Home Ministry receives 8,400 applications to legalise foreign workers

The Home Ministry has received 8,418 applications under the rehiring programme to legalise foreign wokers over four days from February 15. Its secretary-general, Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim, said these involved 8,100 applications for Indonesians, Myanmar (178) and other nationalities (140). He said the rehiring programme would continue for illegals from the 15 source countries. "The government wants to encourage employers in the country to use the opportunity to participate in the rehiring programme which started on February 15. "This follows the government's decision yesterday to suspend recruitment of all foreign workers from all source countries, including Bangladesh," he said in a statement today.    Alwi said the postponement to recruit all foreign workers was in force until the government was satisfied that industries needed them. "The government also suspended the two categories of levies while providing ample opportunities to the locals to work in sectors dominated by foreigners." At the same time, Alwi said the ministry also directed the Immigration Department to improve enforcement to ensure that all migrant workers in the country had documents and work permits. The rehiring programme can only be done online through the portal.imi.gov.my. – Bernama, February 20, 2016.]]>