KUALA LUMPUR – The Ministry of Human Resources has abolished the previous case-by-case process for foreign worker quota applications, requiring all requests to be submitted and processed through a centralised online system as part of reforms to improve transparency and efficiency.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said the move follows the Cabinet’s decision to place the One Stop Centre (OSC) for foreign worker management under Kesuma, with applications now managed through the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS).
“There is no more case-by-case. I repeat, there is no more case-by-case,” he told reporters at a special press conference at Wisma HRD Corp on July 6, as reported by Malay Mail.
Under the new system, employers must submit applications through the FWCMS, after which relevant regulatory agencies will conduct assessments and engagement sessions before submitting recommendations to the OSC for consideration.
Ramanan said the new process would eliminate physical queues and direct requests to ministry officials, ensuring applications are handled through a transparent and structured system.
“So there will be no queues, no congestion, nothing at all. Neither I, the deputy minister, the secretary-general, the deputy secretary-general nor my office is involved.
“There is no need to come and contact us, ask to meet us, request for applications to be expedited or for quotas to be granted. Everything is done through the system. Very, very transparent and very, very clear,” he said.
He said previously, employers seeking foreign workers had to secure appointments with the Home Ministry on a case-by-case basis, which often resulted in long waits and uncertainty.
“Sometimes you come from Johor, sometimes from Kedah, and you had to queue. There was no guarantee your appointment would be attended to that day,” he said.
Under the new system, employers can submit applications online, receive scheduled appointment dates and times through the FWCMS, and proceed with the approval process after assessments by regulatory agencies and the OSC.
Ramanan also rejected claims that the system lacked transparency, saying Kesuma owns the FWCMS source code and holds super administrator access.
The ministry will initially process 22,476 quota applications involving 548 companies that were previously submitted manually.
He stressed that employers must first advertise vacancies to Malaysians through MYFutureJobs and obtain approval under Section 60K of the Employment Act 1955 before applying to hire foreign workers.
“If there are no takers, if no local workers are hired, then employers may apply for foreign workers through the OSC system. But give the jobs to Malaysians first. We must look after the Malaysian workforce first before looking for foreign workers,” he said.
Ramanan said while the ministry will oversee foreign worker quota applications, the Home Ministry will retain authority to issue employment passes and work permits due to security considerations.
The minister also announced that the Cabinet has agreed for the ministry to study the establishment of a dedicated transit centre for newly arrived foreign workers to reduce airport congestion and ensure workers are collected by registered employers.
He said the proposed Foreign Worker Transit Centre would temporarily house foreign workers upon arrival before they are transported to their workplaces.
Based on preliminary estimates, the facility may need to accommodate between 1,000 and 2,000 workers at any one time.
However, Ramanan stressed that the centre would not serve as permanent accommodation or a detention facility.
