Malaysia’s Human Resources Ministry and TalentCorp are enhancing the local job ecosystem and competitiveness to encourage skilled Malaysians abroad to return home.
PETALING JAYA: The Human Resources Ministry and Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp) are intensifying efforts to facilitate the return of Malaysian professionals from overseas.
Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said the initiative focuses on strengthening the local ecosystem to provide competitive jobs matching their skills.
“We must look at the ecosystem as a whole, not just the salary difference,” he told a press conference after visiting TalentCorp headquarters.
He noted that while salaries may be higher abroad, living costs are also considerably higher there.
Ramanan acknowledged a recent report highlighting that Malaysia’s digital workforce salaries lag behind regional peers.
“I take note of that, but we must also consider projections showing our average wage is expected to rise by 11% next year,” he added.
The minister said efforts include improving competitiveness and aligning skills with industry needs in emerging sectors like data centres.
TalentCorp chairman Wong Shu Qi said the focus is on developing high-value industries to offer competitive salaries.
She described the approach as “brand circulation,” where Malaysians abroad can return when suitable local opportunities arise.
Wong added that improving ease of doing business is crucial to attract investment and create high-paying jobs.
Efforts include speeding up the Employment Pass process for foreign talent to support investment.
“Previously, EP processing could take up to six months. It has now been shortened to between five and ten days,” she said.
The ultimate decision to return rests with the individuals themselves, according to the minister.
