Govt pledges to shorten process of hiring foreign workers to less than 30 days

PUTRAJAYA: Putrajaya has pledged to shorten the process of recruiting foreign workers.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the government is looking to reduce the period for the whole process, which includes submission of the application by employers, approvals, issuance of visa and medical check-ups, among others, to less than 30 days.

“We see there is a space for the period to be shortened further,” he said at a joint press conference with Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar on Thursday (Jan 5).

Providing an example, Saifuddin said previously it took 30 days for employers to advertise for workers.

“Now, it will only take a day,” he said.

“This is an example of (the processes) that can be done away with,” he added.

Saifuddin said the government will ensure that the hiring process will continue to be eased to help affected economic sectors recover post-Covid-19.

On the shortage of workers from the plantation sector, Sivakumar said the purpose of the inter-ministry meeting was to discuss the matter and find a solution.

“We realise that not only the plantation industry but also several industries have been affected,” he said.

“If possible, we need to see how we can get workers as soon as possible,” he added.

In 2022, out of the 1.6 million applications received, the government had approved 676,070 foreign workers.

As of Dec 31, there were 1.45 million temporary foreign worker pass holders in the country. This includes 316,446 new recruits who were hired last year.

The shortage of foreign workers has been an ongoing issue, with trade unions across several industries including plantations having voiced their concerns.