Another trade group calls for VDR deadline extension

PETALING JAYA: With a mere eight days to go, security companies have joined calls for an extension to the deadline to apply for a Visa with Reference (VDR) to clear unused quotas to bring in foreign workers.

Security Industry Association of Malaysia (PIKM) Selangor chapter chairman Datuk Dr S. Prabakaran said the security industry was previously not in the list of sectors that were required to clear the unused quotas by April 21.

However, he said he was later informed by the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) at the end of March that the sector was included.

“Failing to meet the deadline may result in unused quotas no longer being valid. They want us to pay for the Calling Visa before April 21,” he added.

The Calling Visa is a government programme to include foreign workers from 15 source countries to work legally in various sectors, especially in dirty, dangerous and difficult or 3D jobs.“The Nepal government will send us the biodata of the workers and we have to screen them via the FWCMS portal.

“This will take a few days. Once there is approval, we will then have to send it to the Immigration Department,” said Prabakaran, adding that the festive break may also prolong the process.

“Time is very limited and there is only one more week left.”

Prabakaran said a three-month extension would be ideal.

He said PIKM will be writing to the government to request an extension to the deadline. He estimated that there are 6,000 applications for 20,000 workers that are awaiting approval.

Recently, the Home Ministry extended the deadline for VDR approval letters to April 21 from March 31.

Previously, the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers and Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry had also called for an extension.