Bangladeshis make up 37% of Malaysia’s foreign workforce, with more than 800,000 nationals holding active employment permits as of June, according to Malaysia’s home ministry.

Citing a parliamentary written reply dated Monday (25 August), Malaysian outlet The Star reports that 49,353 Bangladeshi workers entered Malaysia in 2022 after the country reopened its borders following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under the 2023 Foreign Worker Recruitment Relaxation Plan, 397,548 new Bangladeshi workers joined Malaysia through the temporary scheme aimed at expediting foreign employment.

The ministry added that 20,331 Bangladeshi temporary work permit (PLKS) holders were repatriated in 2022, while 23,065 were repatriated in 2023.

“As of June 2025, the Immigration Department recorded 803,332 active Bangladeshi PLKS holders, representing 37% of the total foreign workforce and making Bangladesh the largest source country for low-skilled workers in Malaysia,” the statement said.

The ministry also reported that 790 Bangladeshis were detained for overstaying their visas.

The ministry was responding to a question by Hassan Karim (PH–Pasir Gudang) on the total number of Bangladeshi workers brought into the country in 2022 and 2023, and requested a breakdown of those with valid work permits, those who are undocumented, as well as the number who have been returned to Bangladesh.