More Migrants Eligible For Recruitment Under Labour Recalibration Exercise

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The Immigration Department has expanded eligibility for recruitment of undocumented migrant workers under the ongoing labour recalibration exercise, according to Immigration director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud.

Khairul Dzaimee (above) said in a statement that permission to recruit migrant workers through the recalibration programme has been expanded to all main sectors and sub-sectors, with the exception of frozen sectors.

"The Immigration Department would like to inform that relaxation of several conditions under the recalibration programme has been approved following the sixth meeting of a Home Affairs Ministry and Human Resources Minister Joint Committee on Foreign Workers Management on Oct 26.

"From the start of the programme on Nov 16 last year up to Nov 16 this year, a total of 14,788 employers and 255,909 migrant workers have registered for recruitment under several main approved sectors," Khairul Dzaimee said.

Malaysiakini understands that among the businesses still not permitted to recruit new migrant workers include laundromats and barbershops.

Meanwhile, the eligibility criteria for migrant workers have been expanded to those who held expired long-term social visit passes, as well as those who had participated in the previously launched amnesty exercises.

Khairul Dzaimee said the maximum age of eligible migrant workers has also been extended to 49-years-old, from the previous 45-years-old.

In terms of approvals, Khairul Dzaimee the Immigration Department will directly channel 70 percent of an employer's total applications, after passing through the verification stage.

"The remaining 30 percent will be subject to a decision by the Peninsula Malaysia Labour Department under the Human Resources Ministry," he said.

The government had, at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, frozen all recruitment of new migrant workers, including replacing those who had left as businesses shuttered under the lockdown. - Mkini

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