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Updated August 2024
Key takeaways
Malaysia’s employment pass requires approval from the Expatriate Committee or relevant authorities before issuance.
The professional visit pass is granted to foreign workers to work in Malaysia temporarily for up to 12 months.
Different work permits are tailored to specific skill levels and sectors.
Table of Contents
What is a Malaysia work permit?
A Malaysian work permit allows foreigners to work in the country. It is designed for individuals who have a job offer from a Malaysian employer and meet the government’s requirements.
Please note that while it’s common to call it a Malaysia work visa, it is formally known as a work permit in Malaysia.
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Malaysia work permit types
Different types of work permits are available depending on the applicant’s skill level and the quota for that particular sector.
Employment pass
The employment pass is a work permit that allows foreign workers to work in Malaysia. It is issued based on the terms of the employment contract and has a maximum duration of 60 months.
Prior to its issuance by the Immigration Department of Malaysia, approval from the Expatriate Committee (EC) or relevant authorities is required to confirm the eligibility of the foreign talent for the position.
The employment pass is classified into three categories:
- Category I: where the applicant must have a monthly base salary of MYR 10,000 (USD 2,410) or more and have an employment contract of up to 5 years which can be extended.
- Category II: where the applicant must have a monthly base salary above MYR 5,000 (USD1,200) and under MYR 10,000 (USD 2,410) and have an employment contract valid for a maximum of 2 years/24 months.
- Category III: where the applicant must have a monthly base salary range from MYR 3,000 (USD 723) and under MYR 5,000 (USD1,200) and have an employment contract valid for up to 12 months or less.
Requirements
The employer is responsible for applying for an employment pass on behalf of the foreign employee. Once the expatriate post has been approved, the employer can submit the employment pass application to the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
Some of the documents the employer will need to submit to the Immigration Department are as follows: You can find the complete document checklist here.
- Recent passport photo
- Copy of the highest educational certificates
- Copy of the Professional certificate (if applicable)
- Latest comprehensive resume
- Supporting document from Approving Agency / Regulatory Body (if applicable)
- Tax payment receipts (if any)
- Account statement from Malaysia Inland Revenue Board (upon request)
- The employment pass application form;
- Copy of passport (full booklet with cover);
- Letter of approval from the relevant authority body;
- Employment contract (duly stamped by Malaysia Inland Revenue Board);
- Education certificates;
- Detailed Job Description printed on the company’s letterhead and
- Other documents specified upon request.
Application process
- Applications should be submitted by their employer in Malaysia before the applicant enters the country.
- The employer must log in to the official portal of the Expatriate Services Division with their registered ID and submit the employment pass application.
Validity
The pass is subject to the employment contract, with a maximum duration of 60 months, depending on the employment contract and upon the discretion of the EC.
Please note that the pass is only valid in Peninsular Malaysia
Price
The cost of an employment pass is RYM 848 (along with Sales and Service Tax or SST).
If you have an employment pass, you can apply for the following types of employment passes:
Social visit (temporary employment) pass
Malaysian companies that need semi-skilled foreign workers in specific sectors can get a social visit (temporary employment) pass, also called a visitor’s pass.
Eligibility
The social visit (temporary employment) pass is available only to foreign workers of the following categories:
- For foreign workers in the construction, plantation, agriculture, manufacturing, and services.
- Foreign domestic helpers.
Application for quota approval must be made at the Local Centre of Approval, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Foreign domestic helpers, cooks who are citizens of Thailand, and rubber tappers in the Northern States and East Coast do not require quota approval.
This work permit is open only to citizens from the approved countries, with some exceptions to be kept in mind:
- Bangladesh – Only allowed to work in the plantation sector through government-to-government agreements;
- Cambodia;
- India – Citizens are not allowed to work in the manufacturing sector;
- Indonesia – Male citizens are only allowed to work in the manufacturing sector, whereas females can work in all sectors;
- Kazakhstan;
- Laos;
- Myanmar;
- Nepal;
- Pakistan;
- Philippines – female citizens are prohibited from working in any sector;
- Sri Lanka;
- Thailand;
- Turkmenistan;
- Uzbekistan; and
- Vietnam
Please note that if you meet the requirements to apply for a Malaysian social visit (temporary employment) pass, then you can apply for it any time of the year.
Requirements
Following are the documents required to apply for a social visit (temporary employment) pass.
