First-year cost worksheet: Filipino domestic helper
The same six line items, with one difference that changes the budget.
The short answer
Placing and legalising a Filipino domestic helper costs you RM17,800 in the first year, before salary, the same setup cost as an Indonesian placement. Her basic salary is RM1,800 a month, so the real first-year figure is RM17,800 + RM21,600 = RM39,400, against RM35,800 for an Indonesian placement. The setup fee is identical. The wage is the whole difference.
RM17,800 before salary
What this covers
- Placement fee
- Annual levy
- Security bond
- Insurance
- Medical screening: SAFHIS in Sarawak, FOMEMA in Peninsular Malaysia
What is on top of it
- The helper’s monthly salary, for twelve months
- Food and accommodation, provided in kind
- Flights beyond those included in placement
- HAVEN fees, which Sarawak does not charge today
Budget for wages separately. Twelve months of salary is a comparable amount again, so treating RM17,800 as the whole first year understates it by roughly half.
| Cost | Paid by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Placement fee Included in the RM17,800 | Employer | Charged by the MWO-accredited agency. Never charged to the helper. |
| Annual levy Included in the RM17,800 | Employer | Government charge per helper, per year. |
| Security bond Included in the RM17,800 | Employer | Refundable when the helper leaves Malaysia in line with the permit. Rate varies by nationality. |
| Insurance Included in the RM17,800 | Employer | Required cover for the permit term, plus any Philippine-side requirement. |
| Medical screening Included in the RM17,800 | Employer | SAFHIS in Sarawak, FOMEMA in Peninsular Malaysia. Within 30 days of arrival, then at odd-year renewals only. |
| SOCSO contribution On top | Employer | Monthly, through the ASSIST portal. May not be deducted from wages. |
| Monthly salary × 12 On top | Employer | RM1,800 a month, RM21,600 over the year, including one rest day a week. A rest day worked is RM70 of overtime on top. At or above the Philippine government minimum for its nationals in Malaysia, whichever is higher. |
| Flights and transport On top | Employer | Arrival, and repatriation at the end of the contract. |
| Accommodation and food On top | Employer | Provided in kind, so it never shows up as a cash line. |
| HAVEN No charge yet | Employer | Free at the time of writing. HAVEN went live on 16 July 2026 and Sarawak hasn’t priced the household module yet. The corporate module of the same programme costs RM1,854 per worker. |
Get this priced for your actual case
Send us the specifics and we will come back with an itemised written figure, and tell you if anything in it will not be approved.
Mon–Fri, 9am–6pm · WhatsApp 1 business day · Email 1–2 business days