PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry has no plans to reduce the RM1,500 fee to legalise and hire undocumented migrant workers under the Labour Recalibration Programme 2.0.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, said this was because the ministry had contributed about RM700 million in revenue to the government coffers under the programme.
"The policy decision is that when we decided to continue the programme, it was an important decision.
"By having this programme, we hope to achieve certain targets without making any changes to the recalibration charges. It remains status quo," he told reporters after the ministry's monthly assembly today.
He also said the programme had allowed employers to hire workers at a reasonable cost within the country.
"Recalibration occurs when employers hire undocumented migrant workers, who occasionally overstay their stay period, resulting in a certain amount of charges being imposed.
"With this, they don't have to hire migrant workers any more and (instead) employ manpower within the country. The cost is cheaper and the process involved is quicker."
On the data involving undocumented migrant workers opting to return home or continue working after registering themselves, Saifuddin said the current data would be presented at the cabinet meeting next week.
On Jan 10, the government decided to extend the Labour Recalibration Programme 2.0 until the end of this year.
Saifuddin said the programme was targeted at foreign workers who were already in the country and did not possess full documentation.
He said they could either pay the compound and continue working or opt to return to their country of origin.