The employment of foreign workers at constructions sites

Abstract

Labour resources are important in ensuring the successful completion of a project. The nature of construction works in Malaysia are still labor intensive. Nearly 1 million construction workers are needed every year and majority of them are foreigner. Unskilled and problematic workers will not only cause the delay in project completion but also poor quality of works. The objectives of this study are to identify the factors that contribute to the increase in the numbers of foreign workers, the problems faced by the employers in employing foreign workers, the working culture of foreign workers and the factors that drive the employers to employ foreign workers. The study was carried out using questionnaires forms which contain selection of short and predetermined as well as likert scale answers. The data was analyzed using average index method and frequency analysis. The results of the study show that poor monitoring of foreign workers employment by the authority had contributed to the influx of foreign workers in the construction industry. There were advantages of hiring foreign workers such as willingness to work under harsh conditions and disadvantages such as high cost of permit to work. Foreign workers were employed in the construction industry as the locals are not interested to undertake the construction works.