Cabinet to Regulate Expat Worker Numbers by Country

Currently, the Employment Act caps the number of expatriate workers from any single country at 100,000. If this limit is exceeded, the total must be reduced to comply with the law.

The government’s amendment suggests that the number of expatriate workers and the sectors in which they can be employed will be determined by regulations created under this law. These regulations will be based on an assessment of the impact of foreign workers on the job market, guided by cabinet advice.

This assessment will consider job market challenges, the necessity for foreign workers in critical areas, the existing number of foreign workers, and those working illegally. Key factors for determining worker limits include:

• Availability of skilled local workers for key industries
• Potential improvements in skills and standards from hiring foreigners
• Development setbacks due to employee shortages in specific sectors
• National security and sovereignty risks from increasing foreign worker numbers in specific sectors

The proposed regulation will also specify the period for reducing worker numbers if they exceed the set limits, with a notice period not exceeding 36 months.

Previously, the government halted bringing in workers from Bangladesh after the number exceeded 100,000, allowing permits for Indian workers instead. The current government has revoked this decision, permitting the hiring of Bangladeshi workers once again.