There is steady demand for Myanmar helpers in Singapore, and a steady supply to meet it.
Here is what we tell families who are considering one.
Why families choose a Myanmar helper
- Most are Buddhist or Christian, so many Buddhist and Christian families choose a Myanmar helper for religious reasons
- Most have no food restrictions, so they usually fit in easily with household meals
- Many households with a grandmother at home choose a Myanmar helper
- Our Myanmar packages are competitively priced. See the full cost breakdown
Where she usually does best
Our most successful Myanmar placements are mainly in housework and cooking.
| Job | What to expect |
|---|---|
| General housework | Usually where she settles in first, and where most placements go well |
| Cooking | Usually comes next, and needs training |
| Childcare | Usually works best with older children, and with a grandmother at home. The grandmother is usually the main decision maker, giving instructions and guiding her. |
| Eldercare | Many families choose a Myanmar helper for this. She needs to be trained, and these placements have seen fewer issues. See our eldercare helper page. |
Interviewing her when her English is limited
- Speak slowly, and break the interview into short, simple questions
- Give her time to reply. The video connection and our accent can be difficult for her to follow
- A consultant joins the call to help translate
Get ready before she arrives
| Prepare | What it means |
|---|---|
| Her room or space | A mattress and toiletries, ready for her first night |
| Labels | Put labels up around the home. She may add her own notes, in words she understands. |
| A timetable | Her daily routine, written out |
| A task list | A specific list for each task |
| A plan to show her | Most tasks are best learnt hands on, so plan which ones you will show her first. Some can also be shown through YouTube videos. |
The first month is for settling in
The most common difficulty is language. Communication itself needs time, and many everyday words and household terms are likely to be new to her.
Her way of life back home is also very different, so she needs time to adjust and adapt.
In the first month, she is usually:
- Learning the words your family uses at home
- Getting into your routine, which usually takes a few weeks
- Learning to cook the way your family eats
What helps:
- Speak slowly and use short, simple sentences
- Let her repeat the same task several times, then give feedback if it is not up to standard
- Give her the first few weeks before you judge the match
Teaching her to cook
Cooking usually comes after housework, and it needs teaching. It works best in this order.
The words first
The names of ingredients, and the ways of preparing them, such as cutting, chopping and slicing.
The recipe next
Go through the recipe with her until she understands it.
Then show her
Show her how the dish is cooked, then let her try. Short videos of the dish being cooked are also useful.
Fresh or experienced
Both are sought after. The key difference is how much you are willing to train.
| Fresh helper | Experienced helper | |
|---|---|---|
| Suits families who | Prefer to train her to their own style and routines | Are tied up and need a more independent helper |
| Training from you | More at the start | Less |
| Cost | Usually lower | Usually higher |
Her off day
Most Myanmar helpers prefer Sunday as their off day.
| Helper | Off days she usually asks for |
|---|---|
| Fresh helper | Once a month |
| Helper with Singapore experience | More than once a month, and she says so upfront during the interview |
We note each helper's off-day preference in her biodata, so you can see it before you interview.
Under MOM rules, she is entitled to one rest day a week, and at least one rest day a month cannot be replaced with pay. If she agrees to work on her other rest days, you pay her at least one day's salary for each.
Myanmar or Filipino?
We are not comparing apple to apple.
The two packages are different, and so are the helpers.
| Filipino helper | Myanmar helper | |
|---|---|---|
| English | Usually speaks English well | Usually needs time to understand at the start |
| Settling in | Usually adapts to Singapore faster | Often a bigger change in way of life to adapt to |
| Working style | Usually knows her jobscope and states her expectations | Often soft spoken and straightforward |
| Background | Usually educated and street smart | Many household terms and routines are often new to her |
| Package | Priced higher | More affordable |
For salaries across nationalities, see our 2026 helper salary guide.
The Singapore steps are the same as any nationality
A Myanmar helper is usually deployed in 3 to 4 weeks, sometimes 2. These are the steps along the way.
Work Permit application
Through the FDW eService, usually processed within about a week. Some cases take longer.
Settling-in Programme
For a first-time helper, within 7 days of arrival, excluding Sundays and public holidays. It takes one day, you pay the fee, and she can start work only after attending.
Medical examination
Within 14 days of her arrival.
Work Permit issued
Request it within 2 weeks of her arrival. It is issued immediately, and the card follows within 5 working days of registration.
Considering a Myanmar helper
Tell us who lives in your home and what the day looks like, and we will shortlist honestly. Browse who is available at unistarr.com.sg/helpers or talk it through with a consultant at either branch.
Bukit Timah +65 9723 4920
Katong +65 9647 4781
Mon-Fri 11am-7pm · Sat-Sun 11am-5pm
How to be the employer a helper stays with
The Unistarr Employer Handbook. What to set up in the first week, how to talk about money and days off, and the mistakes that cost families a good helper. Written from over 4,000 placements since 2015.
Free, whether or not you are a Unistarr client. One email, no spam.
Unistarr Employment Pte Ltd · MOM EA Licence 15C7448
As featured on CNA + 8world, June 2026