S’pore to hire more Sri Lankan maids

Maid agents in Singapore are looking to hire more foreign domestic helpers from Sri Lanka. From next year, the Association of Employment Agencies plans to bring in between 500 and 1,000 Sri Lankan maids a month, up from the current 100 to 200 a month.

Based on records from the Sri Lankan High Commission in Singapore, there are about 4,500 Sri Lankan maids in Singapore.

The association said this will help to make up for the shortfall in maids from traditional source countries, such as Indonesia and Philippines. It will be signing an agreement with Sri Lankan authorities and employment agencies next month to facilitate the recruitment of maids.

The move to bring in more domestic helpers from Sri Lanka is part of efforts to improve the quality of domestic helpers in Singapore.

Most Sri Lankan maids speak English and have at least 10 years of education.

Employment agencies in Singapore said it is important to make Singapore an attractive destination for Sri Lankan women hoping to work as domestic helpers overseas.

Maid agents say Sri Lankan workers can between S$400 and S$500 a month. Sri Lanka is the fifth biggest source of maids in Singapore after Indonesia, the Philippines, India and Myanmar. A recent report from the National Population and Talent Division forecast that Singapore is going to need some 100,000 more maids by 2030.

- CNA