KUALA LUMPUR: Over 3,000 local nurses have migrated abroad to work overseas in 2024, says the Health Ministry.
It stated that records from the Nursing Board showed 3,021 Malaysian nurses migrated last year, with the majority of these exits coming from private healthcare facilities, at 2,554, or 84.5%.
The ministry added that only 353 (11.7%) of migrated nurses were from Health Ministry hospitals and clinics, with the remaining 3.8% or 114 of nurse migrations coming from other public healthcare institutions.
“While migration of healthcare workers is not a new phenomenon, it is also seen in other developing countries.
“The main factor driving nurses abroad is the competitive salary offers, particularly in countries with stronger currencies compared to the ringgit,” the ministry said in a parliamentary written reply dated Thursday (Aug 28).
The ministry added that it does not have the authority to prevent nurses from taking up opportunities overseas or in the private sector.
Despite concerns about the exodus, the ministry stated that the migration rate of Health Ministry nurses, compared to its total staffing of 70,234 nurses in 2024, was only 0.5%.
“The figures show that while the issue is real, the scale of migration from the ministry itself is not at an alarming level,” the ministry added.
To help increase retention of its nurses, the ministry said it has implemented various incentives in this regard since 2024.
It states that this includes the 8% salary increase starting in December 2024 and the currently planned additional 7% salary increase in January next year.
It said newly appointed nurses would also receive a starting salary package of RM2,934 with annual increments of RM145.
“Permanent appointments for Grade U5 nurses, career progression pathways, post-basic training opportunities with full-pay study leave, and various allowances ranging from RM100 to RM1,500 per month are also part of the incentives.
“But this effort to retain nurses in the public healthcare system cannot rest solely on the ministry; it is a complex issue requiring long-term solutions and collaboration with multiple agencies,” the ministry said.
The ministry was responding to a question from Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan (PN–Merbok), who wanted to know the ministry’s plan to address the concerns of local nurses who migrate abroad for better salaries and job offers.
