Vietnamplus

With a rapidly aging population and declining fertility, Japan had to adopt a more open-door approach towards foreign workers to staff its labour-strapped industries, with Vietnamese workers among the fastest growing groups.

The Malaysian government has pledged to review the existing system for the import of foreign workers to eradicate monopolies by companies, said Malaysian Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran on July 28.

Malaysia’s Immigration Department has pledged to further intensify operations to round up illegal immigrants in the time ahead.

The Government of Malaysia is eyeing to put in place a proper policy for foreign workers, said Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

The Thai government has reminded foreign labourers to verify their nationality and complete the authorisation process for working in Thailand by June 30, reiterating that employees and employers will face legal action if they miss the deadline.

The Malaysian government will review foreign worker agreements with all countries involved in order to reduce dependency on guest workers.

Vietnam is now home to more than 80,000 foreign workers, according to Le Quang Trung, deputy head of the Department of employment under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

The Prime Minister of Thailand has urged foreigners who seek employment in Thailand to apply for a work permit before the end of June, stressing that the government strictly follows the international rule of law when taking care of alien workers in the Kingdom.

Spokesperson of the Thai Government Sansern Kaewkamnerd has warned that foreign labourers without work permit and visa will face legal action.

Malaysian employers who force their foreign workers pay employment levy imposed by the government could be cited under the country’s Free Act 1951, according to Deputy Human Resources Minister Ismail Abd Muttalib.

A total of 47,092 illegal immigrants, including 885 children under 12 years old, were detained by the Malaysian Immigration Department throughout 2017.

The State Immigration Department of Malaysia said it started stepping up arrests of undocumented immigrants ahead of Christmas and the New Year. ​

Malaysian employers will have to pay the levy for their foreign workers from January 1, 2018.

Companies in Vietnam who wish to employ foreign employees can now apply for work permits online.

The Thai Ministry of Labour will hold discussions with related trade unions on opening restricted occupations for foreign workers.

Foreign workers in Vietnam can apply for work permits online from October 2, according to a circular recently issued by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

The number of undocumented foreign migrant workers registering to Thai authority has exceeded 700,000, the country’s Department of Employment (DOE) said on August 8, insisting it will not extend the deadline for registration.

Thailand and Myanmar have reached a deal on the issuance of official documents to Myanmar workers, allowing them to work legally in the country, according to local media.

Tens of thousands of foreign workers in Thailand returned home despite the Thai Government suspending a new labour law which was announced on June 23.

Thailand’s rice exports in the second half of this year may miss the target due to serious shortage of labourers at seaports as a direct result of the new foreign workers law.