Government has proposed strict regulations for private recruitment agencies, aiming to promote ethical recruitment and protecting migrant workers.

The drafted Employment (Labour Migration) Regulation requires agencies to have a minimum of 5 million kwacha in their accounts and well-established offices to operate in the country.

The document has undergone stakeholder validation and will be submitted to the Ministry of Justice for final processing before becoming operational.

Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Labour, Chikondano Mussa, expressed hope that the new law will promote ethical recruitment and protect Malawian workers abroad.

He also clarified that government to government agreements, such as the Malawi-Isreal deal, will not require private recruitment agencies.

“However, this does not preclude their involving in the future.” Said Mussa.

President of the Private Recruitment Association, Trevor Kandoje, welcomed some clauses in the regulation, including imprisonment and fines for those who breach the law.

Kandoje, expressed concerns about the government’s role in recruitment, potentially competing with private agencies.

Chief of Mission for the International Organization of Migration in Malawi, Jeremiah Joshua, emphasized the importance of the law in preventing the exploitation of exported labour.

He also reaffirmed their support for the regulation, citing the need for protection and ethical recruitment practices.

The new regulations aims to ensure that private recruitment agencies operate with transparency and accountability, safeguarding the rights and interests of Malawian workers seeking employment abroad.