Hiring of foreign workers in three sub-sectors to begin once mechanism is fine-tuned, says HR Minister

PUTRAJAYA: Applications to hire foreign workers for barbershops, goldsmiths and textile stores under the initial quota of 7,500 will only be opened once the procedures have been fine-tuned, says Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar.

He said a meeting for this purpose will be held between his ministry and the Home Ministry next week.

"For now, applications have not been opened yet. They will be opened in the near future (after the fine-tuning)," he told a press conference at a hotel here on Thursday (Sept 14).

Last week, the Cabinet agreed to allow a 7,500 quota of foreign workers for the three sub-sectors.

This followed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's announcement to allow the recruitment of foreign workers for the sub-sectors which had been frozen since 2009.

The Human Resources Ministry, the Home Ministry and the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry have been given the task of developing the appropriate mechanism for recruitment.