The Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP): What First-Time Employers Need to Do
If you are hiring a migrant domestic worker for the first time, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) requires you to complete the Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP), online or in class, at least 2 working days before the work permit application. You register directly with a provider that the Ministry appoints, and your We Are Caring consultant tells you when.
By David Bensadon, Founder and Managing Director · EA personnel reg. no. R1552212
Published 27 October 2026 · Last checked 27 October 2026 · 2 min read
Who must attend?
You must attend the EOP if you are hiring a migrant domestic worker for the first time. It is the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)'s introduction to your role and responsibilities as an employer, with case studies to help you and your helper work well together.
When should I take it?
At least 2 working days before the work permit application is submitted. Use the same name and NRIC or FIN as in the work permit application, so that the Ministry can match the records. Your We Are Caring consultant tells you when to take it, so it doesn't hold up the hiring.
Online or in class?
- Online: about 2 hours, S$29 to S$36 including GST, depending on the provider.
- In class: 3 hours on a weekday evening, S$35 to S$76 including GST.
Both are offered in English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.
How do I register?
We Are Caring no longer registers families for the EOP. You register directly with one of the training providers that the Ministry appoints, through the links on the Ministry's EOP page. The Ministry lists each provider's fees and schedule there.
Can someone attend for me?
In some cases, a representative or sponsor over 21 can attend for you. The Ministry allows it if you:
- have a chronic medical condition
- have a physical disability that prevents you from walking
- are 60 or older, with physical discomfort
- are expecting a baby within a month, or gave birth in the past month
You apply for the exemption online with Singpass and get the answer at once. Your representative attends at least 2 working days before you apply, and the work permit application can go in one working day after the exemption is approved. Keep the supporting documents for at least 3 months.
What happens after the EOP?
- The work permit application goes in, at least 2 working days later.
- If your helper is new to Singapore, she attends the Ministry's one-day Settling-In Programme (SIP) within 7 days of arrival, paid by you as her employer. We enrol her and take her there; with our provider it costs S$76.40 including GST.
- Read our First-time Employers Guidebook for what comes next.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (MOM): Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP), page updated 7 August 2026, checked 27 October 2026
- Ministry of Manpower (MOM): Settling-in Programme (SIP) for first-time MDWs, page updated 1 September 2025, checked 20 October 2026
- Ministry of Manpower (MOM): Frequent changes of MDWs, page updated 8 August 2025, checked 20 October 2026
FAQ
Do I need the EOP if I have hired a helper before?
No: the EOP is for first-time employers. But if you are hiring your 4th helper within 12 months, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) asks you to attend its CONNECT Workshop instead: one hour, run by the Association of Employment Agencies Singapore (AEA(S)), for S$80.
Does We Are Caring register me for the EOP?
No longer. You register directly with one of the providers that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) appoints, through the links on its EOP page. Your We Are Caring consultant tells you when to take it, so it never holds up the hiring.
Can someone take the EOP for me?
Only in the cases the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) allows, such as a chronic medical condition, a disability that prevents walking, being 60 or older with physical discomfort, or a birth within a month. A representative or sponsor over 21 then attends for you, after you apply for the exemption online with Singpass.
