Report: Bangladeshis account for 37% of Malaysia’s foreign workers
As of June 2025, the Immigration Department reported 803,332 active Bangladeshi PLKS holders.
Bangladeshis make up 37% of Malaysia’s foreign workforce, with over 800,000 nationals currently holding valid work permits, according to Malaysia’s home ministry.
In a written parliamentary reply on Monday (25 August), reported by The Star, the ministry said 49,353 Bangladeshi workers entered Malaysia in 2022 after borders reopened post-Covid. Another 397,548 joined in 2023 under the Foreign Worker Recruitment Relaxation Plan, a temporary scheme to speed up employment intake.
The ministry further noted that 20,331 Bangladeshi work permit (PLKS) holders were repatriated in 2022, followed by 23,065 in 2023.
“As of June 2025, the Immigration Department recorded 803,332 active Bangladeshi PLKS holders, making up 37% of the total foreign workforce and positioning Bangladesh as the largest source of low-skilled labour in Malaysia,” the statement read.
Additionally, 790 Bangladeshis were detained for overstaying their visas.
The figures came in response to a query from Hassan Karim (PH–Pasir Gudang) regarding the number of Bangladeshi workers recruited in 2022 and 2023, along with details on valid permit holders, undocumented workers, and repatriations.
What's Your Reaction?
