The Rehiring Programme, as it is called, will allow foreigners already working illegally in the country to be registered with the Home Ministry and apply for valid work permits, after tight screening.

Those found to be not qualified would be deported, the ministry said in a statement.

Among the main criteria were that the illegal foreign worker must have originally entered the country legally, has an employer and does not have a criminal record.

The programme only covers certain permitted sectors, the statement said, and not those sectors already covered by policies on general employment of foreign workers.

“The government will set tight conditions on the illegal workers and employers who want to participate in this programme and will ensure those not qualified would be deported according to existing procedures so as to reduce their numbers in the country,” the ministry said in a statement quoted by Bernama.

The announcement comes amidst a growing controversy over a planned new intake of 1.5 million workers from Bangladesh, over three years, and for an increased levy on employers. The home minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, has defended the programme against vigorous criticism, and said it had been drawn up in response to the demands of employers.

The ministry said today that the Rehiring Programme was drawn up to meet the requests of employers to fill vacancies in permitted sectors. It would also enable the government to know how many illegal foreign workers were in the country for the purposes of monitoring and security.

The ministry said action would be taken to ensure there was no cheating by individuals trying to take advantage. “Any employer found employing illegal foreign workers not registered under the programme will face stern action,” it said, according to Bernama.

Registrations will be done online at www.rehiring.imi.gov.my where the conditions are set out in detail.