Eligible purpose
Published federal criteria generally refer to a married employer with a child under 15 or a sick or elderly parent. Supporting documents may be required.
Malaysia employer information centre
Domestic helper requirements by country
Understand employer eligibility, salary and rest-day considerations, documentation and key placement conditions for hiring a foreign domestic helper in Malaysia.
Important:
This is a planning guide, not an approval guarantee or legal advice. Final eligibility, salary and contract terms depend on the current Malaysian requirements, source-country rules, candidate profile and whether the placement is in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah or Sarawak. WorkWave will reconfirm the applicable terms before you commit.
Rules that apply before nationality
Core Malaysian requirements
Candidate eligibility
The helper must generally be female, aged 21–45, medically fit, residing in the source country and entering with an approved Visa With Reference.
Prior approval
Employers of non-citizens, including foreign domestic employees, must obtain the relevant prior approval under section 60K before hiring.
Written contract
Salary, duties, accommodation, rest days, leave, communication, notice and repatriation responsibilities should be clearly documented.
Arrival and medical
After arrival, the helper must complete the required FOMEMA examination and pass formalities within the stated period.
Responsible employment
Provide suitable accommodation, nutritious food, proper rest, timely salary and respectful treatment. An employer must not retain the helper’s passport.
Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah & Sarawak
Location changes the process.
Malaysia-wide SEO should not flatten genuine state differences. Sabah and Sarawak control important immigration and labour steps locally.
Peninsular Malaysia
Use the federal Immigration and JTKSM process, including the applicable employer-income threshold, VDR, medical and PL(KS) requirements.
Sabah
Applications are subject to Sabah’s state jurisdiction and licensing procedures. WorkWave should confirm the route with the Sabah Labour and Immigration authorities before quoting.
Sarawak
A licence to employ a non-resident employee is required. Sarawak also publishes state eligibility guidance and now expressly provides a weekly rest day for domestic workers under its amended labour framework.
Salary & rest days
What the numbers do—and do not—mean.
Indonesia: how the “RM1,850” figure is calculated
The endorsed standard contract sets a basic salary of at least RM1,500 and one rest day each week. If the helper agrees to work on a scheduled rest day, the contract rate is 1.5× the pro-rated daily wage.
Monthly basicRM1,500.00
Worked rest-day rateRM86.54 / day
4 worked rest days+ RM346.16
Example totalRM1,846.16 ≈ RM1,850
This is not a blanket “no-holiday” package. The helper must agree to work on each rest day. A month containing five worked rest days would total RM1,932.70, not RM1,850. The endorsed contract also requires at least one actual day off that cannot be replaced with cash, plus at least 10 hours of daily rest, including seven uninterrupted hours.
Malaysia’s RM1,700 minimum wage
The Minimum Wages Order 2024 excludes domestic employees. That means a domestic helper’s enforceable salary must be checked against her source-country rules and written employment contract. Indonesia separately publishes RM1,500 as the minimum for Indonesian domestic helpers under the bilateral terms.
Why salary varies
Nationality is not a measure of capability. Salary changes with verified experience, communication, infant or elderly care, specialist training, cooking, travel, schedule and role scope. A clear job brief produces a fairer quotation.
How to handle an Indonesian weekly rest day
An Indonesian domestic helper is entitled to one rest day each week. She may agree to work on a scheduled rest day for 1.5× the pro-rated daily wage, but an employer should not present permanent seven-day work with no holidays as the standard arrangement. The day and any compensation must be recorded in the endorsed contract.
Second or third helper
Federal published thresholds state more than RM10,000 monthly income for a second helper and more than RM15,000 for a third, with strong reasons and any required special approval.
Employer document checklist
Prepare these before the application starts.
✓Identity cards for employer and spouse
✓Marriage certificate for a first application
✓Recent payslips and EPF statement, or tax evidence
✓Child’s birth certificate or relevant parent medical evidence
✓Completed application, visa and personal-bond documents
✓Signed and stamped employment agreement
✓Candidate passport and approved source-country medical report
✓Any embassy endorsement or source-country approval
Frequently asked questions
Common questions from Malaysian employers
Is domestic helper salary the same for every country?
No. The final salary follows the applicable source-country and contract requirements, then varies with the candidate’s experience and actual role. Any figures shown are planning guidance only.
Does this guide apply in Sabah and Sarawak?
It is a Malaysia-wide starting point, but Sabah and Sarawak have state-controlled immigration and labour procedures. The state route must be checked before application.
Can a helper work at another home or in my business?
No. A foreign domestic helper is approved for the named employer and household duties under the pass and contract. She must not be deployed as general labour or to another household without approval.
Can an Indonesian helper work seven days a week?
She has a contractual rest day each week. She may voluntarily agree to work on a scheduled rest day for 1.5× pro-rated compensation, but the endorsed contract also preserves at least one day off that cannot be exchanged for money. Permanent work without any actual day off should not be treated as a compliant standard package.
Official sources used
This page was reviewed on 12 August 2026 using government information. Always re-check current requirements before payment or application.
- Malaysian Immigration Department — Foreign Domestic Helper
- Indonesia–Malaysia MOU and Standard Employment Contract (2022)
- Official SISKOP2MI Job Order — RM1,500 salary and RM86.54 rest-day rate
- JTKSM — Employment of Foreign Workers FAQ
- National Wages Consultative Council — Minimum Wage Portal
- Philippine DMW — MC-03-2025
- Sarawak GENESIS — Employer Eligibility
- Sarawak Labour Department — Domestic Worker FAQ
Get a current, household-specific answer
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