PUTRAJAYA: The Workforce Recalibration Programme (RTK 2.0) will end on Dec 31, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic).
He said the decision was made because the target to register foreign workers for the five critical sectors of manufacturing, construction, farming, agriculture and services had been met.
RTK 2.0 was aimed at meeting the need for 518,000 foreign workers in the five sectors by the first quarter of this year.
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"Employers still have slightly more than two months to register their foreign workers.
"After Dec 31, we will no longer take in fresh registration but will proceed with verifying the workers and issuing work permits," he said after attending the ministry's monthly assembly here on Thursday (Oct 12).
According to records, employers had registered more than 600,000 foreign workers under RTK 2.0.
Under the recalibration programme, employers who were hiring foreign workers without proper documentation would be required to pay a fee to enable them to be legally employed.
Last year, the programme saw more than 418,000 workers registered, generating over RM700mil in government revenue.
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In addition, a repatriation recalibration programme allowed undocumented immigrants to voluntarily return to their homeland.
Under this programme, a total of 295,425 people returned to their countries of origin.
