From a 1982-founded group's Taman Molek branch to a Permas Mall agency incorporated in 2012, here are eight Johor Bahru and Skudai maid agencies, what each lists, and the Immigration rules that decide whether you can hire.
Johor Bahru households usually want an agency they can walk into, not one whose support team sits in Petaling Jaya or Cheras. All eight here list a JB or Skudai office on their own website, and we re-read those sites on 5 November 2026.
Read the cards for what each agency actually offers, then the rules below them. Immigration's income and need tests decide whether you can hire at all, so check those before paying a deposit.
What's on this list
- Mount Austin: Power One, Tazia
- Taman Molek: Kawasama, AP Regis
- Taman Pelangi: Princeton
- Skudai: AP Pyramid, Morningstar
- Permas Jaya: Lonestar
The order follows area and is not a ranking. Only AP Regis prints a price on the pages we read, and that RM15,000 is the same figure as Immigration's maximum for an Indonesian helper. We did not confirm licence numbers: the JTKSM register did not respond when we tried on 5 November, so ask each agency for its certificate. This is a companion to our nationwide guide and covers a different set of agencies.
*Cover image: AP Regis Maid Agency, training session at its centre (official website).*
Check you qualify before paying a deposit
These come from the Immigration Department's Foreign Domestic Helper page, read on 5 November 2026.
- Need. The employer and spouse should have children under 15, or parents who are ill. Income alone does not qualify you.
- Income by source country. RM7,000 a month for Indonesia. RM5,000 for the Philippines, Sri Lanka and India. RM3,000 for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
- More than one helper. A family is eligible for one. A second needs income above RM10,000, a third above RM15,000, and a fourth or more needs the Director General's approval.
- The helper. She must be female and aged 21 to 45, from Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, Laos or Nepal. Myanmar is not on that list, although Power One's homepage names it, so ask how a Myanmar placement would be approved.
- Religion and duties. Muslim employers may hire only Muslim helpers. Car washing is excluded from a helper's duties.
What it costs in 2026
For an Indonesian helper, Immigration sets a maximum of RM15,000 through an appointed Malaysia Recruitment Agency and a minimum wage of RM1,500 a month. The personal bond is RM250 for Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, RM750 for the Philippines, Sri Lanka and India, and RM1,500 for Laos and Vietnam.
Worked example (Indonesian helper, first year): RM15,000 + 12 × RM1,500 in wages + RM250 bond = RM33,250. That is before the levy, insurance and any medical treatment, which Immigration makes the employer's responsibility. Immigration's page mentions the levy on renewals but prints no amount, so get it in writing from the agency.
AP Regis says "Full agency cost only RM15,000", covering arrival paperwork, more than 300 hours of training, FOMEMA and the work permit. That line does not split by nationality, so ask whether a Filipino helper costs the same. The cap sits on the Indonesian route only, and the page sets no RM figure for other countries.
The Indonesian route has its own rules
- Agency only. Other applications can be filed by the employer or a registered agency, but Indonesian applications must go through a Malaysia Recruitment Agency and an Indonesian placement agency.
- Embassy endorsement. The Indonesian Embassy must endorse the employment contract.
- Household limit. A single household of up to six people, with the helper employed as housekeeper and family cook, child caretaker or elderly caretaker.
- Replacement. The page allows a replacement within 3 months if she did not perform her duties and 6 months if she absconded.
- Transfers. Since 16 August 2022 applications go through the Visa With Reference route, and the page says Indonesians who entered after 15 August 2022 are not eligible to be employed as helpers. Ask how she entered before agreeing to a transfer.
- The agreement is being replaced. Bernama reported on 7 October 2026 that the current Malaysia-Indonesia agreement expires in April 2027 and a new one is at the final stage. No terms were published, so ask your agency what happens to your quote if the cap changes.
After she arrives
- Within 1 month: a medical at a FOMEMA clinic and the PLKS sticker from the state Immigration office.
- Every month: pay her by the last week of the month at the latest, and keep payroll records.
- Before renewal: apply to extend within the 3 months before the pass expires, after she passes the medical.
- If she goes missing: you must report it to Immigration.
How to choose between these eight
- Pick by where you live. Mount Austin and Molek (Power One, Tazia, Kawasama, AP Regis) suit central JB and Tebrau. Skudai (AP Pyramid, Morningstar) suits Iskandar Puteri. Lonestar at Permas Mall suits Permas Jaya, Masai and Pasir Gudang.
- Pick by nationality. Indian or Sri Lankan helper: Power One. Sri Lankan also: Lonestar. Cambodian: Kawasama or Tazia.
- Pick by your schedule. Power One opens Saturday 9am to 12pm and AP Pyramid Saturday 9am to 1pm. Kawasama closes on weekends and public holidays. AP Regis takes weekends by appointment.
- Compare guarantees in writing. AP Regis states 180 days and Lonestar up to six months with terms applied. Ask what triggers a replacement and whether any fee is refunded.
- Check the licence category. A maid agency needs Licence B or C, because Licence A covers local job seekers only. Ask for the certificate and hold any Indonesian quote against RM15,000.
What we left out
AP Fomas Maid has a JB-focused website, but we could not confirm a street address from a second source. AP Together / FJ Manpower had too little verifiable detail. We also left out JB branches of brands in our nationwide guide, including Top Quick and DG Maid Agency.
