KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will be implementing a rehiring programme which will provide illegal immigrants here with valid work permits and the opportunity to work legally.
The six-month programme will commence tomorrow.
State immigration director Musa Sulaiman said the initiative is part of the government’s effort to address labour shortages for sectors in which foreigners are permitted to work.
“This will allow the government to determine the number of illegal immigrants in the country, for monitoring purposes, and to meet the needs of the current security scenario.
“The rehiring programme will be carried out in a cautious and controlled manner to ensure that no fraud occurs among unscrupulous individuals who will take advantage to profit from illegal immigrants,” he said in a statement today.
Musa said the government has imposed strict conditions on immigrants and employers in the rehiring programme, whereby the immigrants must have a proper record of early admission into the country.
“Illegal immigrants (who) overstayed their visit pass (Temporary Employment) but are still working with the same or a new employer; and those (who) overstayed their social visit pass and (are) working with an employer (can qualify).
“All illegal immigrants must have no criminal record.
“The rehiring programme only applies to the agriculture, plantation, construction, manufacturing and service sectors,” he said, adding that it only involves citizens from the Philippines and Indonesia.
The state government has appointed Syarikat Inti Padu Technology to carry out the registration programme for employment and resettlement of illegal immigrants in Sabah, added Musa.
Employers with enquiries can contact the department’s Foreign Workers Division during working hours at 088-488486/088-488775 and Syarikat Inti Padu Technology at 088-201418/088-201419.