PETALING JAYA: The government has set a target to reduce the proportion of foreign workers in Malaysia from the current 15% to 10% by 2030, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced in Parliament during the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
“To achieve this, the Multi-Tier Levy Mechanism will be more comprehensively enforced to encourage employers to shift toward automation, mechanisation, and the hiring of local workers,” he said.
Anwar also outlined several initiatives to improve Malaysia’s labour market, with a strong focus on strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
In 2024 alone, 212,000 new students enrolled in TVET programmes.
“The TVET MADANI Programme will be enhanced to help students – including tahfiz students and huffaz – master high-income skills,” he said.
To recognise advanced technical expertise, the government will introduce three new certification levels, aligning TVET qualifications with higher education standards under the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF).
