MOM started a new program during covid, which allowed agencies to give helpers in transition to find a new job without having to exit the country. It proved very popular, because it gives people flexibility to transition in a less hurried manner and find the right family for themselves.
How does it work?
When an agency wants to put a helper on a special pass, they need permission from an employer to do it. Then, when we go into the MOM system to cancel the helper’s pass, the agency can agree to take on responsibility for her for the next 30 days while she looks for a job. This includes housing, food, and medical care. The agency also has to agree to repatriate the helper if she can’t find a job. As you can guess, this is not a cheap proposition for us as an agency. We have to buy the helper a medical insurance policy, and we have to have space in our lodging or rent space from another agency to house her if ours is full, and make sure there is food in the lodging.
Who can go on a Special Pass?
Helpers who are under the age of 50 who have been working in Singapore are eligible, if their employer gives them permission.
What is the benefit to the employer?
If the helper goes on a special pass, the employer no longer has to pay levy and is no longer responsible for food, lodging, medical care and repatriation. The benefit to the new employer is an immediate transition, and a helper who has had some rest in between jobs.
Why do you charge a fee to employers to put their helpers on a special pass?
We charge a nominal fee which does not cover our expenses, to offset the costs of having the helper under our care for 30 days. If you would like more information about putting your helper on a special pass, please contact us at +65 8893 4993.
Why do you charge more to hire a special pass holder when I found them on my own? I thought I was doing a direct hire!
Sometimes employers are unhappy to find out that the person they found on Facebook or other channels is under an agency. What we would like you to know is that we put her on our special pass to help her find a job, to give her more time, and to prevent her from being sent home to her home country. If she was sent back, she would have to incur loans to come back, so this saves her time, money and stress. Sometimes the helper can’t find an employer before their current employer has to move away. This also gives them the ability to keep looking. The only reason she is here is because we are currently supporting her and paying for her stay here. Without our intervention, you wouldn't have found her.
Unfortunately, we can’t always find a match for someone who is under our special pass. Their skills may not match the employers that are currently coming through our office. They may be very particular about the employer they want to go with. In this case, before their pass runs out, we will ask them to help us look for an employer, to keep them from going home. Sometimes we encourage them to look in our Facebook group and other direct hire groups. When they are on our pass, MOM won’t process the application as a direct hire, so the helper has to bring them to our agency. We offer these types of employers a special pass rate that is less than our usual fees, but more than our direct hire fees, to help compensate for the expenses we incurred by having her in our lodging for a month, and the risk we assumed by taking her on. We think it’s a pretty good deal for all parties. The employer gets to hire a good candidate immediately that would have otherwise been sent home. The helper gets to stay here and find a job. We get compensated for the expenses and the risk involved to taking responsibility for her. It’s a win for everyone!
What type of candidate do you have on a special pass?
We take helpers on our pass when their circumstances put them in a situation where they are at risk of being sent home. We do this to help them and to save them money. Sometimes employers will call us because they need to leave the country and they want to be fair to their helper and give her time to look. Sometimes, they have found a replacement helper and they want to transition their previous helper out. It may have been the helper’s choice to leave her previous employment. She may not have found the right family yet while she was looking. There are lots of reasons, but at the end of the day they are usually on our special pass to extend their transition time. Most are very grateful for the opportunity to stay and find a job.
Can this pass be extended?
This pass is limited to 30 days, there are no extensions.
How can I find out more?
If you would like more information about hiring a special pass holder, or about putting your current helper on a special pass, please contact us at +65 8893 4993.
Comments