Malaysia reopens selective labour recruitment

Malaysia has reopened applications for foreign worker quotas in selected sectors and subsectors to address labour shortages while maintaining its policy of prioritising Malaysian workers.

The latest move follows a high-level government review of foreign worker management, including recruitment procedures, wages and labour-market requirements. The government has stressed that foreign recruitment must be based on actual labour-market demand and sectoral needs.

Malaysian Human Resources Minister Dato’ Sri Ramanan Ramakrishnan attended the 2/2026 Foreign Worker Cabinet Committee Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the chair, according to the reports published in Malaysian newspapers.

According to the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA), the meeting agreed that foreign worker recruitment should be based on genuine labour-market needs and the requirements of individual sectors. The ministry also reaffirmed its commitment to transparent and integrity-driven recruitment while ensuring compliance with labour laws and protection of workers’ welfare.

Under the current framework, quota applications are allowed in agriculture, plantations and mining, while selected subsectors of services, construction and manufacturing are also eligible on a case-by-case basis. Malaysia’s Home Ministry says the One Stop Centre (OSC) handles quota applications and related approvals.

For agriculture, plantations and mining, applications are permitted across all subsectors. In services, eligible areas include wholesale and retail, land warehouses, security services, metal and scrap materials, restaurants, laundry, cargo and building cleaning.

In construction, recruitment is limited to subsectors involving government projects, while manufacturing recruitment is focused on new investments under the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said applications must be submitted through agencies linked to the respective sectors, with applications subject to screening before final approval.

Applications will undergo screening by the Foreign Workers Technical Committee before final approval by the Joint Committee on Foreign Worker Management.