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KUCHING, July 26: Employers across all economic sectors in Sarawak are urged to take advantage of the the Labour Recalibration (RTK) 2.0 Programme to register any existing illegal immigrants as legal foreign workers.
This initiative came as the Sarawak government has agreed to adopt the RTK 2.0 Programme, which takes effect from July 26 until Dec 31, 2023.
Deputy Minister in the Premier of Sarawak’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala stressed the importance of registering illegal immigrants under this programme to ensure the legal and orderly intake of foreign workers in Sarawak’s economy.
“The main ojective of the programme is to regularise or grant legal status to existing illegal immigrants (PATI) in Sarawak as authorised foreign workers.
“The implementation of programme in Sarawak is subjected to terms and conditions set by the Sarawak government through the Malaysia Immigration Department in collaboration with Labour Department and relevant agencies with no involvement of vendors or third parties,” he said in a statement today.
Gerawat pointed out that both employers and illegal immigrants interested in participating in the programme must directly engage with the Malaysia Immigration Department and the Labour Department in Sarawak.
The eligible illegal immigrants for registration under the RTK 2.0 Programme are those who have committed offenses under the Immigration Act 1959/63, specifically Section 6(1)(c) for entering and living in the country without a legal pass, Section 15(1)(c) for overstaying, and Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulation 1963 for violating the terms of their pass on or before Dec 31, 2022.
Additionally, they must possess travel documents with at least six months of validity.
“Employers operating in the 3D sector – Dangerous, Difficult and Dirty are allowed to register illegal immigrants as workers for the duration of the RTK 2.0 programme implementation,” he explained.
The sectors involved under the RTK 2.0 Programme include manufacturing, construction, plantation, agriculture, services, mining and quarry, and foreign maids.
The programme only allows registration of illegal immigrants from 16 specified source countries, which include Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, India, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and China.
Applying for the RTK 2.0 Programme requires employers to complete an online application through the Immigration Department portal www.imi.gov.my and follow the Recalibration Portal link.
Notably, no deposit payment is charged to employers during the registration process. The verification process will be handled by the Enforcement Division of the Immigration Department Sarawak.
Furthermore, employers must obtain Approval in Principle (AP) for Hiring Non-Resident Workers and an Employment License under Section 119 of the Labour Ordinance (Sarawak Chapter 76) from the Labour Department Sarawak.
After completing all required documentation, employers are also required to be present at the Immigration Department’s Foreign Labour Division. — DayakDaily
