In Asia, Malaysia is a major destination country for migrant workers from Indonesia, Nepal, Viet Nam, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Migrants represent almost 12% of the Malaysian population.

Migrant workers are mainly employed in 3-D (dirty, dangerous and demanding) jobs. Latest estimates show 1.8 million documented migrant workers employed in Malaysia; 17% are domestic workers, 15% employed in construction, 36% in manufacturing, 9% in services and 7% in agriculture.

Undocumented migrant workers may equal the number of documented workers employed in the country, although this is hard to verify. Data on remittances from Malaysia to the origin countries is scarce.

Malaysia is a source and destination country for trafficked persons. Malaysian women and children, primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked.

In 2006, fewer than 100 Malaysian women were trafficked abroad and the numbers, especially among women and children, seem to be declining. Men, women and children are also trafficked to Malaysia from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Viet Nam, Myanmar, and China.

No information has been found on HIV prevalence rates and HIV vulnerabilities and risk behaviour among migrants and mobile populations, including trafficked persons and refugees in Malaysia.

The National Strategic Plan identifies refugees as a group vulnerable to HIV, but data on HIV incidence rates amongst refugees are not yet captured through the existing HIV surveillance system.