Chances of a full-time qualified nanny risking her career to work without a permit is very slim. If her passport is filled with social visit endorsements, the likelihood of raising suspicion that she might be working illegally is much higher.
Even then, there are nannies who still take the risk and choose to work without a work permit. These nannies usually have no financial commitments and do so just to pass time. With as little as 2 to 3 assignments a year, there are fewer chances of them being caught.
One deterring factor against these nannies is that they are usually not too flexible and are not as experienced as full-time nannies.
Other reasons nannies are willing to take the risk might be because:
- Ministry of Manpower sets an age limit to apply for a work permit. These nannies might not qualify to apply for a work permit in this case.
- They are blacklisted by the Ministry of Manpower due to various reasons, i.e. criminal record etc.
An experienced confinement nanny would not put herself at a disadvantage by working illegally. She will expect her employer to apply for a work permit for her as she does not wish to put her career on the line or face any penalties (fine, jail or banned from coming to Singapore).