Malaysia’s Migrant Worker Labour Gap Can Be Solved From Within, Tenaganita Tells Putrajaya
Tenaganita proposes regularising existing migrant workers to solve Malaysia’s labour gap faster and cheaper than overseas recruitment. Read their policy argument.
Malaysia’s Migrant Worker Labour Gap Can Be Solved From Within, Tenaganita Tells Putrajaya
Labour rights group Tenaganita argues that regularising existing undocumented and legally present migrant workers is a faster, cheaper, and lower-risk path to filling Malaysia’s urgent manpower shortfall than launching a new overseas recruitment drive.
Malaysia is already sitting on an underutilised labour pool that could address its most pressing workforce shortages — if the government chooses to look inward before looking abroad. That is the central argument put forward by Tenaganita, one of the country’s most prominent labour rights organisations, in direct response to an announcement by government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has instructed the Human Resources Ministry to expedite 15,000 migrant worker applications to meet urgent manpower needs across key sectors.
Rather than fast-tracking another wave of overseas recruitment, Tenaganita’s executive director Glorene Das is calling on Putrajaya to implement a rights-based regularisation mechanism for migrant workers who are already present in Malaysia, are able to work, and are willing to do so. The organisation’s position, released in a formal statement, frames the regularisation of existing workers — including refugees who are legally permitted to work — as the more pragmatic and responsible first step.
The Announcement That Prompted A Rights-Based Counter-Proposal
The government’s move follows sustained pressure from industry groups in construction, manufacturing, and agriculture, all of which have reported difficulty securing sufficient workers. Fahmi Fadzil confirmed that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim personally directed the Human Resources Ministry to accelerate the processing of 15,000 pending migrant worker applications, signalling that labour shortfalls are being treated as an immediate operational concern rather than a structural policy matter.
This is not simply a disagreement about recruitment speed. It is a dispute about the underlying diagnosis — whether Malaysia faces a shortage of workers, or a shortage of decent jobs that workers are willing to accept under current terms.
Tenaganita’s response challenges the framing of the problem itself, positioning the debate around worker rights, employer accountability, job quality, and the long-term sustainability of Malaysia’s labour market model.
From Overseas Recruitment To On-Ground Regularisation, A Different Strategy Is Being Proposed
Glorene Das, in her statement, acknowledged the legitimacy of addressing labour shortages but was precise about the method. Regularising migrant workers already in the country, she said, would be “faster, more cost-effective and less risky” than continuing to recruit from overseas. This assessment draws directly on Tenaganita’s on-the-ground casework and engagement with migrant communities across Malaysia.
Das identified three categories of workers who could be absorbed into the labour market more immediately:
- Undocumented migrants already residing and working informally in Malaysia
- Legally present migrants whose documentation or permits require renewal or regularisation
- Refugees who hold legal permission to work and are currently placed in sectors with genuine shortages
The organisation also noted that refugees with legal work authorisation represent an often-overlooked segment of the available labour pool, one that could contribute meaningfully to sectors experiencing shortfalls if formal pathways were activated.
“Continuously bringing in more migrant workers cannot be the only response,” Das said.
On the question of recruitment fees, Tenaganita raised a specific and documented concern: many migrant workers currently arriving in Malaysia have paid between RM10,000 and RM15,000 to secure employment. This debt burden places them in a structurally vulnerable position from the moment they arrive, making them susceptible to wage theft, contract substitution, and other forms of exploitation. Das called for tougher enforcement action against excessive recruitment fees as a non-negotiable component of any accelerated hiring programme.
Behind The Labour Shortage Is A Question About Job Quality, Not Just Worker Supply
The real story here is not the number of vacancies, but the conditions attached to those vacancies. Tenaganita’s position is grounded in field evidence: through its casework, the organisation reports having encountered many Malaysians who are prepared to take up roles traditionally filled by migrant workers — but only if those roles offer fair wages, safe working conditions, reasonable hours, and a degree of job security.
Das was explicit: “Labour shortages should therefore not be seen simply as a shortage of workers, but also as a reflection of the quality of jobs being offered.”
