-driven vs helper-driven patterns differ)
- Strong-looking numbers do not guarantee *your* consultant will answer in week two
- Never invent or paste unofficial “market average” numbers into your decision notes as if they were MOM data
If a figure is unclear, ask the EA: “How should I read your MOM directory stats for a household like ours?”
Step 3 — Pair stats with process questions
Directory stats cannot answer:
- Who is my named contact after placement?
- How do replacements work in writing? (replacement policy questions)
- How do you handle language / duty mismatches in interview?
- What happens when settling strains early? (loop EA early)
Use stats to shortlist EAs worth interviewing; use process answers to choose.
Step 4 — Pair stats with the helper, not instead of the helper
A top-looking EA can still show you a biodata that fails your infant-care or Mandarin bar. Keep the same interview scorecard (how many to interview, language check). Agency metrics ≠ helper fit.
Step 5 — Compare two EAs side by side (simple sheet)
| Check | EA A | EA B |
|---|---|---|
| Licence confirmed on MOM directory | ||
| Stats noted (date you checked) | ||
| EA’s plain-English explanation of their stats | ||
| Named consultant + backup | ||
| Replacement / after-sales clarity | ||
| Biodata quality for your brief | ||
| Interview experience |
Date your MOM check. Revisit if weeks pass before you sign.
Common misreads
- “Best stats = must hire from them only” → you may still prefer another EA’s biodata + support
- “Ignore stats entirely” → you skip an easy licence / pattern check
- “One bad story on a forum overrides everything” → weigh patterns + your live experience
- “Stats replace MOM rules” → never; compliance guidance lives on mom.gov.sg
How SmartMaid fits
Browse and shortlist biodata across agencies on the marketplace, then verify each listing EA on the MOM directory before you deepen interviews. You can keep two EAs in play while you compare service trade-offs (boutique vs large).
MOM rules and safety
- Use licensed EAs only
- Confirm live directory details yourself — do not rely on screenshots someone WhatsApps you
- Welfare / Work Pass issues: EA + MOM channels
- Emergency: 995 / 999
— money talks belong in proper EA quotations.
Copyable employer checklist
- [ ] Confirm EA licence on live MOM directory
- [ ] Note any published stats + date checked
- [ ] Ask EA to explain their figures in plain English
- [ ] Complete process / replacement questions
- [ ] Interview helpers with your own scorecard
- [ ] Compare at least one alternate EA when unsure
- [ ] MOM links bookmarked
Sample scripts
To EA: “I’ve checked you on the MOM EA directory. Can you explain how we should read your published stats for a first-time employer hiring for [infant / elderly / general housework]?”
If stats look odd: “Your transfer / retention figures look different from what I expected — what drives that in your client mix?”
If licence unclear: “Please share the exact licensed entity name as registered so I can confirm on mom.gov.sg before we proceed.”
Bottom line
Using MOM EA directory stats when choosing agencies means: verify the licence, read published figures humbly, ask the EA to interpret them, then decide with interviews and after-sales clarity. Stats narrow the field; they do not replace fit. Browse biodata on SmartMaid, confirm EAs on mom.gov.sg, hire with eyes open.
