KUALA LUMPUR: The government has agreed to expand the Labour Recalibration Programme to include employing foreigners in several service sub-sectors.
In a joint statement, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said these sub-sectors include restaurants, cargo, retail and wholesale, and cleaning services.
The Labour Recalibration Programme regularises illegal immigrants in the country as foreign workers who could be employed by eligible employers.
The committee meeting today also agreed to expand the programme eligibility requirements for illegal migrants in several categories, including those who had registered for the Rehiring Programme and the 6P amnesty Programme, but did not complete the application process and did not receive the temporary work visit pass.
"(The eligibility is also extended to) illegal migrants who escaped (lari) but was not reported by their employers and those who have original and valid documents from their home countries."
"The committee meeting also agreed to rope in licensed private employment agencies under the Private Employment Agencies Act 1981 to speed up the implementation of the illegal migrants Recalibration Plan."
They said however, the employers must be present at the Immigration Department to complete necessary documentation such as biometrics and others.
The committee also has decided that a moratorium be given to all foreigners working on local fishing vessels to obtain the Short Term Working Visit Pass (PLKS) up to Dec 31, 2021, after which the pass would be made mandatory.
"We also take note the cabinet's decision on April 7, to extend the PLKS validity by a year for foreign workers employed in the plantation sector.
"This extension is only given to PLKS holders whose passes are almost expiring for the 13th year with the final year's levy rate."
They added that all decisions the committee made today was to help the government restore the country's economy, and to prevent critical sectors such as construction, manufacturing, plantation and services sectors from suffering huge losses due to labour shortages.