The temporary migration of young women from developing countries to work as maids and other unskilled occupations in richer countries is a growing phenomenon but the effect on income levels of the emigrant and the migrant - sending households is unclear. We combine a survey of Indonesian maids and factory workers in Malaysia with data from three rounds of the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) to estimate that these young women may gain an additional US$80 to US$130 per month compared to earnings had they stayed in Indonesia. The main use of remittances is to accumulate fixed assets in Indonesia.