HIRING GUIDE 8-min read · Updated 12 November 2026

Where to find a yaya in the Philippines: every option compared

Referrals, Facebook groups, agencies, PESO, job boards or an app? An honest look at what each costs, what each checks, and when each one is the better choice.

Quick answer: Families in the Philippines find a yaya through referrals, Facebook groups, licensed agencies, city PESO offices, job boards and apps such as Pinoyaya. Referrals bring trust, agencies save time and share legal responsibility, and apps let you compare many profiles yourself. Whichever you use, check identity, sign a written contract and pay at least the minimum wage.

Want to compare helpers near you? Browse Pinoyaya free and look for the ID-Verified badge: passes from ₱399.

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We run Pinoyaya, so we have a stake in this. We have tried to be fair: every fact about another service below comes from that service's own website or from the law, with a link, checked on 12 November 2026. Where we could not confirm something, we say so.

Every option at a glance

Option	Cost to family	Cost to helper	ID check	Contract help	Speed
Referrals (family, friends, neighbours)	Usually nothing	Nothing	You check it yourself	None, use a template	Depends on your network
Facebook groups and Marketplace	Free to post	Should be nothing	None by default	None	Fast to post, slow to screen
Licensed agency (DOLE-licensed)	Agency fee, set in its contract	Nothing by law (Sec. 13, 36)	Depends on the agency: ask	Agency must include the legal terms (Sec. 36)	Depends on who they have ready
PESO (city employment office)	Free (non-fee charging)	Free	Check with your office	Check with your office	Depends on the office
Job boards (Indeed, JobStreet, Bossjob)	Indeed: free basic post, paid sponsoring; others: check their site	Free to apply	Not built for household hiring: you screen	None	Many applicants to sort
Pinoyaya app	Free to browse and post; ₱399 (7 days) or ₱699 (30 days) pass to message	Free, no commission	Optional ID check, ID-Verified badge	Free contract template	Browse profiles right away

Costs and checks for other services are as stated on their own websites on 12 November 2026 and may change. See the sources at the end.

1. Referrals from people you trust

A common route. A cousin's former yaya, a neighbour's helper's sister, someone from your parish. The big advantage is trust: someone you know has seen this person work. It usually costs nothing.

The limits: the pool is small, you may feel you cannot say no, and ending the job can strain the friendship. A recommendation is also not an ID check. Still see the original ID, call the last employer yourself, and sign a written contract (RA 10361 Sec. 11).

2. Facebook groups and Marketplace

Free, fast and busy. Many towns and subdivisions have hiring groups, and helpers post there too. You can reach a lot of people in a day.

The risks: there is usually no identity check, profiles can be fake, and scams happen, such as "agents" asking for a fee to send a helper. Talk on a call, meet in a public place, check the ID and references, and never send money to a stranger. A helper should never pay to be placed.

3. Licensed private employment agencies

Agencies find, screen and introduce candidates for you. This is where an agency is genuinely better: it saves you time, and the law makes a licensed agency jointly and severally liable with the employer for the helper's wages and benefits (RA 10361 Sec. 36). Agencies must also make sure the contract has the terms the law requires, and give both sides an orientation on their rights (Sec. 36). Some agencies offer a replacement if a placement ends early; if that matters to you, get it in their written contract.

What to know: the family pays the agency's fee, which varies. The helper must not be charged any recruitment or placement fee (Sec. 13 and Sec. 36). Before you sign, ask for the agency's DOLE license and confirm it with your DOLE regional office or hotline 1349. Read our comparison of hiring a yaya directly vs through an agency.

4. Your city's PESO

Public Employment Service Offices are run by local governments and are non-fee charging. Some list household jobs and hold job fairs. It is a good, low-risk option to try, though what each office offers for household work varies, so call yours first.

5. Job boards: Indeed, JobStreet, Bossjob

General job sites, with a lot of applicants. On its employer page, Indeed says you can start with a free job post and pay to sponsor a post for more reach. For JobStreet and Bossjob, check their employer pages for current pricing. These sites are built for company hiring, so expect to do all the sorting, ID checks and reference calls yourself.

6. Apps

Pinoyaya

Our app, for yayas, housekeepers, caregivers, cooks, drivers and tutors across the Philippines, with most helpers in Metro Manila today. Families browse profiles, post a job and see who applied for free, and buy a one-time pass to message and send offers: ₱399 for 7 days or ₱699 for 30 days, never renewing. Helpers use it free, with no placement fee and no commission. Each helper shows an asking rate. Identity checks are optional: helpers who pass carry the ID-VERIFIED badge, and not every helper has it. It is an identity check, not a background check. Pinoyaya is a marketplace, not an agency: we do not place helpers or share responsibility for wages. See about Pinoyaya.

