Thomas Matthew, the Group CEO of TalentCorp, disclosed that more than 6,000 professionals have returned to Malaysia through the Returning Expert Programme (REP) since its establishment in 2011.
Citing data from the United Nations (UN), Thomas highlighted that approximately 1.86 million Malaysians currently reside abroad, with 1.1 million having migrated to Singapore.
Addressing this, he emphasised the REP’s objective of encouraging these Malaysians abroad, particularly those in Singapore, to return home and contribute their expertise and skills to the nation.
Speaking at a news conference following the launch of Volume 1 of the Sector-Focused Industry-Academia Collaboration (IAC) Workshop Report, Thomas introduced the Malaysia@Heart initiative (MyHeart), designed to facilitate networking opportunities and job placements for returning Malaysians.
Thomas urged companies’ chief human resources officers to consider Malaysians abroad as potential employees instead of solely seeking expatriates.
Through the MyHeart platform, returning Malaysians can explore job openings advertised by employers and negotiate potential employment while also applying for the REP incentive.
Since its initiation, TalentCorp has received over 10,000 applications for the REP, offering comprehensive support throughout the application, relocation, and employment processes.
The programme provides incentives such as a 15% flat tax rate for five years, tax exemptions, and permanent residence status for family members.
Touching on the significance of the IAC workshop report, Thomas noted its role as a guide for collaborations between the government, industry, and academia in developing talent solutions for the country.
He noted that insights from the report would inform initiatives like the sector-based Future Skill Talent Council, ensuring alignment with industry needs.
Launched by Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar, the IAC workshop report compiles findings from TalentCorp’s 10 workshops in 2022 across various sectors, providing insights on talent challenges, in-demand skills, case studies, and recommendations derived from input by 550 industry, academia, and professional representatives.