The Sabah Work Permit For Sarawakian is an agreement signed by both parties to allow a foreign citizen to work in Malaysia. The visa may be of different types and are provided based on the individual’s academic, occupational or skill level, or on the policy of the employer. It is given out by the Malaysian Government’s Immigration Department and is usually valid for a period of up to one year but may also be renewable if you have been granted permission by your respective Malaysian employer.
Do you have plans of crossing the causeway for an employment, or making your next home in a different part of Malaysia? If you’re from Sarawak, you might be required to secure a Sabah Work Permit if you plan on staying and working in the state.
Did you know that a sportsman from Sarawak got caught in a legal mess because he didn’t have the required work permit? If he had applied for Sabah work permit, he would not be in this situation.
This week’s question comes from Sean Orang, who asks: I’ve been working in Kota Kinabalu for a few months now, and I was wondering if I can do my work permit from here without having to leave the country. So far the agents have only offered me permits that require me to travel. What should I do?
Sabah Work Permit For Sarawakian
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has sent a clear message to oil and gas companies operating in the state that Sabahans should be given first priority for work in the industry following raids on two offshore facilities this week.
The joint exercise was led by the Immigration Department and also involved Sabah Attorney General Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof, Internal Affairs and Research secretary Datuk Ag Shahminan Ag Sahari and Sabah Ports and Harbour Department director Maswandie Maimoon.
Sabah Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the operation – conducted on Monday – was a routine check to ensure all oil rigs and other offshore workers were properly documented and possessed valid work passes.
He said the Immigration Department was enforcing a directive and policy by the Sabah government to ascertain that all offshore workers had valid permits to work in the state.
“This is also in line with the state government’s ‘Sabah First’ policy so that Sabahans are given first priority in the recruitment of workers in the oil and gas industry, especially at all offshore production facilities in Sabah waters,” he said when contacted yesterday.
“Offshore contractors must apply for work passes for all their non-Sabahan staff or workers.”
Masidi said the Chief Minister’s Department (CMD) would consider every work pass application and approve only those positions where no qualified Sabahans were available to do the job.
EXPORT PROMOTION GOES DIGITAL
“The CMD is continuously updating its database of technically qualified Sabahans to be offered to oil and gas contractors to hire if and whenever needed.
“PETRONAS has also agreed to assist the state in the training and upscaling of Sabahans in the industry,” he added.
In a statement, Sabah Immigration director Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said they screened 311 workers in the 10am operation carried out at two oil platforms off northern Sabah.
She said 307 of those checked consisted of Malaysians while the rest comprised three Myanmar nationals and one Indonesian.
“No arrest was made. The companies operating the facilities as well as offshore crew heeded the rules on work permits set by the Sabah government.
“They gave their full cooperation to us during the course of the documentation process,” she said.
Besides immigration regulations, Sitti Saleha said the operation was also aimed at checking offences related to human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
“Such operations will be continuously carried out with the state government as well as the Ports and Harbour Department,” she added.
Last month, Masidi told the state assembly that the state government would prioritise Sabahans in terms of working opportunities in the oil and gas sector.
He said the state had a rigid system for non-Sabahans to apply for work permits in the industry.