Over 2.1 Million Foreign Workers in Malaysia — New Opportunities and Challenges for Pakistani Migrants Petaling Jaya (Malaysia): Malaysi...
Over 2.1 Million Foreign Workers in Malaysia— New Opportunities and Challenges for Pakistani Migrants
Petaling Jaya (Malaysia): Malaysia is currently home to over 2.1 million registered foreign workers, official data from the Ministry of Human Resources shows. Among them, more than 76,000 Pakistani workers are playing a vital role in the Malaysian economy — especially in construction, manufacturing, plantation, and service sectors.
Pakistanis in Malaysia’s Workforce
According to official figures as of June 30, 2025, Malaysia hosts:
- 🇧🇩 803,322 Bangladeshi workers
- 🇮🇩 543,514 Indonesian workers
- 🇳🇵 332,712 Nepali workers
- 🇵🇰 76,011 Pakistani workers
Pakistani migrants are mostly employed in semi-skilled and unskilled jobs, contributing to infrastructure development and industrial growth. However, new foreign labor policies are reshaping how employers hire international workers.
Malaysia’s New Labor Policy and Recruitment Ban
The Malaysian government has introduced a multi-tier levy system to regulate the migrant workforce. Under this system, different levies and conditions apply depending on the worker’s country of origin and skill level.
The government has also capped the share of foreign workers at 15% of the total workforce. As this limit is nearly reached, a temporary freeze on new foreign recruitment remains in place in several sectors.
This policy directly impacts Pakistani recruitment agencies and overseas employment promoters, who can now send workers only to industries where labor demand is officially approved by the Malaysian authorities.
Tighter Regulations, Safer Conditions
Every recruitment process now requires approval from the Director-General of the Department of Labor. Employers must prove genuine manpower needs before hiring. Any attempt at illegal recruitment or fake job offers can lead to heavy penalties and blacklisting.
Despite the restrictions, experts believe that legal and documented Pakistani workers now enjoy better protection in Malaysia.
Recent government initiatives — including worker insurance, social security coverage, and transparent contract verification — are making the foreign employment system more accountable.
Pakistan’s Role and Future Opportunities
For Pakistan, this evolving labor environment is both a challenge and an opportunity.
By strengthening bilateral labor agreements with Malaysia and improving visa processing transparency, Pakistan can ensure better migrant rights protection for its citizens abroad.
Experts say that skilled and semi-skilled Pakistani workers will continue to find job opportunities in Malaysia — especially in manufacturing, logistics, and technology sectors — as the country focuses on sustainable economic growth.
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