Malaysia Uplifts Freeze on Foreign Workers

 In The Textiles and Apparel Sub-Sectors

The Government on 17 July 2009 has agreed to uplift the freeze on foreign workers in the electrical, electronics (E&E) and textiles and apparel sub-sectors. However, the freeze on Bangladeshi would remain.  

With this decision, employers in these sub-sectors are allowed to recruit foreign workers, subject to the current ratio of local workers to foreign workers of 2:1 for E & E companies and 1:3 for export-oriented textiles and apparel companies.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the committee had also agreed that foreign workers, except for domestic maids, would NOT be allowed to remain in the country for more than five years.

“They can re-apply for an extension of their work permits, but they will have to go home first.”

Besides, according to Datuk Ismail Abdul Rahim, Director General of the Labour Department, NO levy deduction would be allowed for new employees registered after April 1. The rationale to get employers to bear the levy is to discourage them from employing foreigners.

Applications for foreign workers can be submitted to One Stop Centre (OSC), Foreign Worker Division, Ministry of Home Affairs at:

Bahagian Pengurusan Pekerja Asing,

Kementerian Dalam Negeri,

Aras 4, Blok 2G4 (PODIUM), Percint 2, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Putrajaya

GL : 603-8880 1343       Fax : 603-8880 1324     Website : www.moha.gov.my

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