Foreign workers in Malaysia make up about 12% of the country’s workforce. These workers contribute significantly to Malaysia’s OFW industries, with many bringing in vital skills and experience from outside the country. In fact, most foreign workers are highly skilled professionals who earn higher wages than local workers thanks to their specialized knowledge and expertise.
With this in mind, OFWs can expect to find a variety of job opportunities in Malaysia. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the top OFW industries in Malaysia:
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Construction
Construction is one of Malaysia’s largest industries and is a great choice for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Construction work can be done anywhere, and there are many construction projects that need workers. The industry has good pay, benefits, and job security. Many construction companies also hire their employees on contracts so they do not have to worry about losing their jobs if they lose a bid or their contract expires.
There are many different types of construction jobs, including carpentry, plumbing, painting and decorating, landscaping and gardening. The most common jobs are laborers and scaffolders. Laborers work on-site moving materials around or doing general labor such as digging foundations and laying bricks. Scaffolders assemble the temporary structures that enable others to do their work safely at height.
Jobs available for OFWs in the Construction sector include:
-Carpenters
-Plumbers
-Painters and decorators
-Landscapers and gardeners
The average salary for these jobs in Malaysia is RM1,000-RM1,500 (about $250-$400) per month. The salary for OFWs in Malaysia is higher than the average for other countries; however, it is still lower than the local Malaysian workers.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is a huge sector in Malaysia. It includes the production of goods for use or sale using labor and machines, tools, chemical and biological processing, or formulation. The four main sectors of manufacturing in Malaysia include:
- Food Manufacturing – This sector produces food such as meat products; dairy product; beverages (such as juice); canned goods like tinned fruits; breads and baked goods like cakes or pastries; edible oils such as margarine or butter; artificial sweeteners such as cyclamate or saccharin used to make soft drinks taste sweeter without adding calories. Here’s an example from Thailand where they produce noodles from flour made from cassava root:
- Textiles – This sector makes clothing materials like denim jeans (which are made from cotton cloth) for both local consumption as well as export overseas markets abroad where demand has been growing steadily over recent years due to rising incomes among consumers with disposable income left after paying taxes etcetera which can be spent on consumer goods instead of just necessities such as food bills etcetera which have been going up due to higher prices caused by inflationary pressures caused by rising energy costs, which affects everything else too because everything requires energy so prices go up accordingly leading consumers back into debt again! But enough about all that —let’s get back to the subject at hand. The point is that there’s a huge demand for these goods and this has led to a growing market in places like China, India, Brazil and so on.
Jobs available for OFWs in the Manufacturing sector include:
-Assembly line workers: These are the people who work on assembly lines, attaching parts to a product or putting together products. These jobs require very little training and skill; they simply need someone who can follow instructions and perform repetitive tasks over and over again.
-Quality inspectors: If you have good eyesight and can spot small defects, then this could be a good job for you. A quality inspector’s job is to go through products and make sure they are up to standard, checking that they haven’t been damaged or defective during production or shipping.
-Production supervisors: These are the people who manage an entire production line, making sure that everyone is doing their job and that the factory runs smoothly. They also need to be able to work with a team and communicate effectively with them.
-Machine operators: If you love to work with machines and can fix them when they break, then this could be a good job for you. A machine operator’s job is to make sure that the machines in the factory are working correctly and producing high-quality products.
-Quality assurance technicians: The job of a quality assurance technician is to make sure that the products coming out of the factory are exactly what they should be. They test them and make sure that they meet all of the specifications set by their manufacturers.
-Material handlers: The job of a material handler is to move products around in the factory. They load and unload trucks and keep track of where they are going so that they can be sent to the correct place at the right time.
-Production assistants: A production assistant’s job is to help with other tasks that need doing, like filling out paperwork, cleaning up after an accident or assisting a machine operator when there isn’t anything else for them to do.
-Warehouse workers: Warehouse workers are responsible for moving products around in a warehouse. They load and unload trucks, move boxes around on shelves and keep track of where everything is so that it can be sent to the correct place at the right time.
