The problem with the agencies is that you don't get much info about the maid/nanny you're hiring. I was given a bunch of applications the other day at an agency but there isn't enough info to help you choose one maid over another. Height, weight, religion, education, which is usually similar for all of them and very little info to differentiate. I recently found a maid/nanny through greataupair.com which is a website that enables you to deal directly with the applicant. You can discuss your requirements at length via e-mail, conduct phone interviews, request references from the applicant and obtain contact information of previous employers. Once you've come to an agreement, you can provide an agency in Qatar with her name and contact details and they will contact her in her home country and take care of all the neccessary paperwork. I'm still waiting for mine so I don't know if I've done the right thing! Granted, I didn't ask too many questions or ask for references, just decided to go for it. I can still return her to the agency though so I have all the bases covered.