Factory workers commuting to Singapore from across the Causeway may soon enjoy shorter commutes when the pilot of a new immigration clearance system is launched in June.

The system, which will be managed by Malaysia’s Immigration Department, will involve workers using a unique QR code to cross immigration instead of having their passports processed.

Under the trial run, immigration officers will board factory buses with scanners to scan the QR codes of those aboard, State Works, Transportation, Infrastructure, and Communication committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh told the New Straits Times (NST) on April 23.

This comes after Singapore rolled out a similar system for cars passing through Singapore’s Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints in March.

According to the NST, an average of 400 to 500 factory buses cross the Johor-Singapore land checkpoints daily, transporting workers from Johor to Singapore to different factories and industrial areas.

Mr Fazli said the Malaysia’s Home Ministry had decided on the “officers-on-board” method during the system’s trial run before its implementation at the two land checkpoints near the Causeway and Second Link.

He added that the ministry and the Immigration Department are working to refine the implementation of the project.

“It is now at the ‘polishing up’ and ‘tightening’ stage,” he told NST.