Some 200,000 foreign workers exceed work stay in Malaysia
About 200,000 foreign workers have been working between 10 to 20 years in Malaysia and some have tried to get permanent residency even though they were not qualified.
By Agencies |
PUTRAJAYA (MALAYSIA): About 200,000 foreign workers have been working between 10 to 20 years in Malaysia and some have tried to get permanent residency even though they were not qualified, Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said on Friday.
He said his ministry would overcome the problem of extended work stay as unskilled foreign workers were only allowed to work for a maximum of five years while skilled workers were allowed a maximum of 10 years.
"They can't work here forever. There are some who think they have a right to be permanent residents. They don't acquire such a right by working in this country," he told reporters at his ministry.
There were about 2.1 million foreign workers in the country, he said. Syed Hamid could not provide the information, however, on how many of them had applied for permanent residency or had been granted that status as it was not the government's policy to grant permanent residency to foreign workers.
He said his ministry would also look into the position of some companies which were given license to bring in workers but could not find work for them or provide them with places to stay.
Syed Hamid said another matter to be resolved was the problem of about 60,000 tourists who came into the country on a visa-on-arrival basis but overstayed. Syed Hamid said attention would also be paid to the approximately 750,000 drug addicts in the country.
On crime in the country, he said it was under control.
He said his ministry would overcome the problem of extended work stay as unskilled foreign workers were only allowed to work for a maximum of five years while skilled workers were allowed a maximum of 10 years.
"They can't work here forever. There are some who think they have a right to be permanent residents. They don't acquire such a right by working in this country," he told reporters at his ministry.
There were about 2.1 million foreign workers in the country, he said. Syed Hamid could not provide the information, however, on how many of them had applied for permanent residency or had been granted that status as it was not the government's policy to grant permanent residency to foreign workers.
He said his ministry would also look into the position of some companies which were given license to bring in workers but could not find work for them or provide them with places to stay.
Syed Hamid said another matter to be resolved was the problem of about 60,000 tourists who came into the country on a visa-on-arrival basis but overstayed. Syed Hamid said attention would also be paid to the approximately 750,000 drug addicts in the country.
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On crime in the country, he said it was under control.
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