PUTRAJAYA, March 8 -- The federal government will now accept direct applications from employers seeking to hire Bangladeshi workers, ending the requirement for this to be handled by agents.

Applications for eVisa can be made directly through the Immigration Department's portal and will be processed within two days, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced today.

"The government has given active ID and user manuals to employers.

"This decision enables the government to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives that have been implemented and accurately measure the need for foreign manpower in the country, before considering the need to open new quotas for the intake of foreign workers," he said.

The home minister als...