Kazam

A Philippine app whose website describes it as "Connecting Kasambahays and Homeowners". Its website did not show pricing or checks to us without the app, so check kazam.ph for current details.

Babysits

A childcare platform with babysitter and nanny profiles in Philippine cities, including Quezon City, Manila and Cebu City. Its site says families can get started for free, with a paid Premium option, that all members complete a mandatory ID verification before messaging, and that an NBI clearance is optional. It is focused on childcare rather than housekeeping or elder care.

HelperPlace and HelperSelect

Well-known helper platforms, but built mainly for employers abroad. HelperPlace says it connects employers and helpers in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and is free for candidates. HelperSelect calls itself an ethical direct-hire platform, free for helpers to post a resume, with paid employer plans priced in US dollars. If you are hiring for a home in the Philippines, check whether they serve your area.

How to choose

You want someone already trusted: start with referrals, then check ID and references anyway.
You have no time to screen: a DOLE-licensed agency, with the fee and any replacement terms in writing.
You want to compare many people and rates yourself: an app such as Pinoyaya, plus your own interview and reference calls.
You only need a babysitter now and then: see finding a babysitter in Metro Manila.

Red flags, whichever route you use

Anyone asking the helper to pay a placement or "processing" fee. That is not allowed (RA 10361 Sec. 13).
An "agent" who will not give a DOLE license number.
Pressure to pay before you have met the person or seen an ID.
No written contract. The law requires one before work starts (Sec. 11). Use our free contract template.

Then plan the first weeks: our guides to checking background and references, setting up a trial period and the 2026 minimum wage by region cover the next steps.

Compare helpers near you

Browse yayas, housekeepers and caregivers free, see each helper's asking rate, and look for the ID-Verified badge. One-time passes from ₱399 (7 days) or ₱699 (30 days) let you message and send offers. Never renews.

Get the Pinoyaya app →

Sources

All checked on 12 November 2026. Services change their prices and features: check their sites before you decide.

Republic Act No. 10361 (Batas Kasambahay), full text: LawPhil: Sections 11, 13 and 36
PhilJobNet (DOLE): What is the PESO?
Indeed for Employers Philippines: free job post, paid sponsoring
Kazam: site description
Babysits Philippines: free start, Premium, ID verification, optional NBI clearance
HelperPlace: countries served, free for candidates
HelperSelect and its pricing page
Pinoyaya terms of service: passes, no commission, ID check

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to find a yaya in the Philippines?

There is no single best way. Referrals from people you trust bring the most trust. Licensed agencies save time and share legal responsibility for wages. Apps such as Pinoyaya let you compare many profiles and asking rates yourself. Whatever you use, check identity and references, sign a written contract, and pay at least the regional minimum.

Can an agency charge the yaya a placement fee?

No. Batas Kasambahay says no share of recruitment or finder's fees may be charged to the domestic worker (RA 10361 Sec. 13), and private employment agencies must make sure the worker is not charged any recruitment or placement fee (Sec. 36). Fees to the family are set in the agency's own contract.

Is it legal to hire a yaya without an agency?

Yes. You can hire a kasambahay directly. The same rules apply either way: a written contract before work starts (RA 10361 Sec. 11), at least the regional minimum wage, 13th-month pay, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG after one month, and a weekly rest day.

How do I check that an agency is licensed?

Ask the agency for its DOLE license and confirm it with the DOLE regional office for your area, or call DOLE's free hotline 1349. Agencies are licensed and regulated by DOLE (RA 10361 Sec. 36).

Are Facebook groups safe for finding a yaya?

They can work, but there is usually no identity check and anyone can post. Meet in a public place, see the original ID, call a past employer, and never pay a fee to a stranger who says they will send you a helper. Helpers should never pay to be placed.

Which apps can I use to find a yaya in the Philippines?

Options include Pinoyaya (yayas, housekeepers, caregivers and other household roles across the Philippines), Kazam (which describes itself as connecting kasambahays and homeowners) and Babysits (babysitters and nannies). HelperPlace and HelperSelect are built mainly for employers hiring helpers to work abroad. Check each app's own site for current prices and checks.