Domestic work is one of the largest care jobs in the world: the International Labour Organization counts 75.6 million domestic workers, 4.5 per cent of all workers, most of them women and many of them migrants. In the UAE that often means a housemaid who lives with your family, cooks your meals and looks after your children. A thirty minute conversation decides who that person is. This guide lists the housemaid interview questions worth asking, grouped by topic, with what a good answer sounds like, the red flags to listen for and a simple way to score each candidate.
In practice, a good interview covers five things: her experience and references, the tasks your home actually needs, how she would handle real situations, how she communicates, and when she can start. Agree hours, days off and salary before you interview, ask open questions, and do not accept vague answers.
Before the interview: write the job down
Most mismatches start before the first question. Define the role first, then interview against it. Write one short page that covers:
- Duties. Cleaning, laundry and ironing, cooking, childcare, elderly care, pets. Put them in order of importance.
- Your home. Apartment or villa, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, number of people, any allergies or special diets.
- Hours and days off. A typical day, the weekly day off and how holidays will work.
- Live in or live out. If live in, describe her room and what is provided.
- Start date and pay. The salary you plan to offer and when you need her to start.
Share this summary at the start of the interview. A candidate who hears the real job can tell you honestly whether it suits her.
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Housemaid interview questions by topic
The table gives one core question per topic and what to listen for. The sections below add follow up questions.
| Topic | Core question | A good answer |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | Tell me about your last job: the family, the home and a normal day. | Specific details: home size, family members, daily routine, how long she stayed |
| References | Can I speak to your last employer? | A name and number offered without hesitation |
| Cleaning | How do you clean a bathroom from start to finish? | A clear order of work and the right product for each surface |
| Cooking | Which dishes can you cook, and for how many people? | Named dishes, portions, kitchen hygiene and food storage |
| Children or elderly | What ages have you cared for, and what did a day look like? | Ages, routines, meals, naps, safety; honest limits |
| Situations | What would you do if you broke something? | Tell the family straight away |
| Communication | How do you prefer to receive instructions? | Asks questions, confirms, keeps a list |
| Availability | When could you start, and is anything planned in the next months? | A clear date and any planned travel mentioned up front |
Experience and references
- How long have you worked as a housemaid, and in which countries?
- How many families have you worked for in the UAE, and why did each job end?
- What did you enjoy most in your last job, and what was difficult?
- May I call your previous employer? What would they say about you?
Listen for detail. “I have experience with children” tells you little; “two boys aged three and six, school runs and dinner every day” tells you a lot. When you call a reference, ask what the candidate did well and whether they would hire her again.
Cleaning, laundry and household tasks
- Walk me through how you clean a kitchen after dinner.
- Which products do you use on marble, wood and glass? Which would you never mix?
- How do you wash and iron delicate clothes and school uniforms?
- How would you organise the week in a home like ours?
Ask her to talk you through a routine rather than describe herself. Someone who has done the work will mention the order (top to bottom, dry before wet) and the details, such as sliding door tracks and AC grilles in dusty months.
Cooking
- Which cuisines and dishes can you cook without a recipe?
- Have you cooked for allergies, children or special diets?
- How do you store leftovers and keep raw meat away from other food?
Children, elderly family members and pets
- What ages have you looked after, and for how long?
- A child refuses to eat or has a tantrum. What do you do?
- Have you helped an elderly person with walking, medicines or meals?
- Are you comfortable with dogs or cats? Any allergies?
If childcare is the main job, interview for a nanny rather than a housemaid and add first aid and safety questions. You can browse profiles of housemaids and nannies on our workers pages.
Situation questions
- You break a glass vase. What do you do?
- A child in your care has a high temperature and I am not answering my phone. What do you do?
- A stranger rings the bell and says he is from building maintenance. What do you do?
- You finish your tasks early. What do you do next?
Situation questions show judgement better than any CV. Good answers are honest, put safety first and involve the family quickly.
Communication and working style
- Which languages do you speak, read and write?
- How would you like me to give you instructions: in person, on paper or by message?
- If you disagree with how I want something done, how would you tell me?
Questions to keep out of the interview
Keep every question about the job. Personal questions about religion, marriage plans, pregnancy or family planning are not about the work, can feel discriminatory and tell you nothing about how well she cleans or cares for children. Ask about availability instead, for example “Is there anything that would stop you from starting in March?”
Visa, contract, salary, leave and rest days are a different matter: they must be agreed, but the rules depend on the hiring route and change over time. Ask the licensed recruitment office or check current guidance from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) before you agree terms. Khaleej Times explains the difference between hiring through a licensed office and direct recruitment, and the Emirates News Agency summarises domestic workers’ rights. This guide does not give legal advice.
Green flags and red flags
| Green flags | Red flags |
|---|---|
| Gives specific examples from past jobs | Vague answers that never name a task or a family |
| Offers a reference without being asked twice | Cannot give any reference or contact |
| Asks about your routine, children and rules | Asks no questions about the job |
| Admits what she has not done before | Claims to do everything perfectly |
| Speaks respectfully about past employers | Blames every previous family |
One red flag is not always a deal breaker. A candidate who is nervous may give short answers; ask a follow up before you decide.
Score every candidate the same way
Interview at least two or three candidates and score each one straight after the call, before memories blur. Hiring guides such as Workable’s maid interview questions recommend the same structured approach. Rate each area from 1 to 5 and write one line of evidence next to the score.
Weight the areas that matter most to your family. For a home with a newborn, childcare answers count double; for a couple who work long hours, cleaning and cooking matter more.
Need a full time housemaid, or hourly help?
Many households start interviewing for a live in maid and realise they mainly need a clean home. A full time housemaid suits large families, daily cooking and childcare. For cleaning a few times a week, an hourly cleaner from a company is often simpler: you do not sponsor anyone, and the company vets the cleaner and replaces her if needed.
Hourly cleaners typically cost AED 30 to 45 per hour in Sharjah and AED 35 to 50 in Dubai, according to our cleaning price calculator. Our housemaid cost guide compares the options, and our guides to a part time maid in Dubai and maid service in Ajman explain how hourly visits work. In Sharjah, book through our cleaning services in Sharjah page.
Frequently asked questions
What questions should I ask a new housekeeper before hiring them?
Ask about her experience and the families she worked for, the tasks she is confident with, how she would handle situations such as a breakage or a sick child, and when she can start. Ask for a reference you can call, and share your duties, hours and day off so she can say whether the role suits her. The same checks apply when you choose a cleaning company for hourly help.
What are some common interview questions for domestic helpers?
Common questions include: tell me about your last job, why did it end, how do you clean a kitchen or bathroom, what can you cook, what ages of children have you cared for, and what would you do if you broke something. Situation questions are the most revealing because they show judgement. Structured lists such as Gulf News’ guide to hiring a maid or nanny in Dubai cover the practical side too.
What are the qualities of a good maid?
A good maid is honest, reliable and careful with your home and family. She communicates clearly, tells you about problems straight away, keeps a steady routine and is willing to learn how your household likes things done. References from previous families are the best evidence of these qualities.
What are the duties of a housemaid?
A housemaid’s duties usually include cleaning, laundry and ironing, tidying, and often cooking, shopping and helping with children or elderly family members. The exact duties depend on the agreement with the family, so list them in writing before you hire. If you only need cleaning, a regular cleaning service may cover it without a full time hire.
What questions should I ask a nanny before hiring?
Ask which ages she has cared for, what a typical day looked like, how she handles tantrums, meals and naps, and what she would do in an emergency. Ask about first aid training and screen time rules, and call at least one family she worked for. You can view nanny profiles on our workers pages.
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