PUTRAJAYA: Process of hiring foreign workers will be shortened by half when the quota freeze is lifted, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic).

The Home Minister said that currently, the whole hiring process starts with a quota application and could take up to a total of 29 months and 13 days.

"Following the joint meeting held, we agreed with the recommendation to shorten the processing time to 15 months and 23 days.

"This is a reduction of about 46%," he told reporters here on Tuesday (Jan 16).

Saifuddin said the levy payment and issuance of temporary working permits that takes up to 30 days would be cut to 15 days.

From March 17 last year, the quota for foreign workers recruitment had been frozen as the approval given had met the labour demand.

However, the recruitment for three sub-sectors, involving barbershop, textiles and goldsmiths was still allowed until the quota reached 7,500.

Asked if there was any discussion to lift the ban soon, Saifuddin said: "No talks about it so far."

On a separate issue, Saifuddin said that the government would revisit all MOUs pertaining to foreign labourers with 15 source countries.

"The government will revisit all MOUs with labour source countries that we have established.

"We will review various elements which include costs, contract conditions, health and among others," Saifuddin said.

Earlier, the ministers attended the Third Joint-Meeting between the Home Ministry and Human Resources Ministry on Migrant Workers Management here.