MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government has asked Filipinos in Malaysia to brace for a possible crackdown on illegal immigration in the Southeast Asian country, where it estimates about 400,000 Filipinos live illegally.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said a Malaysian amnesty program for illegal immigrants that began in 2016 ends Thursday and advised Filipinos, especially those without immigration permits, to expect a crackdown as early as Friday.
The department said the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia has helped 5,844 Filipinos without immigration papers since the amnesty was launched in January 2016.
It said that number is less than 1 percent of the estimated 400,000 undocumented Filipinos in Malaysia.
The Philippines is a major labor exporter and has faced many migrant labor crises.
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