PETALING JAYA: Malaysians working abroad can return home at any time, with jobs and career guidance available through Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd (TalentCorp) initiatives, says Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan.
The government, he said, is planning further measures to ensure stability for returning professionals.
“We are working on initiatives to have better opportunities for Malaysians to work in their home country,” he said during a corporate briefing at the TalentCorp office yesterday.
Ramanan said that neighbouring countries like Singapore are offering higher pay but their cost of living is high.
“We (the ministry) cannot view this situation on one aspect alone in terms of high salaries, but rather take a holistic approach in addressing the challenge of bringing in local talents back from abroad.”
Ramanan also highlighted a platform called MyNext, which helps students and job seekers identify suitable careers through psychometric assessments.
The platform, which is provided by TalentCorp, could help them explore career options, he said.
“You may graduate without knowing which path to take. MyNext helps you identify suitable careers and placements,” he said, when asked about the job market for young graduates.
TalentCorp group chief executive officer Edward Ling said MyNext evaluates the person’s skills, values and suitability for different roles.
“For example, if you aspire to be an artificial intelligence engineer, the platform can show you which skills you need to upskill and whether your profile fits that role.”
Ling stressed that MyNext is not limited to students or fresh graduates but those who are already in the job market seeking a career change can also use the platform to explore new opportunities.
TalentCorp chairman Wong Shu Qi highlighted the concept of “brain circulation”, referring to Malaysians working overseas who will come back to Malaysia with the knowledge they gain from abroad and with a job placement here.
“Our vision and mission now is to build industry in the country that is of high value and high growth to offer better wages and long-term opportunities so that they can return,” she said.
Wong reiterated that returning to work in Malaysia is not just about the salary but also an opportunity to be with family.
“So, we hope that with more comprehensive initiatives, we can offer far more opportunities to our talents who are considering whether they want to return to Malaysia,” she added.
TalentCorp has an existing research and report that helps industries identify persistent labour shortages in Malaysia with the annual report of MyMahir Malaysia Critical Occupations List (MyCOL).
This report by TalentCorp provides insights for Malaysians, expatriates and investors into occupations that are critical to the country’s economic transformation and remain difficult to fill.
For the 2024/2025 edition, which marks the eighth instalment of the report, 66 critical occupations were identified nationwide, including details on the states where these roles are most needed.
Wong noted that attracting Malaysians abroad to return home also depends on creating the right economic conditions.
“For example, last year, TalentCorp contributed to improving Malaysia’s competitiveness and ease of doing business,” she said, adding that this helped draw both foreign and domestic investments.
“This, in turn, creates more jobs with higher wages, making it more viable for Malaysian professionals aiming for well-paying roles to return.”
Expatriates are also welcomed to further fill in critical skill gaps and open more job opportunities in Malaysia.
TalentCorp and the Malaysian immigration have established the Malaysia Expatriate Services Centre (MYXpats) to ease the application process.
“Previously, the application process for an employment pass would take six months. With enhancements to the MYXpats programme, the process has now been shortened to just five days for applicants,” said Wong.
