ASEAN – GlobalRAWS

Malaysia Recruitment Reforms: Ethical Hiring and 10,000 Jobs

Malaysia has long been an important employment destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers, particularly in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and service industries. However, repeated recruitment suspensions, excessive migration costs, and concerns over worker exploitation have raised questions about the sustainability of the recruitment system. Recent developments suggest that Bangladesh and Malaysia are making another attempt to strengthen their labour recruitment relationship. In October 2026, Bangladesh announced the reopening of recruitment to Malaysia, alongside a proposed zero-cost recruitment initiative for 10,000 Bangladeshi workers. While these developments represent a potential opportunity, they also raise an important question: how can both countries establish a recruitment system that protects workers, supports employers, and prevents the problems experienced in previous recruitment cycles? Malaysia Agrees in Principle to Recruit 10,000 Bangladeshi Workers at Zero Cost On October 15, 2026, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment announced that Malaysia had agreed in principle to recruit 10,000 Bangladeshi workers without requiring them to pay migration-related costs. The announcement came as part of broader efforts to reopen Malaysia’s labour market to Bangladeshi workers after more than two years of restricted recruitment. According to the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), Malaysian authorities have agreed to enlist 338 Bangladeshi recruitment-related entities. These include the government-owned Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), 25 private processing or service agencies, and 312 recruiting agencies. Under the proposed arrangement, approved recruiting agencies can independently identify Malaysian employers, collect job demand letters, and select suitable workers. BOESL and the designated processing agencies will assist with administrative requirements, including calling visas and e-visas. Recruiting agencies will then complete the necessary procedures and obtain clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET). The zero-cost initiative is particularly significant because high recruitment expenses have historically been a major concern for Bangladeshi workers seeking employment in Malaysia. However, the announcement should not be confused with the completion of recruitment. Malaysia’s agreement remains an agreement in principle, and reports published on October 16 indicated that detailed eligibility criteria, departure schedules, and some recruitment procedures had not yet been clarified. The successful implementation of the initiative will depend on transparent worker selection, verified employment opportunities, and effective oversight of recruitment expenses. Why Malaysia’s Recruitment System Needs Reform Bangladesh and Malaysia have maintained labour recruitment arrangements for decades, but the process has experienced several interruptions. According to an October 2026 investigation published by Global Voices, Malaysia suspended recruitment of Bangladeshi workers in 2018 following allegations involving recruitment syndicates and excessive costs. Recruitment resumed in subsequent years before another suspension in 2024. One recurring concern has been the difference between officially approved recruitment expenses and the amounts workers actually paid. Reporting by The Daily Star in October 2026, citing research by the nonprofit organisation Verité, indicated that Bangladeshi workers paid an average of approximately BDT 544,000 to secure employment in Malaysia during the 2022–2024 recruitment period, compared with a government-fixed migration cost of BDT 78,990. Such financial burdens can leave workers heavily indebted before their employment even begins. If wages are lower than expected, working conditions change, or employment is delayed, recovering these expenses becomes increasingly difficult. These experiences demonstrate why reopening a labour market must involve more than increasing the number of participating agencies. Recruitment practices need to become more transparent, accountable, and financially sustainable. What Ethical Recruitment Should Look Like Ethical recruitment begins with the principle that workers should have access to genuine employment opportunities without facing deception, unreasonable financial burdens, or exploitation. The International Labour Organization (ILO), through its General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment, states that workers and jobseekers should not bear recruitment fees or related costs. Applying this principle requires cooperation among employers, recruitment agencies, and relevant authorities in both the country of origin and the destination country. Transparent Recruitment Costs Recruitment expenses should be clearly identified before any employment arrangement proceeds. Workers should understand which costs apply, who is responsible for paying them, and whether any payment is permitted under the relevant rules. The ILO’s fair recruitment principles support an employer-pays approach in which workers do not bear recruitment fees or related costs. For recruitment agencies, transparency also means maintaining accurate records, providing appropriate documentation, and preventing unauthorised intermediaries from collecting additional payments. Verified Employers and Clear Employment Contracts A legitimate recruitment process must begin with a genuine employer and an identifiable job opportunity. Before workers are selected, recruitment partners should verify the employer’s identity, job demand, workplace location, salary, employment conditions, and applicable immigration requirements. Employment contracts should clearly describe the worker’s duties, wages, working hours, benefits, accommodation arrangements, and other relevant conditions. Workers should receive this information in a language they understand before departure. This reduces the possibility of misunderstandings, misleading job offers, and differences between promised and actual employment conditions. Worker Protection Beyond Recruitment Ethical recruitment does not end when a worker receives a visa or arrives in the destination country. Workers should have access to information about their employment rights, relevant authorities, and available complaint mechanisms. Their identity documents should remain accessible to them, and employers should respect contractual obligations concerning wages, working conditions, and other agreed benefits. Effective communication between employers, workers, and recruitment partners can also help identify problems before they develop into serious disputes. Why Ethical Recruitment Matters to International Employers Responsible recruitment benefits employers as well as workers. When candidates are selected through verified procedures and receive accurate information about their jobs, employers can establish clearer expectations before deployment. Skills assessments and experience verification can help improve the match between a worker’s abilities and the responsibilities of the position. Transparent employment terms may also reduce misunderstandings, recruitment disputes, and avoidable workforce turnover. For employers operating across multiple countries, ethical recruitment practices can support stronger compliance processes and more reliable workforce planning. The Malaysia-Bangladesh recruitment experience illustrates why recruitment quality should be measured not only by the number of workers deployed, but also by the conditions under which they are recruited and employed. Building Responsible International Recruitment Partnerships Recruitment agencies and international workforce suppliers play an

