The minimum salary for Filipino maids will rise to $570 from May 1 to keep pace with exchange rate fluctuations, said the Philippine Overseas Labour Office in Singapore.

In a letter to its accredited employment agencies here, the office said it will also require agencies to submit more documents and will conduct random checks to deter employers from deducting maids' salaries.

The new rules and checks are prompted by recent reports of Filipino maids having their salaries deducted for up to eight months to pay for placement fees - an illegal practice.

In the letter, dated March 29, labour attache Ramon Pastrana noted that the minimum salary is set at US$400 (S$559).

Both the Philippines and Indonesia raised the minimum salaries for maids here from $500 to $550 in the last two years.

Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) president K. Jayaprema said the increase is unlikely to have a major impact on hiring Filipinas, as employers prefer their skills and language abilities.

But the extra checks and document submissions may be tedious, she added.

Joanna Seow