Work Permit Renewal
Renewing your helper'sWork Permit.
A renewal is one letter, one fee and a short list of things that have to be in place first. It goes wrong for one reason: people start the week it is due. Here is the whole process, and the dates that matter.
Verify our EA Licence 24C2490 on the MOM EA DirectoryThe Timeline
Three dates decide everything.
Every figure on this page is quoted from MOM's own renewal page, checked on 04/08/2026.
8 weeks
Before expiry, the letter arrives
MOM sends your renewal letter about eight weeks out. It tells you whether a medical examination is needed this time. Treat it as the start of the job, not a reminder to file away.
2 years
The length you should get back
A renewed permit usually runs two years. MOM may issue less if the insurance covers under 26 months, or if your helper is approaching 60. Short permits almost always trace back to insurance dates.
S$35
MOM's fee per renewal
That is the government charge. The outcome is immediate once you submit with everything in place. The insurance and the bond are separate purchases, and the levy never pauses.
Before You Renew
What has to be in place first.
None of this is difficult. All of it takes longer than you think if you start late, which is the entire reason renewals go wrong.
A new security bond
Required for every helper who is not Malaysian. Like the original, it is a banker's or insurer's guarantee rather than cash you hand over, and it is usually bundled into the same insurance package.
Personal accident insurance
Either extended on the existing policy or bought new, and it has to run for the permit period you are renewing into.
Medical insurance
Same again: extended or new. If the cover runs less than 26 months, MOM may issue a shorter permit than the usual two years.
A medical examination, if MOM asks
Your renewal letter says whether one is needed. This is separate from the six-monthly medical examination, which continues on its own schedule throughout the employment.
An up to date passport copy
Her passport no longer sets how long the permit runs. MOM renews even if it has expired or has under two years left. What MOM does need is a record of the current passport if she has renewed it, and she still needs a valid one to travel.
The monthly levy continues throughout at your usual rate, S$300 for most households or S$60 if you qualify for the levy concession. If you have had a baby, or a parent has moved in, since your last renewal, check whether you now qualify. It is the most commonly missed saving in the whole arrangement. Our guide to the cost of hiring a helper sets out every figure in one place.
If You Are Late
The one avoidable cost in employing a helper.
Renew after the permit has expired and you are still liable for the levy, and MOM may add levy penalties or an overstaying fine on top. Nothing about that is a grey area, and nothing about it is unavoidable. It happens because a letter arrived eight weeks early and got put somewhere safe.
We diarise renewal dates for the families we place and start the conversation when the letter is due, not when the permit is. If you are already close to the date, message us and we will tell you honestly whether it is still comfortable or whether you need to move today.
Check my renewal dateQuestions
Renewal, answered.
More questions about employing a helper in Singapore are answered on our frequently asked questions page, or see everything we do on the services overview.