[UPDATED] Domestic help included in Labour Recalibration Programme 2.0: Immigration DG

KUALA LUMPUR – Domestic help is one of the eight sectors in the Labour Recalibration Programme 2.0 (RTK 2.0), which means undocumented migrants could be regularised to work in Malaysia.

Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud also announced that eligible employers can start to apply online for foreign workers under the RTK 2.0 programme January 27 onwards.

“Once they have an appointment date, the employers have to go to the foreign workers division at the Immigration Department’s Putrajaya headquarters or any of its state offices together with the registered migrant employees for verification.

“The approval process will take only one day to complete. Once complete, the employers have to take their foreign workers for medical examination by the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency to ensure that they are healthy and able to work in their respective sectors.

“The next process will be the payment of recalibration fee, visas, temporary work visit pass, processing fees and levies. When all documents are complete, the employers can print the visit pass,” he was quoted as saying.

He added that the Immigration Deparment had never appointed any individual or agency as an agent or a middleman for the programme.

On the recalibration fee, Khairul Dzaimee said the fee for each foreign worker is RM1,500 for each sector.

The other seven sectors are manufacturing, construction, mining and quarrying, security guards, services, agriculture and plantations.

“There are nine source countries for foreign maids – Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.”

Previously, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the applications can be done via https://imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/myimms/main.

Saifuddin had said that the recalibration programme is open until the end of the year without putting national security at risk.

He said the move will offer a much-needed solution to the workers’ shortage while simultaneously providing the government with millions of ringgit in revenue by way of compound payments by undocumented immigrants who choose to be employed in the country.

“We charge them a certain fee, as a compound for not having complete travel documents. Last year alone, it contributed over RM700 million as government revenue.

“This way, we get to facilitate those without proper documents, the employment sector will be filled, we get their records, and we generate revenue.”

Saifuddin said in the original recalibration programme ending December 2022, a total of 418,649 undocumented immigrants were registered as legal foreign workers, while 295,425 others volunteered to be returned to their home countries.

Separately, he said the government has agreed to send a delegation to selected source countries offering foreign labour to Malaysia to update them on the new, improved policies.

He added that regardless of the hiring of foreigners, the government will ensure that the rule of law and national security will continue to be safeguarded. – The Vibes, January 18, 2023