PUTRAJAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has confirmed that there have been no discussions to lift the current freeze for quota application and approval for foreign workers.
Saifuddin revealed this at a joint press conference between the Home and Human Resources Ministry today.
"No discussions yet (on the foreign workers quota freeze)," he said at Kompleks Setia Perkasa, here.
On Mar 1 last year, the quota application and approval for foreign workers including through the Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan was suspended for all sectors.
However, employers were also given up to 18 months to bring in foreign workers to Malaysia after paying the levy.
It is understood that some employers might have brought in the workers with or without jobs to meet the deadline.
On Oct 10 last year, the government lifted the freeze on foreign workers intake for the barber, textile and goldsmith sub-sectors.
On Dec 7, 2023, the then Human Resources Minister, V Sivakumar, said the Cabinet had not made any new deliberations on the freeze.