The Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation (MOEAF) has indefinitely suspended its’ assistance to Burmese seeking to work in Malaysia, in protest of a visa fee hike.

Last year, Malaysia’s One Stop Service Centre (OSC) flagged a sharp rise in its Malaysian work visa processing fee, jumping from US$6 to $57. The OSC is licensed by the Malaysian government and is operated by private companies Bukti Megah sdn. Bhd and Diamond Palace Group of Companies Limited. The OSC now processes all Malaysian visa applications made in Burma, a task that was handled by the Malaysian Embassy in Rangoon up until 1 December 2015.

According to the Burmese government, there are around 200 overseas employment agencies in Burma that assist the legal migration of a staggering 3000 migrant workers to Malaysia every month.

The scheduled fee increase took effect on Monday 18 January.

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MOEAF confirmed on 16 January an indefinite pause on its services to applicants hoping to migrant to Malaysia in search of work.

The agency federation has said that the ban will remain until the Malaysian government reconsiders the price hike.