Mersing: the local picture
Mersing is a coastal district encompassing 36 offshore islands, with Mersing town serving as the main ferry departure point for those islands. The Department of Statistics (DOSM) records a population of about 81,000 for Mersing.
Which process applies here
For hiring in Mersing: Peninsular Malaysia uses the federal route: the Immigration Department issues the permit and the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) licenses the agencies. The Employment Act 1955 applies here.
Costs and checks that apply here
In Mersing, Johor, the statutory costs are the ones set nationally: the permit and visa fees — which Immigration's own guidance bundles with the annual foreign-worker levy at approval and at each PLKS extension — the FOMEMA medical and PERKESO cover. Confirm the current levy amount with Immigration rather than budgeting it as waived.
There is no official cap on the service fee an agency charges a household in Mersing, so compare written, itemised quotes and verify the licence on the JTKSM register before paying — a licence confirms legitimacy, not price.
What to do next
Write a short household brief for Mersing — who needs support, the main duties, timing and budget — then use it in every agency conversation.
Ask any agency serving Mersing for its legal name and licence number, and verify both before paying anything.