My Helper Is Stuck at an Indonesian Airport: What Should I Do?
If your new helper is stopped at an Indonesian airport or port, it is almost always because her hiring skipped Indonesia's official process. Indonesia requires its migrant workers to leave through a licensed placement company, with training, a medical check-up and social security. We Are Caring can take over and bring her to Singapore legally.
By Sam Syahrul, Growth Manager · EA personnel reg. no. R2095330
Published 27 October 2026 · Last checked 27 October 2026 · 3 min read
Why is she stopped at the airport?
Indonesia's law on the protection of its migrant workers (Law No. 18 of 2017) requires anyone leaving to work abroad to go through official channels. For a domestic helper going to Singapore, that means a licensed placement company in Indonesia, working with a licensed agency in Singapore. Officers at airports and ports check that a departing worker has gone through that process.
Indonesia began tightening these checks in mid-2023 to prevent human trafficking. At the time, its Embassy in Singapore said agencies hiring through the official channels, with complete documents, would not be affected. A work permit approval from Singapore is not enough on its own. In March 2025, officers in Batam stopped a woman travelling to Singapore to work as a domestic helper: she had the In-Principle Approval (IPA) from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), but no competency certificate and no BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, Indonesia's social security for workers. She had already tried to leave from another Batam port, Harbour Bay, the day before. In June 2025, another woman with only her passport, an IPA and a ferry ticket was stopped at a Batam port. Indonesia's Ministry of Migrant Worker Protection (KP2MI) says it prevented 6,555 non-procedural departures of Indonesian migrant workers, to all destinations, between October 2024 and 5 October 2026.
What does the official process include?
Through a licensed placement company in Indonesia, your helper:
- registers as a migrant worker with the Indonesian authorities
- is assessed for domestic work, with training where needed
- has a medical check-up in Indonesia
- is enrolled in BPJS Ketenagakerjaan
- attends a pre-departure orientation
At We Are Caring, our partner agency in Indonesia arranges each step. We pay its fees, shown at cost on our Pricing page: your helper pays nothing.
What should I do if she has been stopped?
- Don't send her to try again from another airport or port. The same checks apply everywhere, including the ferry terminals in Batam, and anyone who arranges a trip without the documents can face a police investigation.
- Contact a licensed agency that works with a licensed partner in Indonesia. We Are Caring is accredited by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Singapore and works with a licensed partner agency in Indonesia. We cancel her current In-Principle Approval on your behalf and apply for a new one.
- Let the process run. Once she is in the official process, bringing her to Singapore usually takes about 4 weeks.
Why the official process protects you too
Following the process is not only a legal requirement. It also protects your family and your helper:
- Her health is checked before she travels, so a condition is found and treated in Indonesia, not after she arrives.
- She is prepared for the work and knows her rights before she starts.
- She has social security in Indonesia if something goes wrong.
- You don't lose a flight ticket or weeks of waiting when she is stopped at departure.
"When the immigration officer stopped me, I didn't know I had done something wrong! … They guided me through the entire process, the training requirements, the medical checkups, the documentation etc." (Aprilia, a helper We Are Caring brought to Singapore in 2024)
How much does it cost?
Our service fee is S$1,295 + GST, the same as for any hire. For a helper from Indonesia, the total upfront cost, including our partner agency's fees, her documents and her medical check-up in Singapore, is S$3,395.55. Her flight is paid by the employer and is not included. Every fee is on our Pricing page
Sources
- ANTARA: a prospective migrant worker bound for Singapore stopped in Batam (in Indonesian), 11 March 2025, checked 20 October 2026
- ANTARA: an illegal placement to Singapore stopped at Harbour Bay port, Batam (in Indonesian), 6 June 2025, checked 20 October 2026
- ANTARA: KP2MI prevented 6,555 non-procedural placements in two years (in Indonesian), 5 October 2026, checked 20 October 2026
- CNA: Singapore families hiring new Indonesian domestic workers may face delays, 26 June 2023, checked 27 October 2026
Hiring a Helper from Overseas: the Philippines, Indonesia and MoreHire a helper from the Philippines, Indonesia and more. Processing takes 3 to 4 weeks from the Philippines or Indonesia once you have chosen her.FAQ
Can she try again from Batam or another airport?
No. Officers at Indonesian airports and ports, including the ferry terminals in Batam, check the same documents. In 2025, women travelling to Singapore as domestic workers with only an In-Principle Approval were stopped at Batam's ports, and the people who arranged their trips were handed to the police.
Does my helper pay anything when We Are Caring takes over?
No. Our partner agency in Indonesia charges her nothing: We Are Caring pays its fees, which are shown at cost on our Pricing page. She has no placement fee and no salary deduction.
Can I keep the IPA I already have?
No. We cancel it for you and apply for a new one as part of the official process. The new application fee is included in our total cost.
How long does it take to bring her legally?
About 4 weeks once you have chosen her. Everything she needs before departure is done in that time.