Renewal is a calendar problem — not a copy of the first application
Keeping a migrant domestic worker (MDW / FDW) beyond her current Work Permit is a renewal path, not a second “new hire” application. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) issues a renewal letter, you (or your authorised licensed employment agency) renew online after insurance and related documents are ready, and the outcome is typically immediate — but the calendar work starts weeks earlier.
This page is an employer renewal timeline guide: when to start, what must be true before you click renew, who files, what shortens the new permit, common delays, and the fork if you will not renew (transfer out or end employment). It is not a fee table and not a substitute for MOM’s live MDW renew page.
Use the linked hubs when you need depth on a single compliance topic:
- First apply / new hire WP spine (not this page): Work Permit application for domestic helpers — employer checklist
- Ongoing 6ME during employment: Six-Monthly Medical Examination (6ME) — employer checklist
- Insurance + security bond basics: Insurance and security bond for domestic helpers — employer basics
- Levy / GIRO overview: Foreign worker levy for domestic helpers — a simple employer overview
- Salary / rest-day framing (contract, not MOM fees): Maid salary and total cost in Singapore · Rest days for domestic helpers
- This article: when and how to renew the Work Permit you already hold
Hard rule: do not invent Work Permit renewal fees, bond amounts, insurance premiums, levy rates, or salary figures from this article. Confirm live amounts on mom.gov.sg, with your insurer / bank, and with your licensed employment agency (EA).
SmartMaid.com.sg is a search marketplace. You browse and shortlist biodata published by licensed agencies; SmartMaid is a maid search platform and does not renew Work Permits, buy insurance packages, or cancel permits. See How Smart Maid Singapore differs from a maid agency.
Who does what on renewal (employer / EA / MOM / platform)
| Party | Typical role on the renewal path |
|---|---|
| You (employer of record) | Decide renew vs transfer vs end; fund insurance / bond package; keep levy GIRO healthy; upload / confirm docs; remain legally responsible even when an EA clicks submit |
| Licensed EA | Often renews on your behalf after you authorise them in FDW eService; coordinates insurance package and medical if the renewal letter requires it — as service, not a transfer of your duties |
| MOM | Sends the renewal letter; runs FDW eService / renew flow; approves or rejects; sets duration rules and late-renewal consequences |
| Insurer / bank | Issues medical + personal accident cover and (where applicable) the security bond, then transmits details to MOM — MOM: allow up to a few working days before you can renew |
| SmartMaid | Lets you search and shortlist biodata if you later need a replacement; does not file renewals or act as your EA |
MOM: who can renew is typically the employer, sponsor, or authorised EA. Confirm live wording on mom.gov.sg before you assume either path.
Agency relationship framing: Working with a maid agency in Singapore — what to expect.
MOM timeline — when to start
Treat renewal as a countdown from the current Work Permit expiry, not from the day you remember.
| Phase | Soft employer clock (verify live on MOM) | What you actually do |
|---|---|---|
| T−12 to T−10 weeks | Self-start (before the letter) | Diarise expiry; decide renew / transfer / end; check passport scan readiness; ask EA whether a renewal medical is likely; review salary / rest-day terms you will keep |
| ~T−8 weeks | MOM renewal letter window | MOM: you should receive a renewal letter about 8 weeks before expiry. If it does not arrive, MOM lets you print a copy via the published renew path — do not wait passively |
| Before you click renew | Insurance package must reach MOM | Buy / extend medical insurance, personal accident insurance, and (for most non-Malaysian helpers) a new security bond. MOM: bank / insurer transmission can take up to 3 working days. Bond effective date can be post-dated up to 1 day after current WP expiry — confirm live wording |
| After letter + insurance ready | Online renew | Employer / sponsor / authorised EA renews online; MOM: outcome is immediate when requirements are met |
| After renew | Card / Temporary Work Permit instructions | Follow the Temporary Work Permit printout: keep the existing card or cut and discard if a new card is coming; set up / refresh SGWorkPass as MOM instructs |
| If you will not renew | Transfer or cancel path | Do not let the permit lapse while she remains in Singapore without a lawful path — see fork below |
Overseas travel near expiry: MOM says if she plans to travel just before the expiry date, renew before she leaves Singapore. Pair with rest-day / leave planning: rest days.
