"I would like to give five stars for this agency, thank you so much for always cooperate and give the best for me."
Maid Agency in Malaysia — Filipino & Indonesian Maids Since 1993
Agensi Pekerjaan PMA Sdn Bhd has been placing screened domestic helpers with families in Penang, Selangor and Kedah for over 30 years. Three offices. Licensed consultants. Support from first enquiry to contract renewal.
Find Your Helper
Serving families since 1993
Licensed by JTKSM & JIM
3 offices: Penang · Puchong · Alor Setar
Who We Are
What a Licensed Maid Agency Actually Does for You
Agensi Pekerjaan PMA Sdn Bhd is a JTKSM-licensed employment agency based in Penang, established in 1993. We place Indonesian and Filipino domestic helpers with families in Penang, Selangor and Kedah — and we have done nothing else for over 30 years.
A licensed agency handles every stage of a legal placement: sourcing and screening candidates in the country of origin, verifying documentation, preparing and lodging the work permit application with Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia, arranging the FOMEMA medical examination, obtaining the PLKS work pass, and delivering your helper to your home. We also manage PERKESO contributions, contract renewals and permit cancellations when the time comes.
That end-to-end involvement is what separates a licensed agency from an unlicensed WhatsApp contact. With PMA, the person sitting across the desk from you is accountable to JTKSM. The process is documented. And if something goes wrong, you have a licensed business to come back to — not a disconnected number.
About PMA
Regulated Sourcing
Which Countries Can Malaysian Families Hire Maids From?
Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia (JIM) maintains an approved list of source countries for domestic helpers. Recruitment outside that list is illegal regardless of who arranges it. PMA recruits from Indonesia and the Philippines only.
- Indonesia We recruit
- Philippines We recruit
Approved source countries are set by JIM and are reviewed periodically. Confirm the current list at imi.gov.my or by contacting our office.
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Provide a custom SVG map of SE Asia + South Asia with Indonesia and the Philippines highlighted. See ASSETS-NEEDED.md.
PMA in numbers
1993
Year Established
30+
Years in Operation
3
Branch Offices
2
Source Countries
Why Choose PMA
What Actually Makes the Difference
Placement is just the beginning. What happens during the selection process and in the weeks after your helper arrives determines whether the arrangement works long-term.
Screening That Goes Beyond the CV
Every candidate profile is verified for employment history, health documentation and identity before we present it. If a profile does not meet our standard, it does not reach you.
How we screen candidates
Matched to Your Household, Not a Vacancy
A family with a newborn has different needs from one caring for an elderly parent. We start with a structured consultation so your helper is selected for your specific situation.
Book a consultation
Free Replacement Guarantee
If your helper is unsuitable, we provide a replacement at no additional placement cost, subject to our replacement policy.
Ask about our guarantee
Three Offices You Can Walk Into
Penang (Burmah Road), Puchong (Bandar Puteri) and Alor Setar (Jalan Lencong Barat) — our offices are open Monday to Friday for face-to-face consultations, no appointment required.
Find your nearest office
How It Works
The 7 Steps to Hiring a Domestic Helper Through PMA
From your first call to your helper's first day — here is exactly what to expect when you hire through Agensi Pekerjaan PMA Sdn Bhd.
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Initial Consultation
Speak to a PMA consultant at our Penang, Puchong or Alor Setar office — walk in Monday to Friday, or reach us by phone or WhatsApp. We ask about your household: who needs care, daily routines, language preference, cooking style, and any specialised requirements. This conversation shapes every recommendation we make.
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Candidate Shortlist and Video Interview
We prepare a shortlist of verified profiles matched to your brief. You review employment history, skills and background at your own pace. Once you have a preferred candidate, we arrange a video call so you can ask questions directly before committing — a step that significantly reduces post-placement mismatches.
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Booking and Documentation
After selection, we collect your employer documents — identity, proof of household income, tenancy or property documents, and your employment declaration. We compile the full work permit application package and review it for completeness before submission.
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Submission to Immigration
Our team lodges the work permit application with Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia and coordinates with the Indonesian or Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur where required. We track progress and update you at each milestone — no need to follow up with the government office yourself.
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Visa Approval and Travel
Once visa approval comes through, your helper completes a mandatory pre-departure orientation programme in her home country. This government-mandated training covers Malaysian employment law, cultural expectations, household safety and practical skills. She then travels to Malaysia on an approved visa.
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Arrival, FOMEMA Medical and Work Pass
We collect your helper from the airport. Within the required timeframe she completes the FOMEMA medical examination — a government-mandated health screening for foreign domestic workers. We then process the PLKS (Pas Lawatan Kerja Sementara, the work pass) and register her with PERKESO for social security contribution.
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Placement and Follow-Up
We introduce your helper to your home, household routines and both parties' expectations. Our consultants follow up during the first month — the adjustment period when most concerns arise. For the remainder of the contract, we remain available for permit renewal coordination, levy queries and, if needed, activation of our replacement guarantee.