Why global labour shortages continue: skills, safety and childcare matter

By GlobalRAWS Research Team Published: August 31, 2026 A labour shortage does not always mean that a country has too few people. The real problem may be missing skills, weak training systems, unsafe workplaces, poor job matching, or a lack of childcare. Evidence from Germany, the United States, Vietnam, Nigeria, Malaysia, Australia, and South Africa shows that worker shortages have many different causes. Germany Has Workers, but Not Always the Right Match Germany’s official skilled-worker portal identifies strong demand for nurses, doctors, engineers, IT specialists, craftspeople, transport workers, and green-energy professionals. However, Germany’s Economy Ministry says the country does not have a nationwide shortage in every occupation. The gaps are concentrated in particular sectors and regions. At the same time, up to 1.2 million people aged 15 to 29 may be outside employment, education, or training. This estimate depends on the age group and statistical definition used. This is a skills-matching problem. Available workers may lack the qualifications, language ability, location, or support needed for open jobs. US Trades Need More Trained Workers A 2026 Lightcast study estimated a shortage of 1.3 million skilled-trade workers in the United States. The study identified around 2.1 million openings each year, with roughly three openings for every person completing a relevant training programme. Retirements were estimated to create about 40 percent of annual openings. These figures are an industry estimate, not an official vacancy count. However, they show why apprenticeships, technical education, and certification are important. Vietnam Has Orders but Lacks Technical Skills Supporting-industry companies in Hanoi report that worker shortages are affecting production. Tomeco planned to recruit around 160 workers for a new factory but had hired only about 70. The company said some orders could not be completed on schedule because it lacked enough trained workers. Technical employees may need months of workplace training before they can meet production and international quality standards. Automation also means workers must operate, monitor, and maintain new systems. The problem is therefore not only finding people. It is finding people who can perform the job. Safety Is Driving Healthcare Workers Away Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis is adding to its healthcare staffing problems. BusinessDay, citing the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, reported that 91 health workers were kidnapped and 15 were killed across 101 incidents between 2023 and 2025. Insecurity can force medical workers to leave rural facilities or move abroad. When one health worker disappears from a poorly staffed community, thousands of patients may lose access to care. Specialist training also matters. A CodeBlue commentary described how Malaysia’s private dialysis centres depend on nurses with post-basic renal qualifications. These nurses manage complex machines, vascular access, and life-threatening emergencies. Losing one specialist nurse is not the same as losing a worker who can be replaced quickly. Childcare Is Also Workforce Infrastructure Some parents cannot enter or remain in employment because childcare is unavailable or too expensive. Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed that around 700,000 parents with children under 15 were out of work in 2022 to 2023. About 85 percent were mothers. Caring for children was the main barrier reported by many parents. Among mothers who wanted work or more hours but were unavailable, about 28 percent said childcare was unavailable, fully booked, or absent from their area. A 2026 US analysis found that 46 percent of children aged five and under lived in licensed childcare deserts in 2025. The share exceeded 70 percent in rural communities. South Africa Disputes the Simple Shortage Story South Africa’s Labour Minister, Nomakhosazana Meth, rejected the claim that South Africans are unwilling to work. She argued that the larger problem is a shortage of employment opportunities. The government still accepts that some critical skills are scarce. However, it wants employers to recruit locally first and use foreign workers lawfully when genuine gaps remain. This shows why shortage claims require occupation-level evidence. High unemployment and shortages in specific professions can exist at the same time. The Main Lesson Worker shortages require more than recruitment. Effective responses may include: A shortage report is not automatic permission to recruit internationally. Employers must still follow local-hiring rules, professional licensing, immigration requirements, and worker-protection standards. Sources