- Visa with reference application (VDR) form
- Application letter from the employer
- Letter of approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs
- Original receipts of levy paid
- Form IMM.12
- Payment form
- VDR Application form for new foreign workers
- Bank draft (payment PLKS, PROCESS AND VISA)
- Deposit / Insurance Guarantee / Bank Guarantee (valid for at least 18 months)
- Copy of worker’s passport
- Worker’s photograph(1 piece)
- Stamped personal bond
- Medical report from the country of origin approved by the Ministry of Health Malaysia
- Copies of the registration form (Form 49 / Form B & D) Representative Company Card (Yellow Card) for Foreign Workers Application VDR (Employer / Company Representative)
- The original approval letter for outsourcing foreign workers and certified copies of the VDR application for outsourcing foreign workers (outsourcing company)
Application process
- Obtain approval and pay the levy at the Local Centre of Approval, Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Employers will further apply for a Visa With Reference (VDR) and a visitor’s pass (temporary employment).
Validity
The Malaysia social visit pass (temporary employment) is valid for 12 months, and employers can apply for extensions every year for a maximum of 10 years.
Long-term social visit pass
The long-term social visit pass allows foreigners to temporarily reside in Malaysia for a minimum of six months. Extensions may be granted based on eligibility and meeting specific conditions.
Holders of this pass are also permitted to engage in paid employment, business, or professional occupations without needing to convert it to an employment pass or visitor’s pass (temporary employment).
Eligibility
- Children above 18 years old and unmarried of employment pass holder;
- Parents & parents-in-law of employment pass holders;
- Common law spouse of an employment pass holder can be considered.
Requirements
The following is the list of basic/general documents required for a long-term social visit pass on the basis of your pass type:
- Copy of husband/wife’s Identity Card
- Copy of the Applicant’s latest Passport and pass
- Affidavit of Oath with photograph (stamped by the Commissioner of Oaths from the Government Court)
- Copy of Marriage Register / Marriage Certificate
- Job Offer Letter from the employer (using Company Letterhead )
- Employment Contract (stamped with RM 10 revenue), which explains:
- Position
- Working period
- Monthly income
- Signatures of both parties (employer and employee)
- Applicant, Citizen Spouse and Employer Information Form
- Company Registration Form (printed directly from My Data – SSM system) latest
There are several specific documents required on the basis of the long-term social visit pass you are applying for. Please refer to the Malaysian government website for more details.
Application process
- Applications can be made at your nearest Malaysian State Immigration Office.
- Enclose relevant supporting documents, namely:
- Marriage Certificate / Marriage Certificate
- Job Offer / Business Registration (where applicable)
Please note that applications can be submitted while obtaining approval for the relevant social visit pass or at any time after it is issued.
Validity
- For foreign employees, a long-term social visit pass is valid for 6 months. It can be renewed, provided that the employee meets all the original criteria.
- The long-term social visit pass is valid for 5 years for spouses of foreign workers, provided they comply with all the requirements.
Price
The cost of a long-term visit pass is MYM 477, along with Sales and Service Tax or SST.
Dependant pass
A dependant pass allows the spouse or children of an expatriate working in Malaysia to stay legally. However, holders are not allowed to work in Malaysia unless they obtain a separate work permit.
Eligibility
- Legal spouse of the employment pass holder
- Children below 18 years old (biological, stepchild, legally adopted) of employment pass holder
- Disabled children, regardless of age
Requirements
The following is the list of general documents required for the dependent pass:
- 1 passport-sized photograph
- Copy of valid passport (full booklet with cover);
- Copy of marriage/birth certificate
- Copy of Marriage Certificate (for legal spouse) translated into English (if applicable) and must be attested by Certified True Copy (CTC) by the Embassy / High Commission / Consulate General of Malaysia in the respective country OR respective Embassy / High Commission / Consulate General in Malaysia.
- Copy of Birth Certificate (for children below 18 years old) translated into English (if applicable) and must be attested / Certified True Copy (CTC) by the Malaysian Embassy / High Commission / Consulate General in the respective country OR respective Embassy / High Commission/ Consulate General in Malaysia
- Application letter
- The letter should be issued by the employer mentioned in the current employment pass (EP) sticker, which should be attached to the passport and scanned in colour.
- Validity: 6 months from the date of issuance.
- The signatory must be an Endorser/Director.
- Other documents specified upon request.