Our Helpers
Indonesian and Filipino Domestic Helpers
PMA places helpers from Indonesia and the Philippines only. These are the two nationalities we have recruited and placed since 1993 — the ones we know best.
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Indonesian Domestic Helper
Photo to be supplied — see ASSETS-NEEDED.md
Indonesian Maid
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Filipino Domestic Helper
Photo to be supplied — see ASSETS-NEEDED.md
Filipino Maid
Not sure which nationality suits your household? Read our Indonesian vs Filipino maid comparison guide.
Request Candidate Profiles
Est. 1993
Over 30 Years of Placements in Malaysia
Agensi Pekerjaan PMA Sdn Bhd opened its first office at 223D Burmah Road, Penang in 1993. Over three decades later, the same address remains our headquarters. In that time, PMA expanded to two additional branches — Puchong in Selangor and Alor Setar in Kedah — serving families across northern and central Malaysia.
Our focus has stayed constant through all of it: placing Indonesian and Filipino domestic helpers through a regulated, transparent process. What changes with each placement is the family's situation — a new baby, an ageing parent, a household expanding or downsizing. PMA consultants have guided families through enough of these transitions to understand that a maid placement is an introduction between two people who will share a home. It deserves more than a form and a two-week turnaround.
Thirty-plus years does not guarantee a perfect placement every time. It does mean we have encountered most of the situations that can arise, most of the paperwork that confuses first-time employers, and most of the concerns families bring to their first consultation. That experience — alongside formal JTKSM licensing — is the foundation of what we offer.
Our Difference
The Substance Behind the Service
01
Walk-In Consultations at All Three Offices
At our Penang headquarters on Burmah Road, families have been walking in for face-to-face consultations since 1993. No appointment is necessary. Bring your household details — who needs care, any specific cooking or language requirements, your budget — and a consultant will work through your options with you directly.
The same walk-in service is available at our Puchong office on Jalan Puteri 2/1 (open until 7pm for working families) and at our Alor Setar office on Jalan Lencong Barat. A 30-minute conversation in person resolves most of the uncertainty that weeks of WhatsApp enquiries cannot.
02
Candidate Screening Before You See a Profile
Every candidate we present has passed our internal review — identity verified, employment history confirmed where possible, health documentation checked, and references assessed. Profiles that do not meet our standard are not shown to employers.
After you select a shortlist, we arrange a video call with your preferred candidate. This is not just a courtesy — it is a practical step. Families who speak directly with a candidate before placement report significantly fewer first-month adjustment problems than those who hire purely from a written profile.
03
Training Relevant to Malaysian Households
Candidates we place receive preparation relevant to Malaysian family life — not generic hospitality training repurposed for domestic work. This includes halal cooking methods for Muslim households, multi-generational household dynamics, infant and child safety practices, elderly mobility assistance, and familiarity with standard Malaysian household appliances.
After-placement support photo — see ASSETS-NEEDED.md
04
After-Placement Support That Actually Responds
The first month of any placement is the highest-risk period — for the employer adjusting to a new household member, and for the helper adjusting to a new country and family. PMA consultants follow up proactively in this period. If something is not working, we address it early.
Beyond the first month, our team remains reachable for the duration of the contract: levy payment guidance, permit renewal timing, contract queries, and — when necessary — the replacement process under our guarantee policy. Clients who have been with PMA for years come back for this continuity as much as for the placement itself.
Client Stories
What Families Say About PMA
Feedback from families we have placed across Penang, Selangor and Kedah. Read more on Google →
"Thank you Ms Shirley for your best services and fast response. You are always in professional mode."
"PMA maid agency provided excellent service from start to finish. Ms Shirley Yap was professional and responsive, understood our family's needs."
"I am pleased with the service provided, especially by Ms Shirley. The trained worker supplied by the agency is also satisfactory."
"I can't say enough good things about Agensi Pekerjaan PMA! Their maids are professional, thorough, and incredibly efficient. I've been using their services for over a year now, and my home has never looked better. It's such a relief to come home to a clean house after a long day at work. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for reliable and high-quality cleaning services."
"The maids were thorough, meticulous, and incredibly detail-oriented. They even tackled areas I hadn't thought of cleaning in years! My apartment looks and feels brand new again. I'm so grateful for their hard work and dedication."
"Their maids are not only skilled cleaners but also friendly and trustworthy individuals. They treat my home with care and respect, and I appreciate the personalized service they provide. I highly recommend them."
Get Started
Your Next Step Is One Conversation Away
Tell us about your household and what you are looking for. A PMA consultant will match you with a shortlist of suitable candidates and walk you through the process — at no charge for the initial consultation.
Three offices:
Penang: 04-229 9399 · Mon–Fri 9am–6pm
Puchong: 016-4102 999 · Mon–Fri 9am–7pm
Alor Setar: 04-772 6199 · Mon–Fri 9am–6pm