First-year cost worksheet: Indonesian domestic helper
Every line item that makes up the first year, and who pays each one.
The short answer
Placing and legalising an Indonesian domestic helper costs you RM17,800 in the first year, before salary. Her basic salary is RM1,500 a month, so the real first-year figure is RM17,800 + RM18,000 = RM35,800. Every line here is yours to carry: no part of it may lawfully be charged to her or taken out of her pay.
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 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. |
| 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 | RM1,500 a month, RM18,000 over the year, including one rest day a week. A rest day worked is RM86.54 of overtime on top. Paid in full, on time, by a traceable method. |
| 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
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