At a Glance
- The main "maid of the year" award in Singapore is the AEA(S) Annual MDW and MDW Employer of the Year Awards.
- The 21st edition was held on 25 Feb 2026 at Amara Singapore, Tanjong Pagar.
- AEA(S) runs two separate nomination forms: one for helpers, one for employers.
- Helpers can nominate their employers. The 2025 and 2026 Employer of the Year winners were both nominated by their helpers.
- FAST ran an Exemplary MDW and Employer Award from 2021, with nominations last seen open in 2023.
- For questions on the AEA(S) award, call AEA(S) at 6836 2618.
Friends,
We write a lot about levies, bonds and rest days on this blog.
Today is a happier one... the awards that say thank you to good helpers (and good employers).
Our old version of this article was from 2017 and some of it no longer holds, so here is the updated picture.
What maid of the year awards are there in Singapore?
Swipe left or right to see the full table on mobile.
| Award | Organiser | Who is recognised | Latest edition we could verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDW and MDW Employer of the Year Awards | Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore), AEA(S) | Helpers and employers | 21st edition, 25 Feb 2026 |
| Exemplary MDW and Employer Award | FAST (Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training) | Helper and employer as a pair | Nominations open in 2023 (historical) |
| FDW of the Year (FDW Day) | FAST with AEA(S) and partners | Helpers | 6th FDW Day, 6 Dec 2015 (historical) |
Compiled 15 Oct 2026 from MOM speeches, AEA(S), The Straits Times and CNA. We searched for a CDE "Exemplary Employer" award and could not confirm one, so it is left out.
What is the AEA(S) MDW of the Year Award?
- An annual award by the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore), given out at its Lunar New Year lo-hei lunch.
- It has two titles: MDW of the Year and MDW Employer of the Year.
- In 2023 (18th edition), an MDW Long Service Award was also given out, according to MOM's speech that day.
- The 2026 ceremony was attended by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Mr Shawn Huang. Read his speech on MOM.
23 years
2026 MDW of the Year
Ms Lasmitri served the same family for 23 years and cares for a 96-year-old. She spent rest days on caregiving courses, including dementia and diabetes care (MOM, 25 Feb 2026).
2026
Employer of the Year
Madam Jamie Too, nominated by her helper Ms Ika, whom she encouraged to take English lessons and a diploma (The Straits Times).
26 years
2025 Employer of the Year
Ms Coreen Chua, nominated by her helper Darsiti after 26 years together (MOM).
How do I nominate my helper for MDW of the Year?
1
Go to the AEA(S) page
The latest form we found is the MDW of the Year Award 2026 page. Check aeas.org.sg for the newest year.
2
Fill in the online form
The nomination is a Google Form embedded on that page, with a direct link if the embed does not load.
3
Ask if unsure
AEA(S) lists 6836 2618 for clarification. Ask them for the closing date, as we could not confirm one.
- The forms usually go up months ahead. The 2025 forms were posted on 3 Dec 2024, for an award given out in early 2025.
- Your helper can nominate YOU on the separate Employer of the Year form. No pressure.
- The old paper form, postal address and email in our 2017 article are out of date, so please use the online form.
What was the FAST Exemplary MDW and Employer Award?
- Started in 2021 by FAST, with the theme "Mutual Care and Respect".
- It recognised the bond between a helper and her employer, judged as a pair.
- 2021 nominations opened on 17 Jul and were extended to 30 Sep. Winners were named on 21 Nov 2021 at FAST's 1st MDW and Employer Appreciation Day (MOM speech).
- The 2022 award was given out on 20 Nov 2022, at the opening of FAST Hub (MOM speech).
- MOM's Sep 2023 employer newsletter invited nominations for the 2023 award. We could not confirm a later edition, so check fast.org.sg before you plan on it.
Historical: FDW Day and FDW of the Year
FDW Day started in 2010. At the 6th FDW Day on 6 Dec 2015, Ms Pushpika was named FDW of the Year and won S$2,000 after her employer nominated her (CNA, 2015). Prize amounts for current awards are not published on the pages we checked.
What makes a strong maid of the year nomination?
Looking at what the recent winners were praised for, the common threads are:
- Long service with one family (23 and 26 years for the 2026 and 2025 stories).
- Learning on her own time, like caregiving or English courses.
- Care that goes both ways, with the employer supporting her growth too.
- Specific stories over general praise. "She learnt to do catheter care for Ma" says more than "she is very hardworking".
Looking for your own award-winning helper?
Browse helper profiles and contact them directly on Searchmaid.
Browse SearchmaidFriends, a thank-you costs nothing.
A nomination form takes maybe 15 minutes.
You know what to do.
Ray
P.S. Our 2017 version of this article said the 2nd prize paid more than the 1st prize. Even I would have aimed for 2nd... so that typo is gone now.
