Employers who want to hire Indonesian domestic workers are required to use the services of private employment agencies and go through the Indonesian Embassy, according to the Human Resources Ministry.

The ministry added that the process has been outlined under the memorandum of understanding between the Malaysian and Indonesian governments, and the application process involves three parties: the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia, the Indonesian Embassy and the Immigration Department.

Domestic workers from other countries can be hired through private employment agencies or by employers themselves.

The new application process for Indonesian domestic workers must be done through the Maid Online System and SIPERMIT, owned by the Indonesian Embassy, with a maximum cost of hiring of MYR 15,000 (USD 3,199).

"The payment cost for applications involving domestic workers from other countries are subject to the offer of the private employment agency and the agreement of the potential employer," the ministry announced in a statement.

The permit renewal process for Indonesian domestic workers does not require confirmation from the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia unless their passports are still valid, and employers can renew the work permit at the Immigration Department without going through a private employment agency.

"If the Indonesian worker's passport has expired, the employer needs to go through a similar process to that of a new application, using a private employment agency to deal with the Indonesian Embassy," the ministry added. Meanwhile, renewals for workers from other countries will not involve the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia, and employers can directly submit the application to the Immigration Department.

Every private employment agency is required to have a valid licence issued by the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia, and under the Private Employment Agency Act 1981, the agencies can set a placement fee of not more than the worker's monthly salary if the charge is imposed on the worker.