Kathmandu, October 7
Malaysia has announced that it will recruit workers from Nepal through a new system starting November 5.
Malaysia has set November 5 as the final date for recruiting workers through the Foreign Worker Centralised Management System (FWCMS).
Bestinet Sdn Bhd, which operates the recruitment system for foreign workers on behalf of the Malaysian government, issued a memo on October 6 stating that the new system would be implemented for Nepal from November 5.
Bestinet said it had set the date based on a letter from Malaysia’s Ministry of Human Resources and informed medical centres and manpower agencies accordingly.
Under the FWCMS, recruitment from Nepal will be conducted through 25 Principal Recruitment Agencies (PRAs) and 250 Associate Recruitment Agencies (ARAs). The memo states that the recruitment process will operate through the network of 275 agencies, comprising 25 PRAs and their 250 affiliated ARAs.
Bestinet said new biomedical registrations would begin through the 25 PRAs under the new arrangement.
October 15 deadline for biomedical registration under existing system
October 15 has been set as the deadline for biomedical registration under the existing system before the new arrangement takes effect.
According to Bestinet, workers’ biomedical registrations must be successfully submitted to and recorded in the FWCMS by October 15. New biomedical registrations will not be allowed under the existing arrangement after that date.
However, Bestinet clarified that the closure of biomedical registration under the existing system does not mean that the service will be suspended indefinitely.
The memo states that biomedical registration and related procedures will continue under the new system based on official system guidelines.
Processes for VDR applications to be completed by October 31
Bestinet has also instructed medical centres and recruitment agencies to complete the procedures for workers already in the recruitment process under the existing system.
Medical centres have been asked to identify workers whose identification or biometric registration, health examinations, laboratory reports, re-examinations, medical reviews or correction of details remain pending and complete the necessary procedures.
Bestinet has instructed them to submit medical examinations and results by October 31 so that eligible workers can proceed with the Visa With Reference (VDR) application process.
PRA system training on October 26
Before the new system is implemented, registration and account activation for the PRA system will begin. Bestinet has scheduled training on PRA system registration and account activation for October 26.
The training will cover document preparation, registration requirements and system operation procedures. An official link for PRA registration will be provided on November 4, after which system registration and account activation will proceed, according to the memo.
The recruitment of workers from Nepal for Malaysia will then proceed under the new PRA/ARA arrangement from November 5.
Bestinet said its role under the new system would be limited to system operation, technical arrangements, technical support and training.
It said the authority to approve or recognise recruitment agencies and make decisions regarding VDR applications would remain with the relevant government authorities.
Therefore, registration in Bestinet’s system or activation of an account alone will not mean that an agency has been officially approved or appointed by the government.
Bestinet has also instructed medical centres and recruitment agencies to preserve records of workers during the transition, avoid duplicate registrations and not charge additional fees or require fresh medical examinations solely because of the transition.
Any worker transfer, re-registration, repeat medical examination or additional payment required under the new system must be carried out only in accordance with official instructions, it said.
Bestinet said it has been operating the FWCMS and providing technical support to the Malaysian government. Its memo states that it will also manage the transition and provide technical facilitation through the system under the new PRA/ARA arrangement.
Nepal has objected to the integration of Nepali manpower agencies into the FWCMS and sent a diplomatic note to Malaysia. Nepal has maintained that any action leading to a monopoly or undermining fair competition is unacceptable and that recruitment should proceed in accordance with the labour agreement between the two countries.
Malaysia, however, has proceeded with implementation, saying the decision was made in accordance with a decision of its Cabinet.