The global healthcare staffing crisis: lessons from Sarawak, Australia and Florida

Healthcare worker shortages are appearing in very different regions. The causes include ageing populations, unfilled rural posts, limited training capacity, professional licensing, and workers leaving difficult jobs. The evidence from Sarawak, Australia, and Florida shows that one recruitment campaign cannot solve the global nurse and doctor shortage. Sarawak has current public-sector vacancies Malaysia’s Health Ministry reported major healthcare gaps in Sarawak as of June 30, 2026. The public system had vacancies for: The vacancy rates were 30 percent for medical officers, 28 percent for specialists, and 15 percent for nurses. Sarawak also reported a 43 percent no-show rate among medical officers offered permanent positions in the previous year. This suggests that offering jobs is not enough. Location, working conditions, career development, and retention also matter. Australia shows a wider skills problem Australia’s 2025 Occupation Shortage List found that 29 percent of assessed occupations were in shortage. Nearly half of trade roles and two in five professional occupations remained in shortage. Health, education, and construction were among the main pressure areas. The Australian data is a point-in-time labour-market assessment. It does not mean that every healthcare occupation is open to international recruitment. Employers, immigration authorities, and professional regulators apply separate rules. Healthcare workers must normally complete professional registration before they can practise. Florida’s figures are forecasts Florida’s healthcare numbers should be described as future projections, not current vacancies. A workforce analysis cited by Florida State University projected that the state could face a shortage of about 18,000 physicians and nearly 60,000 nurses by 2035. Florida’s population is growing and ageing. Many existing doctors and nurses are also approaching retirement. These changes are expected to increase demand while reducing part of the current workforce. Rural North Florida faces an additional problem. Some communities already have limited access to primary and specialist care. A state may have many professionals in major cities while rural areas remain seriously underserved. Training capacity limits the supply Healthcare workers need years of education and supervised clinical experience. A shortage cannot be solved by adding classroom seats alone. Important training barriers include: The Florida Center for Nursing has identified faculty, preceptor, workload, mentoring, and compensation problems as barriers to increasing the nursing workforce. This means the supply pipeline can remain slow even when many students want to enter nursing. International recruitment has strict conditions International recruitment can support countries with genuine shortages. However, a foreign qualification does not automatically provide permission to practise. For example: Depending on the profession and destination, applicants may need qualification verification, language testing, licensing examinations, supervised practice, or local orientation. Recruitment must be ethical Hiring from another country can fill one gap while creating another. The World Health Organization’s Global Code asks destination countries to consider the effect of recruitment on source-country health systems. The Code was amended in May 2026. The changes included care workers and encouraged co-investment so that worker mobility benefits both source and destination countries. A responsible international recruitment programme should include: The summary Healthcare shortages are not only recruitment problems. They are also training, licensing, distribution, and retention problems. Sarawak needs workers in its public facilities today. Australia’s shortage list shows wider pressure across skilled occupations. Florida is preparing for large projected gaps by 2035. The strongest response combines local training, better working conditions, rural incentives, professional licensing, ethical international recruitment, and long-term retention. Sources Malaysia medical registration requirements

Malaysia’s foreign-worker paradox: employers need staff, but the policy still says locals first

Last reviewed: August 18, 2026 Malaysia is facing a difficult labour problem. Many employers need workers urgently. At the same time, the government wants local people to receive job opportunities first. This means Malaysia is not fully opening its labour market. Foreign workers may be hired only when employers cannot find enough suitable local workers. Malaysia Is Speeding Up Applications Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ordered the Human Resources Ministry to process the first 15,000 foreign-worker applications quickly. The goal is to support sectors facing serious labour shortages. However, faster processing does not mean automatic approval. Employers must still meet sector rules, quota limits and other requirements. Malaysia also wants to reduce its dependence on foreign labour. The current limit is 15% of the national workforce. The government aims to reduce this to 10% by 2030. Restaurants Need More Workers Indian Muslim restaurant owners have reported serious staff shortages. Some restaurants are operating with only half the workers they need. One restaurant owner said he needed at least 12 workers but had only six. He also said attracting local workers was difficult because many Malaysians could find better-paying opportunities in Singapore. The government gave the relevant ministries one month to address the restaurant-sector shortage. Officials also planned to reduce processing delays. Not Every Shortage Is the Same Malaysia’s labour shortages affect different industries in different ways. Sarawak reportedly had vacancies for: Foreign recruitment may help some sectors. However, doctors and nurses need professional registration, recognised qualifications and licensing. They cannot be recruited through the same process used for restaurant or factory workers. What the Policy Means Malaysia’s policy follows a simple order: A shortage report is not the same as an approved foreign-worker vacancy. Employers still need official permission before recruiting internationally. The Real Challenge Malaysia needs workers, but it also wants to protect jobs for its citizens. The best policy must balance both goals. Foreign workers can support sectors with genuine shortages. But international recruitment should remain controlled, transparent and based on verified employer demand. Sources

