Growth moderated throughout 2015,affected by a slowdown in private consumption and weakexport growth. The authorities have generally managed thedownturn in commodity prices and the financial marketvolatility with a reasonable mix of macro policies.Heightened external volatility calls for prudent macropolicies and acceleration of structural reforms. Theeleventh Malaysia plan stresses the importance of effectivemigration management to achieve high-income country statusby 2020. Immigration continues to play a crucial role inMalaysia’s development. While job growth has recently beenconcentrated in high-skilled occupations, three quarters ofall jobs in Malaysia are still low- and mid-skilled.Econometric modelling suggests that immigrant workers canraise gross domestic product (GDP) and create employment forMalaysians. The current process for sourcing immigrantworkers is complex and costly for the migrant. Theimmigration system can better meet the country’s developmentobjectives if it is aligned with Malaysia’s human resourcedevelopment strategy. Global experience shows thatsuccessful immigration systems recognize the long-term roleof immigrant workers in the hosting country’s economic andsocial objectives if they are: (a) market-driven, withimmigration flows aligned with labor market demands; (b)comprehensive, acknowledging the need for immigrants of alltypes; and (c) balanced, minimizing the negative impacts onMalaysian workers, and protecting immigrant workers from abuse.
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