No third-party for E-kad applications, says Immigration D-G

PUTRAJAYA: There will be no third party handling the issuance of the Immigration Department’s “E-kad” enforcement card for illegal workers, said Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali.

The department’s director-general said all applications for the E-kad, which begins tomorrow, could only be done at its headquarters here and the state departments.

“There are irresponsible parties who have tried to cheat workers and employers by issuing fake E-kad. We recently nabbed three individuals who issued fake cards costing RM7,000 each.

“The card is also issued free of charge, so no one should pay to apply for these cards,” said Mustafar at a press conference yesterday.

He said employers needed to be present with their employees when applying for the E-kad, and the workers must fulfil several criteria set by the department.

“The workers must be employed, free of criminal history, pass a medi- cal test and are not on the department’s watchlist.

“Those who do not fulfil these criteria will be deported,” he said.

The E-kad functions as a temporary confirmation of employment for illegal workers, to replace valid travel documents from the respective embassies.

After registration, the employers must apply for their foreign workers’ passports and permits from the embassies.

Application for the E-kad will be open from tomorrow until June 30. The E-kad would only be valid until Feb 15, 2018.

“That gives the employers enough time to complete the process of registering illegals under their employment,” said Mustafar.

“After Feb 15 next year, the department will immediately conduct a swoop on illegals and those who are caught will have to face the law. There will be no compromise.”

The card’s safety features include a QR Code, which could be scanned using a phone app, and it would contain biometric information of the employees and their employers.

The E-kad programme would only recognise illegals from 15 source countries, namely Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

The programme covered five sectors: manufacturing, construction, plantation, agriculture and service.