PETALING JAYA: The deadline for foreign worker quota applications this month has been scrapped.
The Home Ministry said applications at its one-stop foreign worker management centre would remain open indefinitely following the removal of the March 31 deadline.
In a statement dated March 6 posted on its Facebook page, the ministry said employers may continue to submit their applications on a case-by-case basis, subject to existing policies on the hiring of foreign workers.
The move was in response to the needs of various work sectors and aimed at ensuring the application process for foreign worker quotas is more flexible, enabling smoother operations for employers nationwide, it said.
“The government is committed to ensuring the management of foreign workers is carried out in a more orderly, transparent and responsive manner.
“This is to support the needs of the national economy as well as the smooth operations of the various sectors,” the ministry said.
Employers may seek further clarification at osc_kdn@moha.gov.my or arrange for appointments with the ministry on related matters via https://que05-my.qbee.ee/KDN-OSC.
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The move to scrap the deadline is a much-needed break for business groups as it gives them more time to seek manpower.
The special window for foreign worker applications 2025 was announced on Dec 30 last year and was to end on Mar 31.
The deadline was scrapped two weeks ago.
On March 1, The Star reported how employers of certain industries, including the food and beverage sector, are exasperated after having dealt with setbacks and bottlenecks in the application system since the initiative was announced on Dec 31 last year.
Malaysian Employers Federation president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman had told The Star that feedback from members revealed that while industries with acute shortages had submitted their applications smoothly, others struggled with procedural and documentation requirements.
Some employers were also in the dark about the criteria and sector-specific quotas, urging authorities to provide clearer guidance and more proactive support to reduce delays and administrative burdens.
