​PETALING JAYA: The Minister of Home Affairs, YB Senator Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced recently that 373,459 were brought in to the country via Visa By Reference based on employers’ applications since January to 4thDecember 2022. The said figures were part of the overall 403,869 applications received by the Immigration Department.

MEF President Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman PJN JP said that” MEF thanks and appreciates the prompt actions of the Minister of Home Affairs, YB Senator Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution on addressing the issues of foreign labour shortages faced by employers. The prompt action by the YB Senator Datuk Seri Saifuddin will ease the bottlenecks faced by businesses in their daily operations and assist them to meet their business requirements. The assurance given by the Minister of Home Affairs that the remaining 30,410 employers’ applications for foreign workers will be processed and be considered for approval within seven working days is indeed very assuring and shows the YB Senator Datuk Seri Saifuddin seriousness in addressing the issues faced by employers due to shortages of foreign labour.”

“MEF really appreciates the readiness of the YB Minister to share the relevant details of the data on the current number of foreign workers in the country as these data will assists the stakeholders to make proper assessment on the additional number of foreign workers required by their respective industries. Up to November 2022, there are 1,391,624 foreign workers with Pas Lawatan Kerja Sementara (PLKS). The distribution based on sectors among others are manufacturing (510,507), construction (308,886), plantation (160,728), services (208,425), agriculture (110,598), foreign domestic employees (92,338) and mining/quarrying (142)."

“MEF supports the policy and actions that all labour matters related to foreign workers be placed under the Ministry of Human Resources which takes the lead in the management and administration of the one stop centre on the application and processing of foreign workers employment. The MoHR is the appropriate Ministry to handle human resources issues and the issuance of visas remains with the Immigration Department of The Ministry of Home Affairs.”

Datuk Dr Syed Hussain states further that MEF hopes to meet the YB Senator Datuk Seri Saifuddin and the Minister of Human Resources YB Tuan Sivakumar soon to further address and solve the issues on shortages of foreign workers to ensure that businesses are operating at optimal level . MEF fully supports the YB Minister , Ministry of Home Affairs , YB Minister of Human Resources and the government and undertakes to work with the government and the Ministries and its agencies for a more progressive, competitive and sustainable Malaysia.

For further information, please contact the MEF Secretariat at 03-7955-7778 or fax 03-7955-9008 or email mef-hq@mef.org.my.

10 December 2022