Direct hire of domestic workers (maids) from Indonesia

Update: June 3 2012 - Indonesian Maids are back to Malaysia

On recruitment of maids from Indonesia, there is good news for employers as they can now hire Indonesian maids directly without having to go through agents. This has been stipulated under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signed by both Malaysia and Indonesia on May 30. The signing of the MoU ends the maid-freeze to Malaysia in 2009 imposed by Indonesia.

For instance, "if an employer has a maid who wants to return home after her contract ends, and if she has a family member who wants to replace her as a maid, the employer can hire her directly without going through an agency.”

However, employers will have to adhere to set procedures of which they are in the process of finalising by both governments. A work permit will only be issued after a contract of agreement between the employer and the maid has been signed and approval granted by the relevant agencies concerned in Indonesia and Malaysia.

The MoU also stipulates that "the employer would have to give a day off to the maid once a week or one and a half day's pay if the maid opts to give up the rest day and work instead.


Source: The Star.. Bosses can bypass agents to hire domestic workers from Indonesia