Immigration dept explains foreign workers' levy to employers

KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department held a meeting with employers' association to explain the levy on foreign workers that came into force on Jan 1.
Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said that this meeting was held following the request of the employers' association for more information about the implementation of the levy.
"In the meeting, among others, we explained the rationale behind the levy ruling and it is implemented for the good of the country," he told reporters, here, today.
On Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reportedly said that employers were fully responsible for paying the levy of hiring foreign workers effective Jan 1, under the Employer's Mandatory Commitment (EMC).
Earlier, Mustafar signed a cooperation agreement between the department and the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) to exchange expertise on research and knowledge sharing, as well as industrial training programmes, to be opened to both students and the department's personnel.
Meanwhile, IIUM president Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim hoped that the cooperation could help expedite the processing of visa applications of the university's foreign student and lecturers.
He said the delay in visa involved a number of foreign students and lecturers and most of those were of high credibility and potentials. — Bernama