YB Kula: Malaysians - First Priority In The National Talent Agenda

• Expatriates welcomed to fill critical gaps in workforce
• Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Human Resources together with Immigration Department to work closely with MYXpats Centre

PETALING JAYA, 28 February 2019: Minister of Human Resources YB M. Kula Segaran reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensuring Malaysians are the first priority in efforts to address the nation’s critical skills gap.

“The Government is committed to safeguarding the interests of the Malaysian workforce while balancing the need for expatriate talent, especially those with expertise needed by the priority sectors spearheading Malaysia’s economic growth,” said YB Kula in his speech at the official opening of the new Malaysia Expatriate Talent Service Centre (MYXpats Centre) today.

He added that the MYXpats Centre and Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp) will work closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM), and the industry to ensure that every angle is considered before an expatriate’s application to work in Malaysia is approved.

Among the over 16,900 companies registered on the Expatriate Services Division (ESD) system , expatriates made up only 10 per cent of total hired staff, while Malaysians made up the remaining 90 per cent, indicating a strong preference for the hiring of citizens first. The companies represent a range of workforce sizes, from 22 sectors, including Aviation, Business Services, Construction, Education, Manufacturing, and Oil and Gas.

Initiatives to encourage foreign investment
YB Kula was joined by Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, YB Datuk Mohd Azis Haji Jamman, who agreed that expatriates both complement and fill the gaps within the workforce.

“Through investments and knowledge transfer, expatriates help increase sectoral standards, attract foreign direct investment, and ensure a diverse and inclusive spirit in our thriving marketplace,” said YB Datuk Azis.

Both ministers said that the Government is committed to creating a robust talent ecosystem that will attract and enable top international investors to grow thriving businesses in Malaysia, which in turn will create jobs for local talent and promote skills transfer.

To facilitate investments from global companies to Malaysia, the Government has come up with a series of initiatives to create the right environment for investors:
 

1. System Integration for Approving Authorities, where the varying approval agencies for expatriate applications will be integrated under a single platform beginning 1 April 2019 to streamline the delivery of immigration services and security.
2. Online Payment for the Immigration Pass Fee to be made available through ESD’s online system by May 2019.

New MYXpats Centre in Penang and Johor
The Government is also committed to the opening of two MYXpats Centre branches to cater to the needs of employers and expatriates in the Northern and Southern regions. The Penang and Johor branches are expected to be ready by 2020 and will also support the growth of foreign investments in Malaysia.

MYXpats Centre is a joint initiative with the Immigration Department of Malaysia, and is overseen by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Centre serves as a one-stop service centre that processes and issues Employment Pass (EP) as well as other Immigration-related passes for eligible expatriates to work in Malaysia.


ISSUED BY TALENTCORP
28 February 2019