THE government will consider permitting foreigners to work in more sectors three months after the implementation of the foreign workers employment relaxation plan, Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar said.

He said the plan now only allowed the recruitment of foreign workers in the manufacturing, construction, plantations, agriculture, and services sectors and sub-sectors.

“The Ministry of Human Resources and the Ministry of Home Affairs have decided to allow foreign workers in these five critical sectors, which have a high labour need. For now, the decision is to help these five sectors first,” Sivakumar in Batu Gajah, today.

“After three months, and once we have solved the problem (of shortage of foreign workers), we will consider (expanding it the plan to) the retail sector and others,” he said.

On Wednesday, Sivakumar announced that half a million foreign workers would be admitted into the country in stages.

Home Minister DSaifuddin Nasution Ismail was reported as saying that the plan allowed employers to hire foreign workers from 15 countries without having to meet quota and employment eligibility conditions.

Saifuddin also said he would be leading a delegation to the selected 15 source countries to discuss the safety and welfare of their citizens working in Malaysia. – Bernama, January 21, 2023.