This is not the first-hire IPA / arrival medical / SIP spine — that lives on our guide Work Permit Application for Domestic Helpers: Employer Checklist.
Before renewal: insurance, medical and levy checks
Renewal fails late when households treat “we got the letter” as “we can renew tonight.” MOM lists documents and information you typically need:
1. Insurance package (medical + personal accident + bond where applicable)
Extend or buy anew so cover spans the new permit window. MOM: if the insurance package validity is less than 26 months, the renewed Work Permit may run only until 2 months before that package expires — so short cover can shorten the permit. Deep basics (what each product is for, pitfalls — still ): our guide Maid Insurance & Security Bond Singapore | Employer Guide. On this timeline page, remember only: insurance must reach MOM before renew, and duration follows cover.
2. Medical examination form (only if the renewal letter says so)
MOM: check page 2 of the renewal notification for whether she needs a medical and what to upload. This renewal medical is not the same topic as ongoing 6ME during employment — use our guide Six-Monthly Medical Examination (6ME) for Domestic Helpers: Employer Checklist for the six-monthly cadence. Helpers 50+ often sit on a different ongoing-6ME path but may still need renewal-time medicals — verify on mom.gov.sg for *your* helper.
3. Passport scan
MOM: upload a scanned personal-particulars page (including amendments) so MOM has her most updated passport if it was renewed. MOM also notes passport validity is no longer what caps Work Permit duration the way older rules did — still keep a travel-ready passport if she will leave Singapore.
4. Levy / GIRO health
Renewal does not pause levy. MOM: if you renew late, you remain liable for levy after expiry, and levy penalties / overstaying fines may apply. Keep GIRO funded; overview: our guide FDW Levy Singapore | Employer Overview.
5. Contract clarity (salary / rest days)
Renewal is a compliance click; it is not automatic agreement that salary and rest-day terms stay unspoken. Reconfirm in writing before you renew: salary & total cost · rest days.
Duration of the renewed permit (soft caveats)
A MOM rule employers use:
- Usual renewed validity: up to 2 years
- Shorter if the insurance package is valid for less than 26 months → permit may run until 2 months before package expiry
- Shorter if she is approaching 60 → MOM: duration can end on the day she turns 60
- Passport length alone is not the old hard cap on WP duration (verify live) — but travel still needs a valid passport
Ask your EA to show you the new expiry on the Temporary Work Permit / renewal notice before you close the file. Diarise the next renewal countdown immediately.
Common delays (and how employers avoid them)
- Waiting for the letter, then discovering insurance needs 3 working days — buy / extend the package as soon as you decide to renew, not the night of submit.
- Identity / passport mismatches — old scans, missing amendment pages, or FIN / name typos vs insurance.
- Skipping page 2 of the renewal letter — missing a required renewal medical upload.
- Assuming 6ME “last month” satisfies a renewal medical — different moments; see #13 vs this page.
- Short insurance package — renew succeeds but new WP is shorter than you budgeted.
- EA not authorised — MOM: EAs need employer authorisation in FDW eService before they can transact.
- Treating SmartMaid shortlist as “renewal filed”
- Planning overseas leave across expiry without renewing first.
- Ignoring GIRO / unpaid levy until renew week.
- Indecision on renew vs transfer vs cancel until the last fortnight — see fork below.
Decision fork — renew, transfer out, or end employment
| If you intend to… | Soft orientation (verify with EA / MOM) |
|---|---|
| Renew and keep her | Insurance package → renew online after letter → follow Temporary Work Permit / card instructions → diarise next expiry |
| Transfer her to another employer | MOM mentions transfer as an option if you no longer need her. Coordinate handover dates, docs, and agency paths with the incoming employer / EA — do not let her WP lapse mid-transfer. Transfer vs new-hire framing: Transfer maid vs new hire from overseas |
| End employment / send home | Cancellation, repatriation, final salary / ticket, and bond discharge follow MOM rules — work your EA’s end-of-employment checklist; do not invent DIY timelines from forums |
| Replace her later | Cancel / transfer cleanly first; then shortlist on SmartMaid and let a licensed EA run a new WP application |
Late renewal and short extensions (orientation only)
MOM:
- Renew before expiry; otherwise an overstaying fine may be imposed.
