How to check a confinement nanny agency's licence with MOM

To check a confinement nanny agency's licence, search for its company name or licence number in MOM's Employment Agencies Directory, then compare what the directory shows with what the agency prints. This guide goes through the directory as MOM's pages showed it on 2 November 2026, explains the confinement nanny work permit, and lists what to ask an agency to show you before you pay. Fussy Mama does not say whether any agency is licensed. The directory is where you find that out.

What MOM's directory is

MOM calls it the EA Directory. Its description page says you can use it to find employment agencies that match your needs, check their service quality and performance, and shortlist and compare them. You can search for agencies for foreign workers, foreign domestic workers and local workers. The service is online 24 hours a day. MOM's page was last updated on 30 April 2025, and the directory's own footer says it was last updated on 25 Aug 2023. The directory is at service2.mom.gov.sg/eadirectory.

MOM's banner on the directory says its officers will never ask you to transfer money or share bank log-in details over a phone call or email, and gives the ScamShield helpline, 1799, if you are unsure whether something is a scam.

How to look an agency up, step by step

1. Get two things from the agency. Ask for its full company name and the licence number it uses. Confinement Angels' own FAQ gives the same advice: ask for the number and check that the number and the company name match on MOM's website.
2. Open the directory at the address above. The home page shows two tabs, Foreign Domestic Worker and Foreign Worker, and a search box that reads "Search by agency name/licence no."
3. Try both tabs. The pages we read do not say which tab lists an agency that places confinement nannies, so search in each.
4. Leave the drop-down on Agencies, type the name or the licence number, and press Search. The other choice, Agencies Personnel, searches for people.
5. Read the entry. Each agency appears as its name with a licence number in brackets. Compare both with what the agency gave you.
6. Open the agency's page. It shows the same figures as the list, plus placement volumes by pass type, the main branch address and phone number, and any other branches. A second tab lists the agency's personnel.
7. Check the avoid list. MOM says the tab named Under Revocation/Suspension/Surveillance lists agencies to avoid. Each entry there is labelled Under Surveillance, Licence Suspended or Licence Revoked.
8. If you cannot find the agency, the pages we read do not explain why. Ask the agency which name and number to search for, and hold off on a deposit until the two match.

What the directory shows for each agency

Read the retention and transfer rates with care. MOM defines both for foreign domestic workers, and the pages we read do not say they describe confinement nannies. Treat them as MOM's figures for domestic workers, not a score for a nanny placement.

What a confinement nanny work permit is

A confinement nanny from Malaysia works on a Work Permit for confinement nanny. MOM describes it as a short-term permit, usually issued for up to 16 weeks from your child's birth. It is not renewable. Here is what MOM's pages say about it:

• Who applies: you, or an appointed employment agent. MOM says an agent needs your authorisation through its FDW eService before acting for you.
• When: from 4 weeks before the expected date of delivery, up to 16 weeks after the birth. Apply after the birth and the validity is shorter.
• Cost and time: $35 for each application, and MOM says processing takes within 1 week unless it needs more information.
• Her consent: you need the nanny's written consent before you apply.
• What she gets: a Work Permit letter instead of a card. At immigration she gets a visit pass stamped in her passport.
• Her arrival: MOM tells her to print the in-principle approval letter and show it to the immigration officer.
• Who she can be: Malaysian, at least 23 and below 70 when you apply, and working at your home.
• Your costs: a monthly levy, $60 if your newborn is a Singapore citizen and $300 if not, and medical insurance for her.

Our work permit guide covers the steps and costs in full.

What to ask an agency to show you

Each request below follows something MOM's pages say. None of them proves an agency is good, and you can ask the same of an agent who offers to apply for you.

• Its company name and licence number, so you can match them in the directory yourself.
• Who will apply for the permit, you or the agent, and whether the agent holds your authorisation.
• The nanny's written consent, which MOM says is needed before the application.
• The application status or the in-principle approval letter. MOM says you can log in to check the status after 1 week, and that the letter is what she shows at immigration.
• Who tells MOM her start date. MOM says you must inform it of the start date before she can work for you.
• Who pays the levy and buys her insurance, and the amounts. MOM's eligibility page prints $15,000 and $60,000 for the cover, and says the $60,000 a year applies to policies starting on or after 1 July 2023.
• A written quote and contract before any deposit. Our confinement nanny price guide lists what agencies print and what the extras are.

What this check does not tell you

A match in the directory shows what MOM lists for an agency. It does not tell you whether a nanny will suit you, so keep asking for references and read the contract. If you think an agency has broken the rules, MOM links an online feedback form on its directory description page. To weigh a nanny against a centre, see our nanny vs centre comparison.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if a confinement nanny agency is licensed?

Search for the agency's name or licence number in MOM's Employment Agencies Directory, in both the Foreign Domestic Worker and Foreign Worker tabs, and compare the name and number with what the agency gave you. Also look in the Under Revocation/Suspension/Surveillance tab.

Where does MOM list agencies to avoid?

In the directory's Under Revocation/Suspension/Surveillance tab. MOM's description page names it as the place to find the list of agencies to avoid.

Can an agency apply for the work permit for me?

Yes. MOM says the employer or an appointed employment agent can apply. An agent needs your authorisation through MOM's FDW eService first.

How long does the work permit last?

Up to 16 weeks from your child's birth, and it cannot be renewed. If you apply after the birth, the validity is shorter.

What if I cannot find the agency in the directory?

The pages we read do not say what that means. Ask the agency for the exact name and number it uses, try both tabs, and wait for the answer before paying a deposit.

MOM updates its pages, so confirm each step on the directory and on mom.gov.sg when you check.