GEORGE TOWN: The Government should explore allowing multinational corporations to apply for foreign workers’ permits online.

Inter (IRC) Group of Companies managing director Michael Heah said in a statement that this would help to reduce the approval lead time from two months to only two weeks.

IRC is involved in foreign manpower outsourcing and recruitment business.

“At this moment, it takes about two months for the Human Resource Ministry to issue the Job Clearing System (JCS) quota approval and another one to two weeks for the Immigration Department to issue the visas.

“The federal government should assess the needs of the individual industries in filling up the urgent vacancies instead of basing the need on the traditional ratio of local workers versus foreign workers policy,” he said.

Heah added that many developed nations such as Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea had already adopted online approval systems and flexibility importing foreign talent to complement its local talent.

“Some countries offer permanent resident (status), while others tax exemption and attractive benefits,” he said.

Heah was responding on International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed’s comment that the skilled labour shortage in the country was very serious and warranted immediate attention.

“Employing foreign talent and skilled workers should not be construed as depriving the locals of their jobs but should be viewed as creating more high added value jobs for all Malaysians, which is in line with our Prime Minister New Economic Model (NEM).

“Without them, most of our foreign investors may have to review their company business plans and relocate to other neighboring countries,” Heah said.

He added that Malaysia was now not only competing with other global nations for foreign direct investments but also competing in attracting foreign talent to work in Malaysia.

“Without them, most of our foreign investors may have to review their company business plans and relocate to other neighboring countries.”

Remark form Star paper