KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has welcomed the government's initiative to introduce the Foreign Worker Recruitment Relaxation Plan and Illegal Immigrant Recalibration Plan 2.0 to meet the immediate labour needs of the economic sectors.

It said the government, which introduced the window on the easing of the hiring rules until March 31 this year, recognises the urgent labour shortages in the critical sectors/sub-sectors which have impeded business operations and growth during the period of prolonged uncertainty.

"We are thankful that the application mechanism for the recruitment has remained the same where employers will continue to use the Foreign Worker Centralised Management System for the end-to-end process before the application and issuance of the Visa with Reference (VDR) by the Immigration Department," FMM said in a statement today.

Moving forward, the federation hoped that there could be a more seamless process from one ministry to the other to enhance the efficiency of the system and reduce the time taken to complete the recruitment process.

"While members would be encouraged to take the opportunity of the window on the easingof the hiring rules as well as the Illegal Immigrant Recalibration Plan 2.0 based on their needs and affordability, they are also reminded to prioritise the safety, health and welfare of the workers," added FMM.

-- BERNAMA