111,807 applications for foreign workers received - Saravanan

He said of the total, 77,848 applications were for workers in the manufacturing sector, followed by plantation (13,119), service (10,611), construction (8,530) and agriculture (1,699).

"I do not deny that at the early stage when the application was opened some employers had problems to apply online.

"This was due to the high number of applications since the application for foreign workers had been stopped temporarily since March 2020 following the implementation of the first Movement Control Order (MCO)," he said in a statement here today.

Apart from that, Saravanan said, employers were also allowed to apply through the Private Sector Employment Agency (APS), which was previously only allowed for application for domestic maids.

"During a meeting with employers and the associations recently, I was informed about the problems and that they have used the services of APS for the purpose.

"Therefore, APS can applt on behalf of the employers on the condition that the applications are submitted with the knowledge and permission of the employers concerned," he added.

On Dec 10 last year, Saravanan was reported to have said that the country was facing a critical shortage of workers in the five 3D (dirty, dangerous, difficult) sectors, namely, plantation, manufacturing, development, agriculture and services due to poor response from local workers.

Prior to that, the government announced that entries of foreign workers must comply with the standard operating procedure (SOP) on the entry of foreign workers which had been approved by the COVID-19 Quartet Ministers Meeting on Dec 14, 2021.

The SOP encompasses four phases, namely pre-departure, upon arrival and after arrival.