PETALING JAYA: Indonesia and the Philippines remain the top favourite countries to source for domestic helpers despite the availability of seven other countries, and recruitment agencies stress employers must be prepared to fork out a five figure sum to employ a maid.

       Maid agencies have reiterated that the recruitment fee was between RM16,000 and RM20,000 before the pandemic, and the amount has gone up at present due to quarantine, PCR tests and higher air fare charges – making it about RM25,000 to bring in a maid.

       The agencies also said the RM1,136 mentioned by the Immigration Department is a processing fee and excludes the cost to source for maids at countries of origin.

       Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said yesterday that the application fee imposed by the government to hire foreign domestic workers was only RM1,136.

       He said the cost included various fees such as levies and visas based on the origin country, as well as for the processing fee and passes.

       “Employers are free to choose maids from the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and Laos,” he said in a statement.

       National Association of Human Resources Malaysia (Pusma) president Zarina Ismail said the RM1,136 only covered the cost levy imposed by the government and the amount was included in the recruitment fee.

       “A maid usually enters Malaysia through a calling visa under the employment agency. As long as the maid is in Malaysia, the responsibility is held by the agency.

       “For that, the agency charges a service charge called a retainer fee for two years.

       “All arrangements are made by the employment agency – from choosing a maid until the employer sends the maid back after the service ends,” she said.

       Zarina added that the cost to bring in maids varied according to the different countries.

       “For now, it is more expensive as we have to include quarantine costs and other hidden costs,” she said.

       Agensi Pekerjaan Associates HR (KL) Sdn Bhd managing director Kelvin Cheong noted that many people were not aware of the hidden costs and the trouble to bring in a domestic helper into the country.

       “The cost has shot up tremendously; air freight, agent fees, transportation from the village, training and just everything are higher now.

       “Employers go for source countries Indonesia and the Philippines because the maids from these two countries are generally recognised as being good and reliable,” he said when contacted.

       He added that finding a reliable, trustworthy helper who is healthy and can do the job was difficult.

       “There are a lot of fake agencies, forged documents, forged medical reports and hassle just to get a person.

       “Often times, many people are out there to scam you. It is not easy to deal with people in this industry.

       “People keep asking why there are so many illegal workers in this country. This is mainly because they enter the country legally but when they come here, their documents like medical certs could be forged, then people don’t want to hire them.

       “What happens is that employers then let them go instead of sending them back, so they end up without permits,” Cheong said.

       He said that times were difficult for foreign worker recruitment agencies but the real problem was caused by red tape, policy changes and scammers.

       A representative from Agensi Triumphal Sdn Bhd said it was not viable for people to source the maids themselves because they could get conned.

       She said using agencies was a safer option as they provided guarantees of sorts.

       “We can recruit from any country approved by our government. Our agency only charge about RM7,200 for the process and documentation on our side.

       “The balance of the amount the employers pay is the fee charged by the source country agencies.

       “You have to understand that the Immigration fee is minimal but the total cost is high because the bulk of the fee is from the source countries.

       “Yes, we understand that it is not fair to pay such a high price for a maid but this is something only government to government can resolve by appointing selected agencies at source countries,” she added.