Applications to hire foreign workers in Malaysia are now fully processed online through the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS), with the new system taking effect on Saturday (Aug 22).
The Human Resources Ministry said the move is intended to make the application process more efficient by reducing the need for employers to repeatedly visit government offices, cutting waiting times and improving transparency.
However, the ministry stressed that the digital system does not mean employers will face fewer requirements when applying to hire foreign workers. All applications will continue to undergo scrutiny and must comply with existing laws, eligibility conditions, employment policies and assessments by the relevant Regulatory Agencies.
Under the new process, employers must first obtain prior approval to recruit foreign workers under Section 60K of the Employment Act 1955 before proceeding until the issuance of a Conditional Approval Letter (SKB).
The ministry said the SKB can be obtained within 14 days, provided applications are complete and all required conditions and criteria have been met. Employers can submit their applications through the FWCMS platform.
The latest digitalisation effort comes as the Government implements a phased approach to foreign worker quota allocations. This follows the opening of a quota for 15,000 foreign workers in the restaurant sector, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on July 24.
Of the approved quota, applications involving 5,000 foreign workers from 1,033 employers who have completed case-by-case interviews are currently being processed for approval.
Employers who have already completed their interviews, as well as those intending to submit new applications, have been advised to complete the process through FWCMS.
Meanwhile, the ministry said plans to establish a Foreign Worker Transit Centre to ease congestion involving foreign worker arrivals at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) are still being refined. The facility is expected to be introduced through a pilot project in the future.
