The Immigration Department has issued a stern warning to employers, cautioning them against the hiring of undocumented workers. Employers found in violation of the law face severe penalties, including fines ranging from RM10,000 to RM50,000, a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.
This warning comes amidst ongoing nationwide campaigns led by the Home Ministry, in collaboration with state authorities, to apprehend and deport illegal migrants. The intensified efforts aim to manage the presence of undocumented individuals within the country.
According to World Bank estimates from 2023, Malaysia’s economy relies significantly on a migrant workforce, with between 2.6 and 5.5 million documented and undocumented migrants employed across key sectors. These include manufacturing, plantations, agriculture, hospitality, and domestic work.
However, the situation in East Malaysia presents a unique challenge due to its highly porous borders. Here, workers are frequently hired across state lines to fill vacancies in the domestic care sector, where local labor is often scarce or unaffordable for households. This informal cross-border hiring highlights a complex dynamic in addressing labor demands while enforcing immigration regulations.
