THE process of hiring foreign maids will only take eight days via the new Online Maid System (SMO).

Immigration Department director-general Mustafar Ali said the system will come into effect on Monday, and employers can submit applications online through SMO (http://maid-online.imi.gov.my/maid/main) to hire maids from nine selected countries – Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka , Thailand, India, Laos, Nepal, Vietnam and Cambodia.

For the employer, the process will start with the registration of an account with SMO, then registering their prospective maids and submitting the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency’s (Fomema) health screening document which is expected to take about three days.

“After receiving an application from the employer, the Immigration Department will take at least five days for the document check, approval, payment and finally, printing the Temporary Employment Visit Pass,” he told a press conference in Putrajaya yesterday.

Mustafar said SMO is a fast, accurate and cost-effective system which can eliminate the participation of agents as it will be the employers who will enter their own information and that of their maids with one password.

Mustafar said the cost borne by employers to hire a maid would be significantly lower at RM1,635, compared to between RM12,000 and RM18,000 previously.

“The government is confident that this system will increase productivity, reduce household-dependent and childcare costs.

“Besides, with this system in place Malaysians, especially those who are within the Bottom 40 (B40) bracket can now afford to hire maids and improve household living standards,” he said.

Prime Minister Najib Razak when tabling the Budget 2018 announced that the government would allow employers to hire foreign domestic helpers directly online from January 1, 2018.

Mustafar said employers must be married couples with children under 15 years, who need care and attention, children with disabilities (no age limit), an employer or spouse who is sick or ailing parents.

“A married couple (employer) can only hire one maid under the system,” he said.

Mustafar said the maids must be in the country on a valid social visit pass and not have active Temporary Employment Pass under other employers.

Foreign maids who have overstayed in Malaysia from January 1 to December 31 on a Social Visit Pass are eligible to apply but applications will only be open for a period of six months from January 1 to June 30, next year.

“Employers need to register in the system in advance and will be referred to the Enforcement Division for the compound,” he said, adding that the compound would include RM500 for the employer, maid (RM300) and special pass fee (RM100).

Any inquiries regarding the application for foreign maids can be referred directly to the Foreign Maid Unit call centre at 03-88801468 or e-mail [email protected] or refer to the Immigration  Operations Room from 8.30am to 11pm via 03-8880 1555. – Bernama, December 30, 2017.