A domestic staff budget has two separate parts: the salary you agree with the staff member and the agency’s placement fee. Domestic Staff Provider charges a one-time fee equal to one month’s agreed salary, with no monthly commission and six-month replacement support under the written terms. Call 0334 1041114 for a role-specific discussion.
Why one headline salary is not enough
A salary figure is only useful when it describes a particular job. The same title may cover very different hours, household sizes, tasks and experience. A cook preparing one daily meal is not doing the same work as a cook managing three meal times and frequent entertaining. A driver with a fixed daytime route has a different schedule from someone asked to work split hours and evenings.
Compare offers using the same written brief. Include city, area, working days, hours, living arrangement and duties. Otherwise, a lower figure can hide a shorter schedule, fewer responsibilities or a mismatch in expectations. This guide does not publish a supposed universal market rate. Ask for current candidate expectations for your actual role and check the applicable wage requirements separately.
The cost items to separate
| Item | What it means | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly salary | Payment to the staff member for agreed work | Amount, pay date, hours and duties |
| One-time placement fee | Agency charge for a successful hire | Amount, due date and written terms |
| Accommodation and meals | Agreed living arrangements for a live-in hire | Exactly what is provided and by whom |
| Additional work | Work outside the agreed normal scope | Approval process and any agreed payment |
| Replacement cover | Agency support if the placement does not work out | Duration, conditions, procedure and exclusions |
Our placement fee and replacement policy
Our placement fee is: one month of the agreed salary as a one-time placement fee, payable once you hire. There is no recurring agency commission, and the worker’s salary is paid directly by the household to the worker. The placement includes six-month replacement support without a new placement fee under the written conditions.
Before confirming, ask for the terms covering the start of the cover period, how to request a replacement, what situations are covered and any exclusions. Replacement support should not be confused with a promise of an immediate available replacement or an automatic cash refund. Those are separate questions that should be answered in the written arrangement. Confirm the conditions for your placement with our team.
An example budget, not a salary quote
Suppose a household and a candidate agree a monthly salary of PKR 40,000. A placement fee equal to one month of that salary would also be PKR 40,000. The salary and the fee are different payments to different recipients. If both amounts fall due within the same budgeting period, that period includes PKR 80,000 across those two items.
This example explains the fee calculation only. It does not say that PKR 40,000 is a current market rate, a legal minimum or the right salary for your role. The actual salary must reflect the agreed work and applicable requirements. Salary payment timing, accommodation and any additional agreed costs may also change what needs to be set aside in the first month.
What can change a candidate’s expectations?
- A wider range of duties or more people to support.
- Longer hours, split shifts or regular evening work.
- Cuisine, vehicle or other role-specific experience.
- The location and practicality of a live-out commute.
- Live-in accommodation and the overall agreed living arrangement.
- Travel, guest meals or other additional tasks that are part of the actual brief.
How to compare two agency quotes fairly
Ask each agency to separate the staff salary from its own fee. Confirm whether the fee is one-time or recurring and when it becomes payable. Ask what happens if you interview candidates but do not proceed, if a selected candidate does not join, or if the job brief changes. The useful comparison is the written service and terms, not simply the lowest visible number.
Use the same questions about replacement cover, documents, references and practical assessments. A phrase such as “free replacement” does not explain its duration or procedure by itself. Keep a record of the terms you accepted and the contact for support. Do not infer another agency’s policy from the one described on this website.
Prepare for the salary conversation
Decide what work your household needs and which parts can be adjusted. If the initial budget does not match suitable candidates, reducing hours or splitting responsibilities differently may be more productive than keeping an unrealistic brief. Treat a candidate’s questions about duties, leave and pay as part of reaching a workable agreement.
To discuss a cook, male helper, driver or personal attendant in Islamabad or Rawalpindi, call 0334 1041114. Share the area and schedule so the conversation is tied to the actual role. Before joining, record salary, pay date, duties, rest, leave, notice and living arrangements in clear terms understood by both sides.
Questions about this guide
Do you take a monthly commission?
No. Domestic Staff Provider uses a one-time placement fee equal to one month of the agreed salary. The household pays the staff member’s salary directly.
Does six-month replacement support mean an automatic refund?
Replacement support and refunds are different. Confirm the written replacement conditions and any refund policy before agreeing to the placement.