PUTRAJAYA: Applications for the recruitment of foreign workers are now fully processed online through the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS), says the Human Resources Ministry.
The ministry said the digitalisation initiative which started yesterday aimed to simplify the process by reducing repeated visits to government offices, shortening waiting times and making the overall procedure more organised and transparent.
However, the ministry stressed that the move does not mean that requirements for hiring foreign workers have been relaxed.
“All applications remain subject to scrutiny, relevant laws, eligibility requirements, foreign worker employment policies and reviews by the relevant Regulatory Agencies (AKS),” it said in a statement.
The ministry said the application process begins with employers obtaining prior approval to hire foreign workers under Section 60K of the Employment Act 1955, until the issuance of a Conditional Approval Letter (SKB).
The SKB can be obtained within 14 days, subject to complete applications and compliance with the stipulated requirements and criteria.
Employers can access FWCMS via www.fwcms.com.my.
Additionally, the ministry said a phased quota allocation approach is being implemented to facilitate employers’ applications following the opening of a quota for 15,000 foreign workers in the restaurant industry, as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on July 24.
“Of the quota, 5,000 foreign workers involving 1,033 employers who have undergone case-by-case interviews are currently being processed for approval,” the Bernama report quoted the statement.
In a related development, it said the proposal to establish a Foreign Worker Transit Centre to address congestion involving foreign worker arrivals at KL International Airport is being refined and will be introduced through a pilot project in the future.
