SINGAPORE - Maid agencies will be rated - by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Singapore's consumer watchdog and employers - in two new schemes meant to raise their service standards.

The Consumers Association of Singapore and MOM will grade agencies in the first scheme, called Trustmark. Assessment criteria will be decided by the two organisations and the industry.

Agencies will need to be graded before they are allowed to renew their licences, said Minister of State (Manpower) Sam Tan at an industry seminar on Wednesday (March 9).

They will also have to display their grading certificates prominently in their premises to help employers make an informed decision, he added.

Mr Tan said the ministry often receives feedback about how distressing it is for both employers and maids when their expectations are not well matched and this causes the employment relationship to break down.

He said: "When this happens, both the (maid) and the family feel highly stressed."

The second scheme is one in which employers rate an agency whose services they have used. The system is developed by the MOM, and employer feedback will be made public on the ministry's website.

The employer rating system will be implemented by June this year. The Trustmark scheme will be rolled out by December next year.