Domestic Worker Levy Concession for Disability Caregivers in Singapore

For families caring for a person with a significant disability — particularly those managing complex physical care needs or severe intellectual disabilities that require constant supervision — hiring a Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW) is often not a luxury. It is the practical infrastructure that allows other family members to remain employed, maintain their own health, and avoid complete caregiver burnout.

The standard MDW levy in Singapore is $300 per month. For families where the primary purpose of hiring the MDW is to care for a person with disability, the government provides a significant concession: the levy drops to $60 per month. That is a saving of $2,880 per year, sustained for as long as the concession applies. For families already managing high out-of-pocket care costs — therapy, equipment, transportation — this saving is meaningful.

Who Qualifies for the Concession

The MDW Levy Concession is administered by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC). Eligibility is based on the care recipient, not the employer.

To qualify, the person being cared for must:

1. Be a Singapore Citizen, or a Permanent Resident with a parent, child, or spouse who is a living Singapore Citizen
2. Live in Singapore at the same address as the MDW employer and not live in a residential long-term care institution
3. Permanently require some assistance with at least one Activity of Daily Living (ADL), assessed through the applicable AIC process — a Functional Assessment Report (FAR) from a GP or approved healthcare professional, or a Client Assessment Form (CAF) completed by an MSF-approved assessor for a person with autism or intellectual disability

The six ADLs assessed are: washing, dressing, feeding, toileting, walking/moving around, and transferring (getting in and out of bed or a chair). A person who requires assistance with even one of these activities due to a chronic disability or medical condition may qualify.

Importantly, this assessment does not require the person to be severely disabled in the CareShield Life sense (three or more ADLs impaired). A young adult with severe autism who requires physical prompting for bathing, or a person with cerebral palsy who needs assistance with dressing, may qualify on the basis of a single ADL.

Each household can receive up to two levy concessions if it is caring for two eligible persons with disabilities at the same time.

How to Apply

The application runs through the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) eFASS portal.

Step 1: Obtain approval from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to hire an MDW.

Step 2: Complete the applicable FAR or CAF assessment and prepare the required supporting documents.

Step 3: Apply online using Singpass through AIC's eFASS portal. For a hard-copy application, email [email protected] to obtain the form or visit an AIC Link.

Step 4: AIC will inform you by mail within four weeks after reviewing the application; MOM will then inform you of its decision.

Concurrent Concessions

The MDW concession has its own AIC/MOM assessment route. For a care recipient with autism or intellectual disability, AIC says a CAF completed by an MSF-approved assessor may be used to determine support needs.

If the care recipient is also applying for certain severe-disability schemes, AIC says the MOH-accredited severe-disability assessment may be sufficient for the levy-concession assessment. Confirm the applicable assessment route with AIC rather than assuming that a DVF or another report will substitute for it.

Where the Levy Concession Fits in Broader Caregiver Support

The $60 levy concession is one of several financial tools for caregivers in Singapore. In combination:

• MDW Levy Concession: Reduces monthly MDW levy from $300 to $60
• Handicapped Child Relief or Dependent Relief (Disability): Reduces annual income tax chargeable
• Caregivers Training Grant (CTG): Subsidizes training for MDWs to improve their caregiving skills — particularly relevant for MDWs caring for adults with intellectual disabilities who need specific handling, communication, and behavioral support techniques
• Home Caregiving Grant: Provides monthly cash payouts to lower-income households where a family member is caring for a severely disabled person at home

Each of these sits in a different administrative silo. The MDW levy concession is through AIC/MOM. Tax reliefs are through IRAS. The Caregivers Training Grant is through NTUC. The Home Caregiving Grant is through AIC. No single portal consolidates the application sequence.

For families planning the post-18 transition, understanding all the caregiver support tools simultaneously — rather than discovering them one by one under pressure — is part of the financial planning work that the Singapore Post-School Transition Roadmap addresses in one place.

Practical Considerations for MDWs Caring for Disabled Adults

Hiring an MDW specifically to care for an adult with a significant intellectual disability or behavioral complexity requires additional preparation that families often underestimate:

• MDWs typically arrive with no training in disability care, communication with non-verbal individuals, or behavioral de-escalation
• The Caregivers Training Grant subsidizes training programmes run through NTUC and approved community agencies — this training is worthwhile even for experienced MDWs new to disability care
• Consider working with a Social Service Agency or occupational therapist to develop a structured routine guide and care manual for the MDW — covering communication strategies, behavioral triggers, and daily activity schedule

The monthly financial saving from the levy concession is real, but the investment in proper MDW onboarding and ongoing support is what determines whether the arrangement actually works for the family.

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