When recruitment reopens but workers remain unpaid: Malaysia’s real welfare test

Malaysia plans to reopen its labour market to Bangladeshi workers. This could create many new job opportunities. But recruitment numbers alone cannot show whether the system is successful. The real test is simple: Are workers paid on time? Are their permits valid? Do they have safe accommodation? Can they get help when an employer breaks the rules? Malaysia Plans a New Recruitment System Bangladesh and Malaysia recently discussed employment opportunities, migration rules and worker welfare. Both countries want a more transparent and accountable recruitment process. Bangladesh announced that worker deployment could restart from the final week of August 2026. BOESL may receive priority during the first phase. Malaysia will also review the list of recruitment agencies submitted by Bangladesh. However, final information about migration costs, approved agencies and application procedures was still pending. Workers should wait for official instructions before paying anyone. The Aerofoam Workers Are Still Waiting The situation of Bangladeshi workers at Aerofoam Manufacturing shows why worker protection is important. Around 109 workers reportedly filed claims over nearly three months of unpaid wages. Many of their work permits had expired or were close to expiry. The workers also reported other problems: These claims should be properly investigated. The workers must also be protected while their legal cases continue. One workers’ representative said: “We are only asking to receive the wages we earned and to be protected while our cases are being resolved.” Expired Permits Create More Danger An unpaid wage is already a serious problem. An expired permit makes the situation worse. Workers may face detention, deportation or loss of legal status. They may also feel pressured to stop their wage claims. Workers should not be punished if an employer fails to renew their permits. Malaysian labour and immigration authorities should protect them while their cases are active. Who Should Take Responsibility? Several parties must work together. Latest News A Malaysian delegation arrived in Dhaka to oversee the processing of around 17,000 workers who missed the May 31, 2024 entry deadline. This backlog process is separate from new recruitment. An approval or visa does not always mean that a worker has a confirmed departure date. Candidates should verify every job through BMET, BOESL or another official channel. The Real Measure of Success Malaysia’s reopening may help many Bangladeshi job seekers. But sending more workers is not enough. A responsible recruitment system must also protect workers after they arrive. Workers should receive their wages, maintain legal status and have access to a fair complaint process. The Aerofoam case is therefore Malaysia’s real welfare test. Sources

From Calling Visa to Departure: Malaysia Recruitment Guide for Bangladeshi Workers

A Malaysian job opportunity should begin with a real employer—not with a broker’s promise. Before paying money or submitting documents, a Bangladeshi candidate should confirm that the employer has approved demand and a valid worker quota. A candidate cannot personally create a vacancy or replace employer authorization.[1] The Recruitment Journey Candidates should treat recruitment as a sequence of independently verifiable steps: What the Malaysia Backlog Teaches Candidates The recent backlog of approximately 15,000–17,000 Bangladeshi workers shows that quota approval, permission to enter Malaysia and actual deployment are separate milestones.[2] Reports concerning recruitment resumption also indicate that deployment may involve employers, approved agencies, BOESL, BMET and Malaysian authorities.[3] Why Document Verification Matters Malaysian authorities reportedly investigated around 1,306 suspected fraudulent temporary employment passes linked to the MyIMMs system. The suspected losses were estimated at RM2.4 million.[4] Candidates should therefore avoid relying on a single online record. Stop the process if any of these warning signs appear: Candidates should prioritize attributable guidance from BMET, BOESL, the Bangladesh High Commission and Malaysian immigration authorities. References [1] Malaysia Calling-Visa Guide — 5 August 2026 — https://www.eyenews.news/english/international/news/3690 [2] Malaysia Worker Backlog — 4–5 August 2026 — https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/malaysian-team-dhaka-oversee-deployment-15000-workers-4239716 [3] Malaysia Hiring Resumption — 4 August 2026 — https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/bangladesh-aims-to-resume-sending-workers-to-malaysia-in-august [4] MyIMMs Pass-Fraud Investigation — 2 August 2026 — https://newswav.com/article/twelve-remanded-over-alleged-myimms-foreign-worker-pass-fraud-A2608_U64t4h