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Ahmadul Kobir, Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s manufacturing and business community has welcomed the government’s full transition to an online system for foreign worker applications, describing the move as an important step towards greater transparency, efficiency and good governance.
Under the new system, employers no longer need to submit foreign worker applications manually or make repeated visits to government offices. Applications are now processed through the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS).
Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) president Jacob Lee Chor Kok said the digital system could significantly improve the recruitment process if it delivers faster approvals, reduces administrative complications and lowers recruitment-related costs.
He said the effectiveness of the system would ultimately depend on whether employers receive greater certainty and transparency at every stage of the application process.
In a statement, Lee welcomed the target of issuing the Conditional Approval Letter (SKB) within 14 days, describing it as a positive move towards improving government service delivery.
He, however, pointed out that the stated timeline appeared to cover several important stages, including interviews with regulatory agencies and payment of the foreign worker levy.
Lee urged the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) to clearly specify the processing time required for each stage and introduce a transparent tracking mechanism through which employers can monitor their applications from submission to approval.
He also called for pending applications from the manufacturing sector to be processed as quickly as possible to minimise disruptions to production and business operations.
The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) has meanwhile called for further measures to make the foreign worker recruitment process more practical for businesses.
ACCCIM proposed exempting employers in the agriculture and construction sectors from the requirement to advertise vacancies through the MYFutureJobs portal before applying for foreign worker quotas.
The organisation argued that employers in both sectors face persistent difficulties in attracting local workers. At present, the plantation sector is exempt from the requirement.
ACCCIM also proposed that interviews with regulatory agencies, including the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), be held on several days each week instead of being concentrated on a single day.
It further suggested holding interviews at designated locations in the northern, southern and eastern regions instead of requiring employers to travel primarily to Putrajaya.
According to ACCCIM, interviews for some industries are currently scheduled only once a week, creating additional administrative and logistical burdens for employers.
The organisation called for more interviewers to be appointed to reduce the workload and speed up the processing of applications.
KESUMA earlier announced that all applications for foreign worker recruitment would be processed online through FWCMS, ending the requirement for employers to submit applications manually or make direct visits to government offices.
The ministry said the digitalisation initiative was designed to reduce repeated visits, shorten waiting times and make the recruitment process more organised and transparent.
Industry representatives believe the online system could substantially reduce delays and administrative complications if it is implemented consistently and supported by an effective application-tracking mechanism.
The move in Malaysia comes as Bangladesh is also seeking to digitalise the process of recruiting and sending workers abroad.
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said the government was working to ensure greater transparency in information relating to the legitimacy of recruiting agencies, overseas job demands and other aspects of labour migration.
Speaking at a roundtable on August 18, he said government measures alone would not be enough to prevent irregular migration and that wider public awareness was essential.
The minister alleged that syndicates involved in sending workers abroad through illegal channels often operate for financial gain without adequately considering the safety and welfare of migrants.
He said steps were being taken to identify the routes used by such syndicates and take action against those involved. A month-long awareness campaign is also planned in several districts, including Sunamganj-Habiganj and Madaripur.
Many prospective migrants sell land or other valuable assets to finance overseas employment, the minister said. When they encounter problems after reaching another country, their families can face severe financial hardship, while some migrants even lose their lives.
He stressed the need to use mass media and social media, as well as religious institutions such as mosques, temples and churches, to raise awareness about the risks and costs associated with irregular migration.
The minister also emphasised the need to ensure that Bangladeshi workers sent overseas have the skills required by employers.
He said there had been instances in which foreign employers sought plumbers or electricians but workers without the required skills were sent instead, creating difficulties for both workers and employers.
Under a proposed approach, representatives or trainers from countries seeking workers with specific skills could be invited to Bangladesh to train and assess prospective migrants.
Workers would be selected only after the foreign representatives were satisfied with their training and competency, he said.
A similar system has already been introduced for the recruitment of 6,000 Bangladeshi drivers for the United Arab Emirates, according to the minister. He said such a system could reduce the role of middlemen and help ensure that workers are matched with jobs according to their actual skills.
The government is also considering measures to make consular and other public services easier for Bangladeshi expatriates.
Ariful Haque said many expatriates have to travel long distances to reach embassies and consulates, resulting in additional expenses and loss of working time.
The government is therefore considering providing certain services through authorised third parties, he said. It is also examining whether passports and other official documents could be delivered directly to expatriates through postal or courier services.
The minister also announced plans to introduce a ‘Probashi Card’, or Expatriate Card, for Bangladeshi citizens living abroad.
He said the initiative would be finalised under the government’s 180-day programme. The proposed card could provide expatriates with priority access to selected government services, including those related to land and sub-registry offices.
Special facilities in healthcare services are also being considered, he said, adding that a memorandum of understanding had already been signed between the relevant ministries.
As Malaysia moves to streamline foreign worker recruitment through digital platforms, Bangladesh’s parallel efforts to make overseas employment more transparent and skills-based could help address longstanding concerns over middlemen, excessive migration costs, irregular recruitment and mismatches between workers’ skills and overseas job requirements.
For both countries, however, the effectiveness of digitalisation will ultimately depend on transparent procedures, reliable monitoring, accessible grievance mechanisms and consistent implementation.