外籍劳工遇到的困境和不公平对待 Challenges and Unfair Treatment Faced by Migrant Workers

外籍劳工面临的问题往往是“看不见的”（United Daily News, 2023）。

The difficulties encountered by migrant workers are often “invisible” (United Daily News, 2023).

文化和语言的障碍

1. 听不懂，说不出：语言障碍带来的限制

语言不通让外籍劳工在工作环境中受到限制，沟通的不顺畅甚至会影响他们的工作效率，进而导致他们在工作中无法晋升(Salleh et al., 2021)。除此之外，当外籍劳工想要就医时，也可能会因为无法清晰地表述自身的状况，而导致治疗过程不顺畅。

2. 不被尊重的信仰：宗教与文化实践受忽视

部分雇主不尊重外籍劳工的宗教和文化习俗。例如，有穆斯林女佣被强迫做一些和他们信仰冲突的工作，比如处理猪肉或被剥夺祷告时间（Nanyang Siang Pau, 2023; Omar & Ahmad, 2019）。

3. 被贴上刻板标签：偏见造成的社会排斥

外籍劳工常常被有些人误认为是“教育程度低”或“可能带来安全问题”的人，甚至有些住宅区业主拒绝将房子租给他们。（China Press, 2022; United Daily News, 2023）。

女性外籍劳工面临双重脆弱处境

女性外籍劳工，尤其是家庭女佣，往往同时面临性别和外籍身份带来的双重不平等对待。由于身为女性，又属于外籍劳工群体，她们更容易遭遇不公平待遇与更高的弱势处境。

法律保护不足： 许多家庭女佣没有受到《1955年雇佣法令》的完整保障，可能没有固定的假期、加班费或病假（Oriental Daily, 2024）。

工作条件恶劣：家庭女佣可能会被拖欠工资、每天工作超过12个小时、无法获得足够的食物，甚至被孤立（Feminist Participatory Action Research, 2020; Omar & Ahmad, 2019）。

案例：根据女权主义参与式行动研究 (FPAR) 的一位印尼籍外籍家庭佣工受访者表示，在他8个月的工作期间，完全没有收到任何工资或补偿。由于长期被剥削和缺乏食物，他严重消瘦，入院后被诊断出脑部积水。在接受手术后，他只得空手返回印尼家乡。

证件被没收：很多雇主要求家庭女佣长时间工作，并扣留他们的护照等重要证件 (李佳纹,2025)。

经济上的困境

薪水被拖欠：有些外籍劳工无法按时获得他们应得的薪水，包括基本薪资以及加班费。虽然马来西亚《2025年国家薪金谘询理事会（修正）法令》(The National Wages Consultative Council (Amendment) Act 2025)以及《2024年最低薪金指令》（Minimum wages order 2024）标明，最低薪金为每个月RM 1700，但执行上仍有不足之处（Yotwilai, 2025）。

好消息：强制性公积金（EPF）缴款

自2025年10月1日起，大部分拥有合法准证的外籍劳工和雇主都需要强制缴纳公积金（EPF）。这让他们在退休时可以领取储蓄，更有保障。（Employees Provident Fund Malaysia, 2025; ASEAN Briefing, 2025）。

Cultural and Language Barriers

Unable to Understand or Express Themselves: Language Barriers

Language barriers limit migrant workers in their work environment. Miscommunication may affect their work performance and even hinder career advancement (Salleh et al., 2021).In addition, when seeking medical treatment, migrant workers may struggle to describe their symptoms clearly, resulting in delays or inadequate care.

Disrespected Beliefs: Overlooked Religious and Cultural Practices

Some employers fail to respect the religious and cultural practices of migrant workers. For example, some Muslim domestic workers are forced to carry out tasks that contradict their religious beliefs, such as handling pork or are denied time for prayers (Nanyang Siang Pau, 2023; Omar & Ahmad, 2019).

Stereotyping and Social Exclusion

Migrant workers are often stereotyped as “poorly educated” or “posing security risks.” Some residential property owners refuse to rent their properties to them (China Press, 2022; United Daily News, 2023).

Women Migrant Workers: Double Vulnerability

Women migrant workers， especially domestic workers， often face layered discrimination due to both their gender and migrant status. This combination makes them more vulnerable to unfair treatment and exploitation.

Lack of Legal Protection

Many domestic workers are not fully protected under the Employment Act 1955. This means they may have no guaranteed rest days, overtime pay, or sick leave (Oriental Daily, 2024).

Harsh Working Conditions

Domestic workers may face unpaid wages, work more than 12 hours a day, be denied adequate food, or experience isolation (Feminist Participatory Action Research, 2020; Omar & Ahmad, 2019).

Case Example

According to a correspondence  from Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR), an Indonesian domestic worker received no salary or compensation for eight months. Due to prolonged exploitation and lack of food, she became severely malnourished and was later hospitalized, where she was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. After undergoing surgery, she returned to Indonesia empty-handed.

Documents confiscated

Many employers require domestic workers to work long hours and confiscate their passports or other important documents (Li, 2025).

Financial Problems

Delayed or Withheld Wages

Some migrant workers do not receive their wages on time, including their basic salary and overtime payments. Although the National Wages Consultative Council (Amendment) Act 2025 and the Minimum Wages Order 2024 set the minimum wage at RM 1,700 per month, enforcement remains inadequate (Yotwilai, 2025).

Good News: EPF Contributions

Mandatory EPF Contributions (Starting 1 October 2025)

Beginning 1 October 2025, most migrant workers with valid work permits, along with their employers, are required to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). This provides them with retirement savings and greater long-term financial security (Employees Provident Fund Malaysia, 2025; ASEAN Briefing, 2025).