Govt explains how 10,000 workers will be recruited in Malaysia
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Malaysia has agreed in principle to take 10,000 Bangladeshi workers completely free of cost. At the same time, the country has agreed to list 338 recruiting, processing, and service agencies from Bangladesh to send workers to the Malaysian labor market. Under the new system, approved recruiting agencies themselves will have the opportunity to find employers, collect demand letters for workers, and select workers.
This information was provided in a notification signed by Md. Shariful Islam, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, today, Thursday.
It said the government has given priority to reopening the Malaysian labor market, ensuring transparency in the recruitment process, and increasing the participation of legitimate and qualified recruiting agencies. At the same time, importance is being given to reducing workers' migration costs and protecting their interests.
Based on the qualifications set by the Malaysian authorities, the country has agreed to list a total of 338 institutions, including Bangladesh's only government recruiting agency, Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESEL), 25 private processing and service agencies, and 312 recruiting agencies.
Under the new system, listed recruiting agencies will be able to find employers in Malaysia on their own initiative and collect job demand letters. At the same time, they will be able to conduct worker selection and recruitment activities following Bangladesh's existing laws and regulations.
How Workers Will Be Recruited
The Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment says the process of sending workers to Malaysia will be completed in several stages. First, approved recruiting agencies will collect worker demand letters from Malaysian employers. Then the relevant agency will select workers following Bangladesh's laws and regulations.
In the next stage, 25 listed processing and service agencies, including BOESEL, will assist with Malaysian administrative processes such as calling visas and e-visas. After these processes are completed, the relevant recruiting agency will be able to complete the clearance process of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) according to Bangladesh's rules.
The final stage is BMET clearance. Each legitimate and qualified recruiting agency approved by the Malaysian authorities will be able to complete BMET clearance for its own workers through its own recruiting license. In other words, the agency that collects the job order and the agency that selects the workers will have to complete the workers' government clearance in Bangladesh under its own license.
The public recruiting agency Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESEL) and other 25 agencies will handle administrative processing. They will be able to issue 'No-Objection Certificates' to approved agencies for BMET clearance. Through this, each recruiting agency's own responsibility, accountability, and business independence will be maintained.
10,000 Workers Will Go at No Cost
The notification said that at the special request of the Bangladesh government, the country's authorities have agreed in principle to take 10,000 workers to Malaysia completely free of cost. However, details were not provided on how these workers will be selected, in which sectors they will be employed, and what the schedule of the recruitment process will be.
The government's goal is to increase employment opportunities as well as reduce extra financial pressure on workers. For this, recruiting agencies have been asked to conduct recruitment activities in compliance with the country's laws and while protecting the interests of workers.
List of Medical Centers Being Finalized
Work is also underway to finalize the list of approved medical centers for the health examination of workers going to Malaysia. The notification said that according to the understanding between the two countries, this list will be determined jointly by Bangladesh and Malaysia.
To quickly reopen the labor market, a decision has been taken to start activities through the remaining centers after excluding medical centers involved in controversy and irregularities from Malaysia's existing approved list.
Later, a joint delegation from Malaysia's Ministries of Health, Human Resources, and Home Affairs will come to Bangladesh and inspect the medical centers. After verification, a complete list will be prepared according to the new policy. If any new medical center is approved, it will be published on the relevant website and the list will also be provided by the ministry.
The notification also mentioned that no specific medical center will be given the opportunity to conduct health examinations alone. If irregularities are found, action will be taken against the relevant center.
Reopening the Labor Market Is the Government's Priority
The notification said that according to the memorandum of understanding signed between Bangladesh and Malaysia on December 18, 2022, the process of listing recruiting agencies is being carried out. During the interim government's time, a list of 423 recruiting agencies with necessary documents was sent to the Malaysian authorities.
After the current government took office, discussions with the relevant authorities of the country were intensified to reopen the Malaysian labor market. The government's goal is to make the recruitment process transparent, orderly, and competitive by increasing the participation of legitimate and qualified institutions.
The notification thanked Bangladesh's Prime Minister, Malaysia's Prime Minister, the country's Ministry of Human Resources, and relevant authorities for their cooperation in this initiative.
The government hopes that through the new system, employment opportunities for Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia will increase, and long-term and sustainable labor cooperation between the two countries will be further strengthened.
