Worker Housing Law

Akta 446 accommodation compliance

Malaysia's Employees' Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities Act (Act 446) sets the legal floor for worker housing, enforced through JTKSM certification. Every hostel we operate is built to it — and generally past it.

100%
JTKSM Certified Hostels
9+
Branch Offices Nationwide
37+
Years Managing Worker Housing

What Akta 446 Requires

The law behind the certificate

Act 446 (amended in 2019 to widen its scope beyond the plantation sector) requires employers to provide housing that meets minimum standards for space, sanitation, ventilation, fire safety and amenities — certified through a JTKSM Certificate of Accommodation before workers can legally be housed there.

Standards We Build To

Beyond the statutory minimum

Fully Compliant

JTKSM Compliance

Minimum space per person, sanitation, ventilation and safety requirements, licensed and inspected under the Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia.

Statutory

Fire Safety Certification

Bomba-compliant fire safety systems, escape routes and periodic inspection, documented per hostel.

RBA Aligned

RBA Housing Standards

International benchmarks for worker housing, dignity and freedom of movement layered on top of the statutory minimum.

Above & Beyond

Andaraya Welfare Code

Our own internal standard, going further than the law to ensure workers feel genuinely cared for, not just legally housed.

What Every Hostel Includes

What we actually provide

Minimum Space Per Worker

Sleeping quarters meeting or exceeding the statutory minimum floor area per occupant, with proper bunk spacing.

Ventilation & Sanitation

Adequate natural or mechanical ventilation, and toilet/washing facility ratios that meet JTKSM requirements.

Fire Safety Systems

Extinguishers, clear escape routes and periodic fire drills, inspected and documented.

Cooking & Recreation Amenities

Communal cooking facilities and recreational space, not just sleeping quarters.

Facility Upkeep

Scheduled cleaning, pest control and maintenance, tracked per hostel rather than left to residents.

Connected Transport

Hostels sited and served by our own transport fleet, keeping commute times reasonable and documented.

How We Certify a Hostel

From site to certificate

01

Site Assessment

Space, sanitation and fire-safety assessment against Akta 446 requirements before any worker moves in.

02

JTKSM Application

Certificate of Accommodation application filed with supporting documentation.

03

Inspection

On-site inspection by the relevant authority, with any findings remediated before re-inspection.

04

Certification

Certificate of Accommodation issued, renewed on schedule rather than left to lapse.

05

Ongoing Compliance

Regular internal audits between renewal cycles to catch issues before an inspector does.

Need a hostel certified?

Tell us your worker count and current site — we'll walk you through what's needed to reach JTKSM certification.