ILO urges fair hiring practices, says migrant workers must not be charged recruitment fees

PETALING JAYA, May 12 — The International Labour Organisation (ILO) said migrant workers in Malaysia, particularly vulnerable groups, should not be burdened with recruitment fees and related costs when seeking employment abroad, The Star reported.

In a statement, the ILO said the principle was central to fair and ethical recruitment practices, adding that its global definition of recruitment fees and related costs had become an internationally recognised benchmark since its adoption in 2018 and approval in 2019.

“The definition establishes a comprehensive international standard, clarifying that recruitment fees and related costs refer to any fees or costs incurred in the recruitment process for workers to secure employment or placement, regardless of the manner, timing, or location of their imposition or collection,” it was reported. 

The ILO said the benchmark had guided the development of laws, codes of conduct, and audit protocols in various countries and industries to improve labour migration systems.

According to The Star, the organisation noted that Malaysia took a significant step in 2021 through a memorandum of understanding with Bangladesh on the recruitment, employment, and repatriation of Bangladeshi migrant workers.

The agreement detailed the costs to be borne by employers and workers, with employers responsible for costs incurred in Malaysia, including airfare.

However, the ILO said reports began surfacing in 2023 of Bangladeshi workers arriving in Malaysia with valid work permits only to discover that the promised jobs did not exist.

The organisation also addressed claims made in a press statement in April this year concerning Bestinet Sdn Bhd and the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS).

The ILO clarified that the FWCMS was “not a UN-recognised platform”.

“The official title of the award is World Summit Awards (WSA). The WSA is one of the activities of the non-profit organisation International Centre for New Media.

“While the WSA was initiated within the context of the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and is aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals, it is not an award issued by the United Nations,” it said.