KUALA LUMPUR: Conditional employment opportunities under the Refugee Registration Document (DPP) programme will only be extended to eligible refugees who were already in Malaysia before Jan 1, 2023, and will not apply to new arrivals, says the Home Ministry.
The ministry stressed that the programme was not a pathway for refugees to settle permanently in Malaysia, obtain permanent resident (PR) status or acquire Malaysian citizenship.
It said any employment access granted to DPP holders would be temporary, limited and subject to conditions and Federal Government approval.
It also clarified that the programme was not intended to encourage or attract new refugees to enter the country.
"The government has set Jan 1, 2023, as the eligibility cut-off date. Only individuals who were already in Malaysia before that date may be considered for the programme.
"Those who entered the country after that date will not be eligible. Possession of a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) card or letter also does not automatically qualify an individual for the DPP," it said in a statement on Friday (Oct 30).
The ministry said the Federal Government would continue efforts to repatriate refugees to their countries of origin and facilitate their resettlement in third countries.
It added that the DPP programme and conditional employment access would not alter this objective, but would instead serve as a mechanism to identify, screen, document and monitor existing refugees while permanent solutions were pursued in accordance with the law.
On employment opportunities, the ministry said access would not mean that Malaysia's labour market was being opened freely to refugees.
Only individuals who met the stipulated criteria would be considered, subject to Federal Government approval and restrictions on permitted sectors and types of employment.
The initiative took into account the actual needs of industries, particularly sectors facing labour shortages in 3D (dirty, dangerous and difficult) jobs that were less sought after by local workers.
However, it stressed that employment opportunities for Malaysians would remain the priority, in line with the country's foreign worker employment policy and national security interests.
The ministry said legal employment would also allow refugees to acquire skills, work experience and verifiable employment records, potentially helping them meet the requirements for alternative resettlement pathways in third countries.
These include labour mobility programmes offered by receiving countries.
The approach would also enable the Federal Government to manage foreign labour already in Malaysia in a more controlled manner, reducing the need to bring in new foreign workers to fill certain vacancies.
All employment approvals would remain subject to Federal Government monitoring and enforcement.
The ministry described the refugee issue as a longstanding challenge spanning several decades, with significant economic, social, security and law enforcement implications.
It said the situation had placed pressure on immigration detention depot capacity, increased management costs and raised health and security risks arising from overcrowding.
The DPP programme, which began on Jan 1 this year, allows the Federal Government to take over refugee registration and status determination functions previously carried out unilaterally by UNHCR.
Through the programme, Malaysian authorities can directly conduct identity verification, biometric registration, security screening and monitoring of refugees' whereabouts.
The programme is implemented under National Security Council Directive No. 23 (2023 Revision), which outlines the roles and responsibilities of 20 ministries and government agencies.
The DPP card is classified as a form of Special Pass under Regulation 14 of the Immigration Regulations 1963. It is temporary, subject to conditions and may be cancelled or withdrawn in accordance with the law.
The ministry acknowledged that repatriating refugees, particularly those from Myanmar, required citizenship verification, cooperation from their countries of origin and consideration of prevailing security conditions.
Resettlement in third countries, meanwhile, depended on the policies and readiness of receiving nations.
It said the Home Ministry, together with the Foreign Ministry, would continue engaging countries of origin and third countries to pursue long-term solutions.
In the meantime, the DPP would ensure existing refugees were identified, monitored and managed, rather than remaining in Malaysia without proper records or oversight by the authorities.
"The DPP is not a policy for the permanent settlement of refugees in Malaysia. The Government's objective is to manage their presence in an orderly and controlled manner while efforts towards repatriation or resettlement continue," it said.
The ministry added that national security, the rule of law and the interests of Malaysians would remain the government's priorities.