- Late renew: you are still liable for levy after expiry; levy penalties / overstaying fines may also apply.
- MOM publishes a path to request an extension if you cannot renew on time — confirm live steps and any conditions on mom.gov.sg / with your EA. Do not invent a DIY grace period from this article.
- If an extension is granted and you then decide not to keep her, cancel before the extended date so bond / levy consequences do not spiral — verify with your EA.
This is orientation, not a substitute for MOM’s “get a short Work Permit extension” page.
Copyable employer renewal checklist
Decide (T−12 weeks or earlier)
- [ ] Current WP expiry diarised (calendar + phone reminder)
- [ ] Written decision: renew / transfer out / end employment
- [ ] Salary and rest-day terms for the next period agreed in writing
- [ ] EA told which path you chose; authorisation in FDW eService confirmed if they will renew
Prepare (before / as letter arrives)
- [ ] Medical + personal accident insurance extended or repurchased to span the new window
- [ ] Security bond renewed / replaced if applicable; insurer/bank asked to send details to MOM (allow up to ~3 working days)
- [ ] Passport scan (with amendments) ready
- [ ] Renewal letter received or reprinted via MOM’s path (~8-week window)
- [ ] Page 2 of letter checked: renewal medical required? Clinic booked / form ready if yes
- [ ] Ongoing 6ME status checked so you do not confuse it with renewal medical
- [ ] GIRO / levy account funded
- [ ] Overseas travel near expiry? Renew before she flies
Submit and close
- [ ] Renew online (you or authorised EA); MOM: outcome usually immediate when ready
- [ ] Temporary Work Permit printed; card keep-or-cut instructions followed
- [ ] New expiry date logged; next T−12 reminder set
- [ ] Helper guided on SGWorkPass / digital pass steps per MOM
- [ ] If not renewing: transfer or cancellation path started with EA — not “wait and see” until overstay risk
- [ ] SmartMaid used only if you need a replacement shortlist later — marketplace ≠ renewals desk
FAQ
Is renewal the same checklist as a new Work Permit application?
New hires follow IPA / arrival medical / SIP sequencing on our guide Work Permit Application for Domestic Helpers: Employer Checklist. Renewal assumes she is already your MDW and focuses on the letter window, insurance package, and online renew.
When does MOM’s renewal letter usually arrive?
MOM: about 8 weeks before expiry. If it does not arrive, print a copy through MOM’s published renew path rather than waiting.
Does SmartMaid renew the Work Permit?
SmartMaid is a smart maid search platform. A licensed EA (or you / the sponsor, where MOM allows) renews via MOM channels.
Can I renew if her passport is short or expired?
MOM currently states passport validity is not what ties WP duration the old way — you may still renew, but she needs a valid passport to travel. Confirm live wording.
Why is my renewed permit shorter than two years?
Common soft causes: insurance package shorter than 26 months, or she is approaching age 60. Check the Temporary Work Permit dates with your EA.
Do I still need 6ME if I am renewing?
Ongoing 6ME follows its own cadence during employment. Separately, the renewal letter may require a medical upload for *this* renew — read page 2.
What if I decide not to renew?
Transfer to another employer or cancel / repatriate through MOM-compliant paths with your EA. Do not let the permit expire while she remains without a lawful status.
Where do official fees appear?
On mom.gov.sg — renew a Work Permit for MDW and your insurer / bank quotes. This article quotes no dollar amounts.
Next steps
- Put the current Work Permit expiry on your calendar and set a T−12 week decision reminder.
- If renewing: open #10 (insurance/bond) and #8 (levy/GIRO) first; then renew after the letter and insurer transmission.
- If a renewal medical appears on the letter, book it early; keep ongoing 6ME on its own track via #13.
- Reconfirm salary and rest days in writing before you lock another permit term.
- If you will replace her later, shortlist on search maids · transfer maids — then let a licensed EA run the new application.
- Confirm live steps on mom.gov.sg — renew MDW Work Permit.
This article is general employer guidance only. Work Permit renewal windows, letters, insurance and bond rules, medical requirements, permit duration, late-renewal consequences, extensions, transfer and cancellation procedures, levy / GIRO rules, and fees can change. Confirm current requirements with your licensed employment agency and on mom.gov.sg.