This reframing has direct policy implications. If the shortfall is partly driven by job quality rather than worker availability, then importing more workers without improving conditions simply defers the structural problem while creating new risks of exploitation. Das called on Putrajaya to address the root causes that make certain jobs chronically difficult to fill — specifically low wages, poor working conditions, and weak labour protections — as part of any long-term workforce strategy.
Tenaganita also issued a pointed warning about repeating past policy failures. A 2023 recruitment exercise drew significant criticism after thousands of migrant workers, predominantly from Bangladesh, arrived in Malaysia only to find themselves without promised jobs, wages, or institutional support. Many were left stranded and exposed to exploitation and severe hardship. United Nations experts subsequently raised alarm over the situation. Das urged the government not to repeat those conditions under the pressure of the current expedited processing drive.
Any accelerated recruitment, she said, must be accompanied by stricter employer screening, greater transparency in the hiring process, and stronger accountability mechanisms to ensure that workers are recruited only against verified and genuine vacancies.
Frequently Asked Questions About Malaysia’s Migrant Worker Labour Shortage
What is Tenaganita calling for in response to Malaysia’s migrant worker labour shortage? Tenaganita is calling on the Malaysian government to implement a rights-based regularisation mechanism for migrant workers already present in the country, rather than relying solely on new overseas recruitment. The organisation argues this approach is faster, more cost-effective, and less risky than launching fresh recruitment drives abroad.
How many migrant worker applications is the Malaysian government expediting in 2025–2026? Government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil confirmed that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has directed the Human Resources Ministry to expedite 15,000 pending migrant worker applications to address urgent manpower needs in key sectors including construction, manufacturing, and agriculture.
Why does Tenaganita say refugees should be considered part of the solution to Malaysia’s labour gap? Tenaganita notes that some refugees in Malaysia already hold legal permission to work. The organisation argues these individuals represent an underutilised labour pool who could be formally placed in sectors experiencing genuine shortfalls, providing an immediate source of workers without the logistical and cost burden of overseas recruitment.
What was the 2023 migrant worker recruitment failure that Tenaganita is warning the government not to repeat? In 2023, a Malaysian government recruitment exercise — primarily involving workers from Bangladesh — resulted in thousands of migrants arriving in Malaysia without the jobs, wages, or support they had been promised. The workers were left stranded and exposed to exploitation and severe hardship, prompting alarm from United Nations experts. Tenaganita is urging Putrajaya to ensure the current round of expedited processing does not produce the same outcome.
How much are migrant workers paying in recruitment fees to secure jobs in Malaysia? According to Tenaganita, many migrant workers are currently paying between RM10,000 and RM15,000 in recruitment fees to secure employment in Malaysia. The organisation argues this debt burden leaves workers structurally vulnerable to exploitation from the point of arrival and is calling for tougher enforcement action against excessive fees.
Does Tenaganita say Malaysians are unwilling to do jobs currently filled by migrant workers? No. Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das says the organisation has, through its field work, met many Malaysians who are prepared to work in sectors traditionally filled by migrant workers — provided those jobs offer fair wages, safe working conditions, reasonable working hours, and decent employment terms. The organisation’s position is that labour shortages partly reflect the quality of jobs being offered, not solely a shortage of willing workers.
What safeguards is Tenaganita asking for if overseas recruitment does proceed? Tenaganita is asking for stricter employer screening before any new recruitment is authorised, greater transparency in the hiring process, and stronger accountability mechanisms to ensure workers are recruited only for verified and genuine job vacancies. The organisation is also calling for tougher action against recruitment agencies charging fees above regulated limits.
A Measure Of Progress That Goes Beyond Headcount
Tenaganita’s intervention arrives at a moment when Malaysia’s labour policy debate is being driven largely by sector-level urgency — industries need workers, and the government is responding with speed. What Glorene Das and her organisation are asking for is a parallel conversation about the terms on which those workers are brought in, and whether the country is doing enough to make the work itself worth taking.
“The true measure of Malaysia’s progress is not how many workers we bring into the country, but how we treat the people who help build our nation,” Das said.
For more information on Malaysia’s migrant worker labour shortage and Tenaganita’s policy positions, readers may contact:
Tenaganita Website: www.tenaganita.net Address: No. 3, Jalan Universiti, Off Jalan Gasing, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Email: tenaganita@tenaganita.net
