Malaysia Reforms Foreign Worker Policies
The Home Affairs Ministry (KDN) and Human Resources Ministry have introduced two major reforms on the foreign worker management policy at their recent joint committee aimed at strengthening governance and protecting worker rights.
Co-chaired by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong, the high-level meeting saw agreement on several key decisions after deliberating four policy papers and two informational briefs.
In a landmark move, the committee approved a stricter process for managing the 'Check-Out Memo' system where employers are now mandated to be physically present at international exit points when foreign workers depart the country, mirroring the current requirement during their entry.
'Employers failing to comply face serious consequences, including being barred from applying for new worker quotas and other immigration services.
'Another breakthrough is the allowance of cross-sectoral transfers of foreign workers. Previously limited to the same employment sector and contingent on exceptional circumstances, workers can now change employers across different sectors upon approval,' KDN said in a statement.
The ministry added that the reform aligns Malaysia with international labour standards and is expected to benefit employers, workers and government agencies alike by improving labour market flexibility and protection. Related
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