- Malaysia's immigration authority outlined strict eligibility rules for foreign nationals seeking to work in five major industries in the country
- Employers looking to hire foreign workers must first secure quota approval from the One Stop Centre under the Ministry of Human Resources
- Only nationals from 15 approved source countries, including India, the Philippines, and Bangladesh, qualify under the scheme
Malaysia has set out six conditions that foreign workers must meet before they can be considered for employment in the country, with only nationals from 15 approved source nations eligible to apply.
The requirements fall under Malaysia's Foreign Workers Centralised Management System, administered by the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
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Malaysia: Conditions foreign workers must meet
1. The scheme covers five sectors: manufacturing, construction, agriculture, plantation, and services.
2. Under the system, employers or companies seeking to hire foreign nationals must first obtain quota approval from the One Stop Centre, which operates under Malaysia's Ministry of Human Resources. This means individual workers cannot approach the process independently — hiring must be employer-led and government-sanctioned from the outset.
3. Age is another firm requirement. Applicants must be between 18 and 45 years old at the time of their application. Workers who fall outside this range are not eligible, regardless of other qualifications.
4. Health clearance is also mandatory. Prospective workers must undergo a medical examination at a recognised health centre in their home country and receive certification confirming they are fit for work. Malaysia maintains a list of approved health centres in each source country.
5. Additionally, applicants must not appear on any list of foreign nationals barred from entering Malaysia under Section 8(3) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963. Anyone with a prior immigration violation or prohibited entry status will be disqualified.
6. The sixth and perhaps most defining condition concerns nationality. Malaysia has designated 15 countries as approved sources for foreign labour.
Which countries are on Malaysia's approved list?
The approved countries are Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, the Philippines, and India.
Nationals from countries not on this list are not eligible under the scheme, regardless of whether they meet the other five conditions.
The selection of approved countries reflects Malaysia's longstanding bilateral labour agreements with nations across South and Southeast Asia, as well as parts of Central Asia.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng