Salary threshold for expats may be raised to protect locals

PETALING JAYA: The threshold salary for foreign professionals may be raised to protect local employees, says Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.

"A committee will be formed to look into the feasibility of raising the current salary threshold of between RM3,000 and RM5,000 for skilled foreign workers to RM5,000," he told reporters after visiting TalentCorp headquarters here Wednesday (Jan 23).

He said the move would create better employment prospects for locals seeking jobs in these fields.

"This will allow locals to take up the jobs," he added.

At present, Kulasegaran said, only 5% or about 850 foreign professional workers fell under this category.

"The number of skilled foreign workers under this category is low at only about 5% out of the 71,000 approved permits for expatriates.

"There is a downward trend in employment of foreign professionals under this category owing to stricter conditions imposed by the Home Ministry," he added.

On efforts to attract more professional Malaysians living abroad to return home to work, Kulasegaran said there had been a 20% increase in the numbers since Pakatan Harapan took over the government in May last year.

He said some 480 professional Malaysians had return home to work last year with TalentCorp setting a target of 1,000 for 2019.

There are about one million Malaysians working abroad.

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/01/23/salary-threshold-for-expats-may-be-raised-to-protect-locals/#ZPtWAX77yJO10icl.99