7,500 foreign worker applications pour in

PUTRAJAYA: A total of 7,500 applications for recruitment of foreign workers in the oil palm plantation sector through special exemption have been received by the Human Resources Ministry from Jan 28 to Feb 4.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said some of the applications could not be considered as the requests were from employers who were not eligible to apply for foreign workers as they were cooperatives and outsourcing companies.

“I wish to remind all employers that all application forms must be filled in by the employer themselves and they should not engage the services of any private employment agency.

“Private employment agencies only act as facilitators and cannot apply for the recruitment of foreign workers on behalf of the employers,” the minister said in a statement yesterday, reported by Bernama.

Saravanan said his ministry also received applications from employers in other sectors which would only open for application from Feb 15.

On Jan 15, Saravanan announced that online application via the website www.fwcms.com.my for the recruitment of the 32,000 foreign workers quota in the plantation sector through special exemption would start from Jan 28.