KUALA LUMPUR: The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Immigration Department will join forces to strengthen enforcement of mandatory contributions for foreign workers.
In a statement on Thursday (Dec 11), EPF said it has signed a strategic collaboration note with the Immigration Department to support the implementation of mandatory EPF contributions for non-Malaysian workers.
"This is in line with the Budget 2025 announcement made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Oct 18 last year.
"This collaboration is a key component in ensuring employer compliance with the provisions of the EPF Act 1991.
"Through system integration between EPF and the Immigration Department, both agencies will now be able to share more accurate data and in a secure manner.
"It will involve holders of the Visit Pass Temporary Employment (VPTE), Employment Pass and other valid work passes that allow them to work in Malaysia," it said, adding that the signing was held during the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly in Putrajaya on Thursday.
EPF chief operating officer Sazaliza Zainuddin said the collaboration enhances the capability of both EPF and Immigration.
"It will enhance the process of verifying worker status, strengthening transparency and expediting the registration of non-Malaysian workers.
"It is an important step in ensuring comprehensive compliance with mandatory contribution requirements.
"This collaboration marks a significant step forward in ensuring that national policies are executed with discipline, integrity and operational excellence, ultimately delivering long-term benefits to employers, workers and the broader employment ecosystem," he said.
EPF said the partnership will strengthen the system and data flow to enable an efficient verification process, especially during the implementation phase of mandatory contributions that took effect on Oct 1 this year.
"It reinforces enforcement efforts to ensure all employers fulfil their statutory responsibilities.
"To date, a total of 1.3 million workers have successfully contributed through approximately 60,000 employers, indicating a positive start to compliant and responsible employers.
"There still are employers who have not complied with the mandatory contribution requirements, thereby compromising the social protection of their non-Malaysian workers," it said.
The statement then stressed that employers who have yet to implement mandatory contributions must do so immediately to avoid penalties and legal action.
"To ensure contributions are credited accurately, employers are reminded to provide complete worker information, including their full name, passport number and EPF membership number as well.
"Employer registration can be completed online via the EPF’s official portal or at any EPF branch.
"Non-Malaysian workers holding VPTE and Employment Passes will be registered automatically without needing to visit EPF offices.
"Employers may check their workers’ registration status through the i-Akaun (Employer) portal," it said.
It added that for other categories of work passes, registration and information updates can be done at EPF offices as usual.
"Workers are encouraged to complete fingerprint registration at EPF offices from January.
"Further information regarding the mandatory contribution requirement for non-Malaysian workers can be accessed through the dedicated page on the EPF website," the statement read.
