How to choose a confinement nanny agency: what to compare and ask

How to choose a confinement nanny agency comes down to a few checks you can repeat for any agency. Look up its licence in MOM's directory, compare printed prices over the same number of days, and send every agency the same questions in writing. Then speak to the nanny and read the contract before you pay a deposit. You don't even need an agency for the permit. MOM lets you apply on your own.

How to choose a confinement nanny agency, step by step

1. Decide what help you need and for which dates: live-in, daytime, nights only, or a confinement centre instead. Our confinement nanny hiring guide weighs each arrangement.
2. Look up each agency's name and licence number in MOM's EA Directory, then open the directory's tab of agencies to avoid. Our agency licence guide shows each screen.
3. Compare printed prices over the same number of days, then add MOM's levy and permit fee. The price table below shows how.
4. Send every agency the same questions in writing, so you can lay the answers side by side. The question table below has MOM's or CASE's rule beside each one.
5. Speak to the nanny herself before you book, and check she does the jobs you need. The hiring guide lists questions to ask her.
6. Read the contract before you pay anything. CASE's advice is to ask about the refund policy before you agree, and to pay in stages.
7. Pay the deposit by credit card if you can. CASE says card payers may ask their card issuer for a chargeback if a service isn't delivered.
8. Keep the signed contract and every receipt, because CASE asks for both if you ever bring it a complaint.

Compare printed prices like for like

Agencies print prices for different lengths of stay, so line them up by days first. These four agencies printed a figure on their own pages when we read them on 8 November 2026. The list is alphabetical and ranks nobody.

A 14-day price and a 28-day price only compare once you divide by the days. By our arithmetic, NannySOS's $1,999 for 14 days is about $143 a day, and PEM's $3,880 for 28 days is about $139 a day. Xpress prints two figures that don't agree, so ask any agency in that position which one applies to you. NewBubs's rate page is headed 2025, so check that its figure still applies.

Then add what MOM charges for a Malaysian nanny. The levy is $60 a month if your baby is a Singapore citizen and $300 a month if not, and each permit application costs $35. MOM also says to buy medical insurance for her, which NannySOS prints as outside its price. Already have a helper? MOM says you'll get one combined monthly levy, deducted by GIRO, and our confinement nanny vs domestic helper guide splits who does what. The confinement nanny cost calculator adds these costs to any quote.

The questions to send every agency

Copy these into one message and send it to each agency. Ask for the answers in writing. The right column shows what MOM or CASE says, so you can tell a clear answer from a vague one.

Add your own rows for the replacement terms: who pays if she leaves early, and how soon another nanny comes. A clear answer names a number of days and a cost.

Agency or freelance nanny: what changes

MOM says you can apply for the permit yourself or through an employment agency. An agency is optional. What it changes is who does the paperwork for a Malaysian nanny.

With a freelance Malaysian nanny, the agency's jobs become yours. You get her written consent, apply, pay the $35 fee and the levy, and insure her. You tell MOM her start date, and you cancel the permit within 1 week of her leaving Singapore. MOM lists employing a foreigner without a valid work pass as a criminal offence, so the permit has to be in place before she starts.

MOM's permit is for Malaysian nannies, so a Singaporean or PR nanny needs no Work Permit and no levy. The hiring guide weighs agency against freelance, and our confinement nanny work permit guide has every MOM step.

Before you pay a deposit

CASE's prepayment advice uses examples like renovation contracts and gym memberships, and it fits an agency booking just as well. Ask how the deposit is refunded before you agree. Offer to pay in stages instead of the full amount. CASE also warns against prepaid packages that involve large sums.

Get the replacement terms into the contract too. Our confinement nanny red flags guide lists the signs that mean you should stop before paying anything, and what to do if a booking goes wrong. Booked? The arrival checklist covers her paperwork and first day.

Where to get help

• Permit rules: MOM's Work Permit for confinement nanny pages.
• Whether an agency is licensed: MOM's EA Directory, which our licence guide walks through.
• An agency you think broke the rules: MOM takes online feedback on possible infringements by agencies.
• A dispute over money or the contract: CASE handles consumer-to-business disputes. Start on its complaint page with your contract and receipts.
• Talks with the agency have stalled: CASE says mediation is the next step after a deadlock.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best confinement nanny agency in Singapore?

We don't rank agencies. Compare any agency the same way instead: its licence in MOM's EA Directory, its price per day, its written answers to the same questions, and a contract you've read before paying.

How do I check a confinement nanny agency in Singapore is licensed?

Search its name or licence number in MOM's EA Directory. Then check the Under revocation / suspension / surveillance tab, which MOM says lists agencies to avoid. Our licence guide shows each screen.

Should I use an agency or a freelance confinement nanny?

Either works, as long as a Malaysian nanny has her permit before she starts. MOM lets you apply yourself, so with a freelancer the consent, fee, levy, insurance and start date are yours to handle. An agency can apply instead once you authorise it in MOM's FDW eService.

What should I check in a confinement nanny contract?

Check the price and what it includes, the dates, the deposit and when it's refunded, and what happens if she leaves early. CASE's advice is to ask about the refund policy before you agree. Keep the signed copy and your receipts.

Does a confinement agency in Singapore have to apply for the work permit?

No. MOM says the employer or an appointed agent can apply, from 4 weeks before the due date, for $35 an application. If the agency applies, ask it to confirm it has told MOM her start date. She can't work until MOM knows it.

What can I do if an agency won't refund my deposit?

Gather the contract, receipts and messages, then file a complaint with CASE. If talks reach a deadlock, CASE says mediation is the next step. If you paid by credit card, CASE says you may ask your card issuer about a chargeback for a service not delivered.