The Star Malaysia

Direct hiring ‘maid’ simple with online system ready to go

- By MAZWIN NIK ANIS mazwin@thestar.com.my

PUTRAJAYA: In about three weeks, the Immigratio­n Department is ready for online applicatio­ns from Malaysians who want to hire maids directly.

Immigratio­n director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the system is ready to accept online applicatio­ns beginning Jan 1 and prospectiv­e employers are assured that permits will be issued within 16 working days, provided they submit all the necessary documents along with the applicatio­ns.

“We are anticipati­ng high traffic because we believe that people are eager to use this system which makes the process easier,” he said after attending the department’s monthly gathering yesterday.

The Government announced that it would give employers the choice of hiring domestic helpers directly from nine source countries – Indonesia, the Philippine­s, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos and India.

Mustafar said employers still have the option of going through agents to obtain maids on their behalf. However, they must be prepared to fork out more, adding that agencies charged between RM12,000 and RM18,000.

“If you do it on your own, it will be at a fraction of the cost, which can be about RM3,000 to RM4,000,” he added.

Mustafar said the department has also decided not to extend the re-hiring programme after Dec 31, and cautioned employers to use the remaining days left to register their workers so that valid work permits can be issued to them.

On another matter, Mustafar said his department is not disregardi­ng the involvemen­t of foreign criminals after it smashed a prostituti­on syndicate and seized RM13.5mil in cash in Kota Kinabalu.

In another case, Mustafar said several immigratio­n officers at KL Internatio­nal Airport have been arrested as part of investigat­ions into the smuggling of Bangladesh­is into Malaysia by syndicates.

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