SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has pledged to expand caregiving support options for households and migrant domestic workers in Singapore, responding to calls from a Member of Parliament to update levy structures and enhance training opportunities for maids. The announcement was made during a parliamentary debate on Tuesday (13 Jan). 

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Shawn Huang emphasised that as caregiving needs diversify—particularly with an ageing population and more dual-income families—MOM will strive to make care services accessible and affordable across different household circumstances. He added that protecting the wellbeing of both domestic workers and their employers remains a top priority. 

Labour MP Yeo Wan Ling tabled an adjournment motion highlighting the essential role of migrant domestic workers in Singapore’s caregiving ecosystem, noting that the workforce has grown from around 250,000 to over 300,000 in the past five years. She described maids as a “critical backbone” for families and urged six key enhancements to better support their work. 

Among Ms Yeo’s proposals were calls to broaden training to include dialect communication and advanced caregiving skills, raise agency standards, and ensure maids have improved healthcare and mental health support. She also recommended expanding part-time care options and reviewing the maid levy to reflect actual caregiving needs rather than age alone. 

Mr Huang acknowledged the growing importance of domestic workers in assisting families with children and elderly members, especially as extended family support becomes less common. He reiterated that MOM is exploring ways to balance the needs of employers while safeguarding the rights and welfare of helpers. 

The discussion comes at a time when broader support measures, such as enhanced home caregiving services and higher payouts under the Home Caregiving Grant, are set to be rolled out in 2026 to help families manage caregiving responsibilities more effectively.