CNI News
18 Jan 2023
As the Malaysian government has not announced the exact date for issuance of work permits for foreign workers although it said it would do so, Myanmar nationals who intend to apply for the work permits should not make advance remittances to agents, Myanmar communities in Malaysia told the CNI.
As some agents have asked for money from work permit applicants after the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that the country would issue work permits for foreigners, he had to warn against advance remittances for permit application, U Babu Gyi, who has been helping Myanmar workers in Malaysia, told the CNI.
Detained migrant workers in Malaysia.
He said, "It is too early to pay agent fees. I want to urge them to wait until after the Chinese New Year or until February. We will have to wait and see the situation. Work permit applicants are required to carefully choose agents after considering whether they can be trusted or not because agent fees are very high and it is difficult to earn money these days. So, they are required to choose agents carefully because a lot of people have been cheated of their money. There are fake work permits. Therefore, applicants are required to wait and see the situation."
Moreover, there are some Myanmar workers who applied for work permits through agents by paying large sums of agent fees but haven't still received the documents until now.
If employers help their workers to apply for work permits, it costs a worker only 5,000 Ringgit (MMK 2.4 million) but workers have to pay agent fees from 8,000 Ringgit to 15,000 Ringgit if they apply for the documents through agents. In addition, workers who overstay their visas are liable to pay fines.
As a worker earns only 1,500 Ringgit a month, the costs for the permits is too high and there are many workers who did not apply for the documents during previous years.
Agents should not charge workers exorbitant fees from their fellow compatriots, Director General U Nyi Nyi Lwin of the Centre for Arakan Refugees told the CNI.
Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
He said, "A worker earns only 1,500 Ringgit a month or about 18,000 Ringgit a year. If they have to pay 10,000 Ringgit for agent fee, how will he pay rents, for food and healthcare services and transportation charges. It doesn't make sense. The Malaysian government should also know this. Even when the government collected 3,500 Ringgit from workers for the permits previous years, their employers complained about the fees."
The new work permits will be issued under the Rekalibrasi RTK Program adopted by the government and the permits will be issued annually by easing some restrictions.
Foreigner who intend to work in Malaysia can apply for the work permits if they have their passports and an employer who will hire them.
