Over 90,000 illegal immigrants sent home under Malaysia's recalibration plan

He added that up till then, too, 174,068 PATI were registered under the Labour Recalibration Programme, a rehiring scheme.

"Under the Labour Recalibration Programme, employers in five sectors (plantation, agriculture, construction, manufacturing and services) facing a labour shortage due to the freeze on foreign worker recruitment, can hire the PATI.

"The employer must ensure they have a valid travel document and register them with Immigration for verification.

"The employer will also need to get a quota approval from the Ministry of Human Resources before it is endorsed by Immigration," he said during an interview this morning on Bernama Radio about the Recalibration Plan for Illegal Immigrants.

Makhzan said that PATI from 15 countries - including Thailand, Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - that get the okay will be granted a temporary employment pass (PLKS) under the programme.

He said the cost of hiring for the agriculture and plantation sectors is RM2,535 per worker, while for the construction, manufacturing and services sectors it is RM3,745 per worker.

He said the levy for the first sector group is RM640, while for the second it is RM1,850.

Makhzan said the Recalibration Plan will end on Dec 21, 2021 or till the COVID-19 vaccination programme for PATI is over.

He hopes that employers and PATI will take advantage of this opportunity to avoid being arrested and charged.

He said PATI who opt for repatriation must pay a fine of RM300 - RM500 for offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63, have a plane ticket home and legit COVID-19 test result.

He said the repatriation programme is not for PATI who have committed a criminal offence and have to go to court.