Foreign Workers In Malaysia Article

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Foreign workers in malaysia article. Malaysia needs educated and highly skilled foreign workers in the long run. A version of this article appeared in the print edition of the straits times on september 17 2016 with the headline the dilemma of having foreign workers in malaysia. Foreign labour especially the blue collar workers contributes quite significantly to the. Kuala lumpur oct 8.

A total of 1 99 million foreign workers in malaysia were registered under the temporary visiting work permit pas lawatan kerja sementara as at aug 31 this year. Restricting low skilled foreign workers who officially account for 15 per cent of the labour force the real number may be much higher is one part of that move. It is understood that the hiring of foreign workers has been frozen until year end with the government to consider allowing the construction agriculture and plantation sectors to hire foreign workers next year. But that s hurting some key industries in the country.

Malaysias invisible workforce in an interview with malaysian digest malaysian employers federation mef executive director datuk shamsuddin bardan pic said there are currently 2 8 to 2 9 million migrant workers in malaysia. The share of foreign workers in the malaysian labour force has increased substantially over the last two decades. Singapore and hong kong have both attracted a strong talented foreign pool but malaysia is the opposite we are a. Malaysia is trying to overcome its reliance on low skilled foreign workers as it tries to move up the economic ladder.

The growing presence of foreign workers in malaysia can be explained by excess demand for labour combine with rapid economic growth as well as the cheaper cost of foreign workers. This has given rise to an active debate on foreign workers impact on malaysian workers and firms and created an urgent need for an evidence based understanding of the role of foreign workers in the malaysian economy.