Malaysia: Labour migration, irregular movements and regional policies

Abstract

Malaysia is an important destination for economic migrants and has been open to migrant labour and foreign investment since the late nineteenth century. Whereas Chinese and Indian workers dominated the earlier colonial migration flows, currently Southeast Asian and other Asian migrants represent about 25 percent of Malaysia's workforce. Unlike other traditional migration countries, the temporary migration route dominates migration to the country. The combination of greater regional integration and rapid socioeconomic development in the region has also transformed the causes and contexts of labour mobility, which have shaped present policies on temporary migration.