Page 29 - BPAReport

9. Foreign workers have a large presence in the agriculture sector where they make up
just under 60% (611,000 workers) as a ratio to the number of Malaysian workers (1.02
million) employed in this sector in 2017 (Figure 4). The next sector in which many foreign
workers are employed is the construction sector, where the number of foreign workers are
31% relative to Malaysians. The manufacturing sector is next in hiring foreign workers with a
ratio of 26%. Another prominent sector where foreign workers are concentrated is in services,
where they account for some 10% as a ratio of the Malaysians working there in 2017.

Figure 4: Employed Persons by Industry and Citizenship, 2017

Employed persons by Industry and Citizenship, 2017 (’000)

10000
8154.3
8000

6000

4000
1994.3
2000 1020.6
611 85 12.1 514.8 960 296 800.8 Malaysian citizens
0 Services Non-Malaysian citizens
Agriculture, forestry and fishing Manufacturing Construction
Mining and quarrying

Source: Labour Force Survey Report 2017, Department of Statistics Malaysia

10. Foreign workers are employed mostly in low-skilled and semi-skilled occupations
(Figure 5). There are more foreign workers in elementary occupations (in accordance with the
Malaysian Standard Classification of Occupations, MASCO) than there are Malaysian
workers. 42.4% of non-citizen workers in 2017 were engaged in elementary occupations
which are mainly associated with 3D jobs that require low educational qualifications and low
skills. The next popular occupation where demand for foreign workers predominate is as
plant and machine operators and assemblers, in which 19.6% of foreign workers took up
positions. 18.2% of foreign workers were employed in service and sales workers jobs.

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