The DMW Raised the Minimum Salary for Filipino Domestic Workers to US$500. What That Means in Singapore.
Manila set a US$500 floor (about S$650) for Filipino household workers deployed abroad. Singapore does not set a minimum wage for foreign domestic workers. Here is how the rule lands at the Migrant Workers Office at the embassy on Nassim Road, what changes for new hires, and what existing helpers can do at renewal.
By Audrey Giron··4 min read·Updated 6 October 2026
Filipino domestic workers deployed abroad must now earn at least US$500 a month, about S$650.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) raised the floor from US$400 in 2025, as part of an eight-part reform package. In 2026, Philippine labour offices across the region apply it, including in Singapore.
Singapore sets no minimum wage for foreign domestic workers. The Philippine rule reaches here through one step: contract verification at the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) at the embassy on Nassim Road.
What the DMW said
The floor covers newly deployed household service workers. The DMW says it brings Filipino helpers in line with the higher pay other nationalities command in some markets, and gives workers a baseline to negotiate up from.
Malaysia objected in public, arguing the figure makes Filipina helpers uncompetitive against helpers from Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. DMW officials then clarified that US$500 is a global floor for new contracts but not a one-size enforcement rule.
One Manila newspaper headlined a DMW briefing "$500 minimum wage for domestic workers not mandatory".
For Singapore, the DMW position is that new contracts processed through Philippine channels should meet the floor, with limited exceptions for renewals and direct re-hires by long-time employers.
How it works here
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) regulates the work pass, medical insurance, security bond, rest day, levy, and standards for accommodation and treatment. Salary is left to the employer, the helper and the source country.
New Filipina hires need their contract verified by the MWO before deployment. If the contract pays below the US$500 equivalent and no exception applies, the office will not stamp it.
Singapore changed nothing. The Philippines changed the rule at its own counter.
New contracts
Employers hiring through an agency should expect a minimum quote at or above S$650 a month. Most agencies already quoted S$650 to S$750 for first-time Philippine hires, so the entry-level change is small.
Helpers on a new two-year contract should get a basic salary of at least S$650 before deductions for the security bond's premium share, the agency loan, or other allowable items. Off days, food allowance and any annual bonus sit on top.
The contract you sign at the MWO shows the verified salary. Do not accept a higher verbal quote and a lower figure on paper.
Ask before you sign:
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Is the S$650 the basic salary in writing, or basic plus food allowance bundled together?
What is the monthly agency loan deduction, and over how many months? The DMW wants transparent loan terms.
Who pays the medical exam, work permit fee, insurance and bond premium? In Singapore the employer pays the work permit fee, levy, bond premium and insurance. The helper pays none of these.
Existing helpers
A current contract below S$650 does not rise on its own. It stands until it expires or is renewed.
A two-year renewal with the same employer goes through MOM's work permit renewal system and does not always pass through MWO verification. The rule has less force at that step.
Helpers with established employers use the floor as a starting point in renewal talks, alongside years of service, added duties such as caring for an elderly parent, and the rising cost of living. Employers who value continuity meet it more often than before.
The DMW does not enforce the floor as an automatic raise against Singapore employers.
Market rates
In 2026, experienced Filipina helpers in Singapore earn S$700 to S$900 a month, and first-time hires S$650 to S$750. Myanmar and Sri Lanka new hires sometimes start at S$500 to S$580.
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Filipina helpers already command a premium here, with employers paying for English fluency and experience caring for Filipino-Chinese households. The floor formalises a market reality more than it disrupts one.
Where to check
Employers: ask your agency how it prices new Filipina hires under current MWO Singapore guidance. Agencies update salary bands every few months.
Helpers: the MWO at 20 Nassim Road is the source of truth for your contract. Walk-in hours are at mwo-singapore.dmw.gov.ph. The embassy's Assistance to Nationals desk gives OFWs free legal advice.
Both sides: mom.gov.sg has the standard employment contract template, rest day rules and accommodation standards.
Signing a new contract in the next month? Check the MWO Singapore Facebook page for the latest local guidance before you commit.
Last reviewed 26 May 2026. The DMW policy is being applied differently by region and may change again. Verify the current MWO Singapore position at mwo-singapore.dmw.gov.ph and the MOM rules at mom.gov.sg before signing or amending any contract.