-Production planners: A production planner’s job is to decide what needs to be made, when it needs to be made and how much of each product should be produced. They work closely with engineers, designers and managers to come up with the best plan for production.
The average salary for these jobs in Malaysia is RM1,500 to RM2,500 ($336 -$560) per month. There are also opportunities available for skilled workers in the garment industry who can earn up to RM3,000 ($672) per month.
Services
The services sector is currently the fastest growing industry in Malaysia with a high rate of employment. It has also become the largest employer of OFWs in Malaysia. In addition to retail and real estate, financial services, information technology and business process outsourcing are some of the top industries that employ OFWs.
Examples of such jobs include call center agents (for example: BPO), accountants and lawyers who work for law firms or IT professionals who work for multinational corporations or local companies.
The services sector is also the fastest growing industry in Malaysia and it has become the largest employer of OFWs in Malaysia. In addition to retail, real estate and financial services, information technology and business process outsourcing are some of the top industries that employ OFWs.
Jobs available for OFWs in the Services sector include:
-Customer service representatives
-Accountants and lawyers who work for law firms or IT professionals who work for multinational corporations or local companies.
-Telemarketing agents
-Retail store cashiers and sales assistants
The average salary for these jobs in Malaysia is RM 4,000 to RM 5,000 ($897 – $1120) a month.
Health Care
Health care is one of the biggest industries in Malaysia, and it’s no surprise that there are plenty of opportunities for Filipinos to work as health care professionals. There are many different areas within health care, including:
- Clinical services
- Medical research and development
- Nursing, midwifery and other allied health professions
Depending on where you’re interested in working, you can choose from specialties such as cardiovascular surgery or orthopedics; general medicine or family practice; pediatrics or gynecology. There are plenty of opportunities for Filipinos to work as health care professionals in Malaysia.
The country has a shortage of health care professionals and a rapidly growing population. It’s estimated that by 2020, there will be a shortage of more than 100,000 physicians and 400,000 nurses. The government is actively recruiting foreign-trained doctors to work in Malaysia through the Health Services Personnel Registration Board (HSPRB), which issues licenses for foreign-trained doctors to practice medicine here.
Jobs available for OFWs in the Health Care sector include:
-Physicians (General, Orthopedic, Obstetrician and Gynecologist)
-Nurses
-Dentists
-Psychiatrist
-Pharmacists
The average salary for these jobs in Malaysia is 400,000 Malaysian Ringgits (MYR) per month. That’s about $110,000 per year in U.S. dollars!
Agriculture and Agri-Business
Agriculture and agri-business are the largest employers of OFWs, comprising some 20 percent of all overseas workers. The industry is considered to be the backbone of the Philippine economy, with agriculture contributing around 15 percent to GDP and employing more than 3 million Filipinos.
The Philippines has a total land area that is only slightly larger than Singapore’s (about 300,000 square kilometres). However, it has a much smaller population base of roughly 100 million people than Malaysia’s 30 million. This means that the Philippines has a very large proportion of its land area dedicated to agriculture, which is a major contributor to its GDP and employment opportunities.
The Philippines has a strong agricultural industry, with more than 40 percent of its land area used for farming. The country is one of the world’s top exporters of sugar, bananas, mangoes and coconuts. It also produces significant amounts of rice and corn.
And as both nations don’t differ too much in culture and livelihood, Filipinos – even from the rural parts of the country – are able to adapt well to Malaysia. This is because the two countries share a similar culture, which means that Filipinos can easily integrate into their new surroundings.
Jobs available for OFWs in the Agriculture and Agri-Business sectors include:
– Farm workers
– Nursery workers
– Gardeners
– Farm laborers
– Rice farmers
– Coconut farmers
– Mango pickers
The average salary for these jobs in Malaysia is around RM 5,000 ($ 1,121) a month. The cost of living in Malaysia is relatively low compared to some other countries in Southeast Asia, but it’s still important for Filipinos to earn enough money to cover their expenses and send money back home.
