The Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry has announced the initiation of the recruitment process for those interested in going to Malaysia as workers.
Interested workers can complete the process of going to Malaysia through registered and approved recruiting agencies.
They will also be able to undergo health examinations at authorised medical centres.
This information was provided in a press release sent by the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment today, Thursday.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Bangladesh and Malaysia on 18 December 2022, the responsibility for selecting and registering recruiting agencies falls under the Ministry of Human Resources of Malaysia. Such eligibility criteria are not only for Bangladesh; Malaysia has its own policies and qualification requirements for source countries from which it recruits workers.
During the interim government period, the process of verifying the qualifications of recruiting agencies began according to Malaysia's stipulated conditions. At one stage of the discussions, the Malaysian authorities showed some leniency in the conditions. Subsequently, a list of 423 recruiting agencies was sent to the Malaysian authorities. The current government then took responsibility.
What the current government has done
The press release stated that after taking office, the current government prioritised reopening and expanding labour markets, with special emphasis on Malaysia by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister made his first foreign visit to Malaysia. The government's priority was to ensure that the most legitimate and qualified recruiting agencies would have the opportunity to work, and the interests and migration costs of the workers would be protected. Importance was given to increasing agency participation following Malaysia's standards and the existing Memorandum of Understanding.
Malaysian authorities have registered Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), the only government recruiting agency of Bangladesh, and 25 private agencies as processing or service agencies.
Additionally, 312 more recruiting agencies have been given the opportunity to work. Registered agencies can independently find employers, collect demand letters, select workers in Bangladesh, and conduct the recruitment process in accordance with the rules.
The Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment states that at the special request of the Bangladesh government, the Malaysian authorities have agreed in principle to accept 10,000 workers completely free of cost. This is an extremely significant advancement for Bangladesh's overseas employment sector.
The worker recruitment process
According to the ministry’s press release, in the first phase, all valid and qualified recruiting agencies approved by Malaysian authorities will independently collect demand letters from the Malaysian labor market. In the second phase, the agency that collects the demand letters will be able to conduct its worker selection and recruitment process following the existing laws and regulations in Bangladesh.
In the third phase, administrative processing with the relevant Malaysian authorities will be required, such as calling visas, e-visas, or other designated government processes, with necessary assistance from BOESL and the other 25 listed processing agencies.
In the fourth phase, the relevant recruiting agency will obtain clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET). Any registered agency can do this. In other words, clearance will be done in the name of the agency that receives the demand letter. BOESL and 25 other processing agencies will be able to issue no-objection certificates for the BMET clearance.
How workers' interests will be protected
The ministry says that new employment must be created, but a worker should not bear an excessive financial burden for that job. The government wants workers to find employment opportunities in Malaysia through the most affordable, safe, and transparent process possible.
Recruiting agencies have been urged to create more employment opportunities while adhering to the country's laws and protecting the interests of the workers.
What are the next steps
The press release from the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare states that finalising authorised medical centre for health examinations for workers going to Malaysia is an ongoing process. According to the existing Memorandum of Understanding, finalising medical centres is a joint responsibility of Bangladesh and Malaysia. The Bangladesh government had requested a change to the existing medical centres. A joint representative team from Malaysia's Ministry of Health, Ministry of Human Resources, and Ministry of Home Affairs will visit Bangladesh to inspect each medical centres before granting final approval.
The statement further mentions that a decision has been made to start activities through the listed medical centres available on the relevant Malaysian website. These medical centres are regularly scrutinised by the relevant authorities in Bangladesh and must comply with local rules and regulations. If any irregularities are found, Bangladesh's authorities will be obliged to close the activities of the concerned medical centre. If new medical centres are added, they will be published on the relevant website.