PUTRAJAYA: Starting Jan 1, 2018 employers nationwide are required to pay a levy for their foreign workers. The Human Resources Ministry in a statement here on Wednesday (Dec 20) said all employers must pay the levy for new foreign workers as well as for foreign workers who have renewed their Temporary Employment Visit Pass (PLKS). The levy payment ruling is already stipulated in the Employers Undertaking document which must be signed by employers before they are allowed to hire foreign workers. The Government, via the 11th Malaysia Plan, has outlined initiatives to improve the foreign workers management system in Malaysia, including limiting the employment of foreign workers to 15% of the country's total employment rate by 2020, and regulating the influx of low-skilled foreign workers through the improvement of the foreign workers levy system. However, after receiving the views and feedback from employers' organisations and taking into account the cost of doing business, the Government decided that employers nationwide pay the levy on foreign workers, starting January next year.

Source: The Star December 21, 2017 02:48 UTC