Mining and Quarrying
These are the two other sectors that offer employment opportunities for Filipinos in Malaysia. The country has a booming mining industry, with vast amounts of coal, gold, tin and iron ore being extracted every year. As such, there are many job openings available in this sector.
Though mining and quarrying is a dangerous industry, it provides high-paying jobs. The work is hard, but the pay can be higher than in other industries. For example, a miner can make RM5-6k per month at first year of working in this field. However, you have to have good physical strength because most of time you’ll be doing heavy manual labor while digging out rocks or minerals from deep down in mines underground or in quarries above ground.
If you’re looking for a job in mining and quarrying, there are many options available. You can work as an underground miner or surface miner. Underground miners dig out minerals from deep inside mines while surface miners extract ore from above-ground quarries.
Jobs available for OFWs in this sector include:
-Surface miners
-Quarry workers
-Crushing and screening operators
The average salary for these jobs in Malaysia is between 2,500 and 3,000 Malaysian Ringgit ($560 to $672) per month.
Transport, Storage and Communication
If you want to work in the transport, storage and communication industry, you can become a truck driver or a bus driver. You’ll need to have at least five years of driving experience as well as a commercial license. Job opportunities are available in courier services, shipping companies or airlines.
You can also work as a warehouse manager or a freight forwarder. If you want to work in this sector, it’s best to have at least a high school diploma or two years of experience working in the field. You’ll need to have good English language skills and be able to work well under pressure. If you want to work as a warehouse manager, it’s best to have at least a high school diploma or two years of experience working in the field. You may also take an online course on warehousing management.
OFWs in Malaysia must have relevant skills and experience to be employed in the country. If you qualify as a recognized institution and have a certain amount of work experience, it will help you find an employer faster. You may also consider getting yourself certified by professional bodies like CIM or IOSH.
Jobs available for OFWs in this sector include:
-Drivers (truck and bus)
-Delivery boys and girls
-Couriers
-Shipping and air cargo handlers
-Warehouse workers
The average salary for these jobs in Malaysia is RM3000 to RM5000 ($672 to $1121) per month.
Hospitality and Tourism Services
You can find jobs in Malaysia if you’re a skilled worker in hospitality and tourism services. The country is known for its world-class resorts, hotels, spas and other tourist attractions. If you have experience as a concierge or front desk officer, that will be useful when applying for positions in these industries.
To be able to enter this industry, OFWs must have a degree in hotel and restaurant management, tourism or a related field. If you don’t have such a qualification, finding work in other industries like construction or agriculture will be easier.
Jobs available for OFWs in this sector include:
-Concierge
-Front desk officer
-Tourist information officer
-Tourist guide
-Resort manager
-Hotel manager
The average salary for these jobs in Malaysia is RM3000 – RM5000 ($672 to $1121) per month.
Education and Training Services
The education and training services industry is a fast-growing sector in Malaysia, which makes it an excellent place for OFWs to find work. You can find jobs in this industry as a teacher, trainer or lecturer. If you have educational qualification, it will be easier to find work. Jobs available for OFWs in this sector include:
There are many different types of jobs available in this industry, including:
-Teacher
-Administrator
-Accountant
-Librarian
-Education consultant
-Training provider
The average salary for these jobs in Malaysia is RM3500 ($733) per month.
Working away from home is a big decision that may be worthwhile.
Working away from home is a big decision that may be worthwhile. You can earn more money, save more money, and send more money home to your family. However, working in another country comes with many challenges and sacrifices. One of which is that sometimes it’s not easy to find jobs overseas because there are so many people looking for work outside the Philippines as well.
There are other factors aside from just getting hired at an office or factory abroad. However, even if someone gets hired easily, there’s still no guarantee that they will stay connected with their family back home since many OFWs don’t have much free time because they’re always busy with their job duties every day while they’re abroad working overseas.
Final Thoughts
Working abroad is something that many people dream of doing. There are so many reasons why people leave their homes and travel the world in search of something better. The good news is that many OFW industries available worldwide, especially if you consider Malaysia an option for employment. With so many options available for workers, you may think it would be easy to just pick up and go, but remember that not all industries offer equal compensation packages or working conditions.
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