Can the new Online Maid System cut hiring time to just eight days?

Question

Accepted Answer

The Online Maid System (SMO) is designed to facilitate foreign maid hiring within an eight-day timeframe.

Effective January 1st, the new Online Maid System (SMO) aims to streamline the process for employers seeking to hire foreign domestic helpers. This system allows applications to be submitted online, significantly reducing the typical hiring duration. The Immigration Department has outlined a clear, albeit condensed, timeline for the entire procedure.
The SMO Process Timeline

The eight-day hiring window is achieved through a sequential process managed via the SMO platform. Following employer registration and the registration of prospective maids, a health screening by the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomema) is expected to take approximately three days. Subsequently, the Immigration Department will undertake its review, encompassing document checks, approval, payment processing, and the printing of the Temporary Employment Visit Pass, a stage estimated to require an additional five days.
Reduced Costs and Increased Accessibility

A key objective of the SMO is to make hiring foreign maids more cost-effective and accessible. The system is designed to eliminate intermediaries, with employers directly inputting their information, which contributes to a substantial reduction in overall expenses. The new cost for employers is set at RM1,635, a significant decrease from previous figures that ranged between RM12,000 and RM18,000. This affordability is intended to benefit a wider demographic, including those in the Bottom 40 (B40) income bracket.
Eligibility Criteria and Application Period

To utilize the SMO, employers must meet specific criteria, including being married couples with children under 15 requiring care, having children with disabilities, or caring for sick or ailing parents. A married couple is permitted to hire only one maid under this system. The system also stipulates that maids must be in Malaysia on a valid social visit pass and not possess an active Temporary Employment Pass under another employer. The initial application window for foreign maids who have overstayed on a Social Visit Pass is set to be open for six months, from January 1 to June 30 of the following year.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

Can the new Online Maid System cut hiring time to just eight days?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends