The Federal Government has amended the Immigration Rules 1979 to lower the minimum age for women seeking overseas employment as domestic workers, nannies and governesses from 35 to 25 years. The change opens the door for younger, employable women to pursue formal work abroad under regulated conditions.
Under the previous arrangement women in these roles were generally eligible for foreign employment only after the age of 35, with limited relaxations potentially approved down to age 30. The new provision now permits women aged 25 and above to apply for overseas domestic work, expanding access to safe and legal pathways for employment abroad.
The amendment also grants the Federal Government authority to periodically set and revise different age limits for various categories of female employment as needed. It explicitly bars any Overseas Employment Promoter from accepting or processing applications for female workers below the officially prescribed age, strengthening enforcement of the rule.
According to the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, allowing younger women to engage as overseas domestic workers will increase their participation in the international labour force, support higher remittances and enhance economic independence for women and their families while keeping protections in place through regulated frameworks.
