KUALA LUMPUR: A family advocacy group has welcomed the Home Minister's review of policies on employment rights of foreign spouses in Malaysia, calling it a critical step in addressing socio-economic challenges.
The non-governmental organisation (NGO), Family Frontiers, said that foreign spouses play a vital role in their families and communities, but restrictive policies prevent many from securing jobs.
"Despite foreign spouses' contributions to their families and communities, restrictive policies, such as the "prohibition on employment" clause in the Long-Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP), have left many unable to secure jobs, contribute to household incomes, or gain financial independence. Between 2020 and 2024, only 11.4 per cent of non-citizen wives applied for work endorsements — a clear indicator of the barriers posed by the current framework.
"This situation particularly impacts women in binational marriages, leaving non-citizen wives financially reliant on their Malaysian partners," the group said in a statement yesterday.
It added that this dependency not only undermines personal autonomy but also heightens vulnerability to abuse and exploitation.
"Malaysian women married to foreign spouses encounter similar difficulties, with employment restrictions on their partners compounding financial strain, mental health issues, and family instability," it said.
On Nov 14, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in Parliament that his ministry is reconsidering its policy on the eligibility of foreign spouses of Malaysians to work in the country.
He added that this is being done after taking into account Malaysia's economic needs and the need to reduce dependency on foreign labour.
Foreign spouses, he said, residing in the country for a certain period may be granted the Long-Term Social Visit Pass by the Immigration Department and are permitted to apply for permission to secure employment or conduct business legally.
However, the permission is conditional and not automatically granted, he said.
Family Frontiers also told the Home Ministry to consider their recommendations during the policy review, including the removal of employment restrictions by abolishing the "prohibited from employment" clause and granting immediate work authorisation upon marriage registration.
"We also recommend streamlined processes, such as standardising the endorsement procedure, allowing spouses to work across states without unnecessary delays or job-specific restrictions.
"Additionally, we call for extending labour protections to include non-citizen spouses under labour laws, thereby granting access to benefits like the Social Security Organisation (Sosco) and Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to ensure workplace security and equity," it added in the statement.
The group also added that the Home Ministry should address gender inequality under international frameworks like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while strengthening family stability to improve foreign spouses' access to professional licences, financial services, and housing, enhancing overall family wellbeing and social cohesion in Malaysia.
"We strongly encourage the Home Ministry to engage stakeholders, including Family Frontiers, affected families, and other civil society organisations, in shaping inclusive policies that protect and empower binational families."