Malaysian employers to register foreign workers under SOCSO from 1 Jan 2019

Effective 1 January 2019, employers in Malaysia who hire foreign workers including expatriates with valid documents must register their employees under Social Security Organisation (Socso) and contribute to the Employment Injury Scheme (EIS), as reported by The Star Online. 

The Cabinet's decision to place social security protection of foreign workers is in line with the Equality of Treatment (Accident Compensation) Convention and Conference Committee on the Application of Standard under the International Labour Organisation, said human resources minister M. Kulasegaran.

Under the EIS, foreign workers are eligible for medical, temporary disablement, permanent disablement benefits and RM6,500 repatriation cost including funeral. However, workers would not be covered by the Invalidity Pension Scheme, Kulasegaran said.

According to the minister, the Ministry will be working together with Socso to conduct engagements with the stakeholders soon. He also added that employers can go to any of Socso’s 54 offices throughout the country including Sabah and Sarawak to register their foreign workers.

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