NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Yeo Wan Ling describes Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) as the “invisible workforce” powering Singapore’s care economy. With over 308,000 helpers today, they are the critical backbone helping families manage lifelong caregiving cycles from infancy to eldercare.
Ms Yeo emphasizes that successful home care depends on healthy relationships and clear communication. She highlights that many families need specialized skills for dementia care or recovery, making language training and advanced caregiving courses essential for household safety and stability.
To better support families with complex needs, she proposes raising standards for employment agencies to ensure better matching. This includes using trained care assessors instead of sales staff to help families with frail seniors or children with special needs.
Protecting worker welfare also reduces financial anxieties for Singaporean employers. Ms Yeo suggests extending affordable primary healthcare plans to helpers, preventing small ailments from becoming serious medical crises that lead to high out-of-pocket costs for households.
Ms Yeo also suggests developing flexible part-time care models and fairer levy concessions based on actual caregiving burdens rather than just age. These initiatives aim to provide financial relief and sustainable support for families facing heavy caregiving demands.
Ultimately, these proposals seek to build a compassionate care ecosystem where no family has to choose between their career and their loved ones. By investing in the skills and well-being of domestic workers, Singapore can ensure that home-based care remains a dignified, reliable, and sustainable pillar for every household.
