Sarawak negotiates for fee review with FWTA’s provider following industry concerns

THE state has reduced the average processing time for foreign worker applications to 43 days, outperforming its 61-day benchmark by 18 days under the Foreign Workers Transformation Approach (FWTA).

Minister in the Premier’s Department Datuk Seri John Sikie Tayai said the average processing time fell by 37 days over the past four quarters, from Oct 1, 2025 to Sept 30, 2026.

He said the improvement signified enhanced efficiency under the FWTA ecosystem, which was introduced in 2023 to strengthen foreign workforce management in the state.

“Across this one-year period, the overall average processing time per application dropped from 80 days to 43 days — a reduction of 37 days that outperforms our 61-day benchmark by 18 days,” he said during his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today (Oct 19).

Sikie said 95.24 per cent of completed new applications were processed within 30 days, while another 2.66 per cent were completed within 30 to 60 days.

This meant more than 97.9 per cent of completed new applications met or exceeded the 60-day processing target, while 2.1 per cent took longer due to incomplete documentation or information submitted by applicants.

Renewal applications recorded even faster turnaround times, with 99.63 per cent processed within 30 days. Another 0.23 per cent took between 30 and 60 days, while only 0.14 per cent exceeded 60 days.

He said the improved processing efficiency provided tangible economic and productivity benefits to employers by enabling them to mobilise workers faster and minimise project delays and revenue losses caused by labour shortages.

These benefits are particularly important for time-sensitive sectors such as construction, plantations and manufacturing.

Sikie added that predictable approval timelines and faster renewals also helped employers maintain workforce continuity, reduce administrative costs and plan business operations with greater certainty.

He said the transition from the Monitoring System on the Employment of Non-Sarawakians (MSEN) to the FWTA ecosystem was driven by the changing needs of workforce management.

The newer platform is designed to accommodate emerging technologies and integrate with the Malaysia Integrated Immigration System (MyIMMs) and National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe), supporting closer coordination between state and federal agencies.