Why We Cannot Issue 10 Year Visas For Qualified Professionals

 Every other country, especially in our region, is beginning to be more creative to encourage economic growth. To benefit their people. In Rwanda (now the top country in Africa) you can register a new company online in a few minutes. There is no need to go to the business registration office.  

Hong Kong and Singapore impose income tax of 15% - 17% for highly skilled expatriate professionals. They do this to attract talent to Singapore and Hong Kong.

Now Thailand has introduced a 10 year visa for foreign professionals who have qualifications in technologically advanced skills. Here is something from Thailand:

 

 

A 10 year visa is not possible in Malaysia. Because they cannot "collect" bribes. If they give expatriate professionals a 10 year visa it means they can only 'collect' cash once every 10 years. Mana boleh? In 10 years the fellows must kahwin dua, tiga and empat. 

Their calculations are much simpler.

Lets say they can collect RM500 from one Indon. So from two Indons they can collect RM1000. Three Indons RM1,500 etc. 1 million Indons = RM500 Million. That is why there are so many Indons in the country.  

Lets say they can collect RM1000 from one Bangla. So from two Banglas they can collect RM2000. Three Banglas RM3,000 etc. 1 million Banglas  = RM1 Billion. That is why there are maybe more Banglas than Indons in the country.

The same issue with giving three year permits or licenses to the Chinese vegetable farmers. The three year license to grow vegetables does not give enough time for the Chinese vegetable farmers to get back their investments. That is why they cannot upgrade their vegetable farms too much. 

Also they have to use extra fertiliser and extra pesticides to maximise the yield from their vegetable farms to recover their money in three years. And then countries like Singapore start banning the import of their vegetables because there is too much pesticide. Our economy rugi.

If the Chinese vegetable farmers were given longer term licenses (10 years) then they can invest more money to increase their vegetable planting, build more processing and packaging plants to export their vegetables further overseas. To more countries. Because 10 years is sufficient time to recover the extra investment costs that will be needed. Malaysia will earn more foreign exchange. Our Ringgit will strengthen. The government will earn more taxes. With the extra tax collections, the government can pay for more free weddings, free this, free that. Free subsidy, subsidy, subsidy.

But again if the vegetable farmers are given 10 year licenses then those fellows cannot collect bribes. They must wait 10 years to collect bribes. But they have to kahwin again.  So how? No way they are going to give 10 year licenses.

Another interesting point about Thailand's 10 year visa is that the foreign expatriates do not have to work in Thailand. They can even work "FROM" Thailand - online or otherwise. In other words the Thais dont even mind if highly skilled foreigners just come and live in Thailand. 

The point is other countries are thinking and moving ahead. Someone in Thailand has been putting a lot of thinking into this 10 year visa. Thailand Boleh.

 The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.