Application process
You or your employer must submit the expatriate application through the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
Simply visit the Expatriate Services Division website, log in through the company’s ESD account, and submit the expatriate application.
Validity
The dependant pass is usually valid for the same duration as the expatriate’s employment pass, and it can be renewed as long as the expatriate remains employed in Malaysia.
Price
The cost of a dependant pass is MYM 477 (along with Sales and Service Tax, that is, SST).
Professional visit pass
The professional visit pass is granted to foreign workers with the necessary qualifications or skills to work in Malaysia temporarily for up to 12 months. They can only provide their services to a Malaysian company on behalf of an overseas company and are not allowed to apply for a dependent’s pass.
Eligibility
- Hiring company successfully registered with ESD (refer to Stage 1 & 2);
- Applicant fulfils one of the following categories:
- Category I: Expertise Transfer
- Category II: Research
- Category III: Training at ESD-registered companies
- Category IV: Volunteers
- Category V: Exhibitors under regulation of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB)
- Category VI: Student Internship (must be relevant to their educational background that they have a degree for) under:
- i. Foreign Embassies
- ii. ESD-registered companies
- iii. Hotels
- Applicable to hotels rated 4 stars and above only.
- Hotels rated 3 stars may apply but are restricted to Indonesian trainees only.
- Limited to 25 trainees at any given time.
- The maximum duration allowed is for six (6) months only and is non-renewable.
- The trainee can only apply once for training in any hotel in Malaysia.
Requirements
There are specific documents required based on your expertise.
The list of general documents includes:
- The application letter provided by the Host / Malaysian company must be signed by the listed Endorser or Director who signed the Letter of Undertaking (LoU) submission.
- Application letter should be issued on official company letterhead and submitted in clear and coloured scanned copy and valid for 3 months upon the issuance date.
- The application letter should be addressed to the Immigration Department Malaysia, Putrajaya.
- The application letter must consist of the following details:
- Applicant’s details: name, current passport number, nationality, current designation/position name in the foreign company, current foreign company name, address and contact number of foreign company, position of the pass applied for (as per in the ESD position selection), duration of pass applied for (must not exceed 12 months)
- Project details: justification for application (please justify the reason for the applicant’s entry into Malaysia in extensive detail), commencement date (the project/position will commence immediately upon the issuance of the professional visit pass by the immigration department of Malaysia), project duration (must not exceed 12 months), project details (must explain the specific title of the project that the applicant will carry out)
- Detailed Work/Training Schedule of assignment in Malaysia
- A clarification statement about the applicant’s continued job position with an overseas company.
- For the salary section, the overseas company must pay the applicant. If the company states that it is a Malaysian company or something similar, it indicates that the salary is being paid by a local company, but it is NOT accepted.
- Employer Signatory: Must consist of three (3) items: i. Signature ii. Name iii. Designation. Must be an endorser/director of the Letter of Undertaking (LoU). Digital or pasted signature is NOT accepted.
- Recent passport-size photograph.
- Copy of a valid passport.
- Bond form
- Either Personal Bond duly stamped by the Inland Revenue Board—applicable for all nationalities except China and Bangladesh.
- Or Security Bond form duly stamped by the Inland Revenue Board.
- Letter of Award (LOA) / Contract, if applicable
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), if applicable
- Supporting document from Approving Agency / Regulatory Body (If applicable)
- All PVP applications must obtain an approval letter before entering Malaysia for employment purposes. The applicant must collect a single-entry visa at the respective embassy or can apply through the e-visa website, which is only applicable to nationalities requiring a visa.
Application process
Applications should be submitted by a sponsor in Malaysia prior to the applicant’s entry into the country.
The sponsor must submit the professional visit pass application to the Malaysian Federal Government Administrative Centre (Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration Department) in Putrajaya at the following address:
No. 15, Level 1-7,
Block 2G4 (Tower & Podium),
Persiaran Perdana, Precinct 2,
62550 Federal Territory of Putrajaya, Malaysia.
Validity
- The maximum duration for an expatriate to hold a PVP or professional visit pass is 12 months, with no extensions allowed beyond that.
- The validity of PVP to undergo training at a factory or hotel is only applicable for a period not exceeding six months.
- Companies wishing to request PVP extensions within that timeframe need to submit the application at least one month before the pass expiry date.
Price
The cost of a professional visit pass is RYM 848 (along with SST or Sales and Service Tax).
Digital nomad pass
Malaysia digital nomad pass, also known as the DE Rantau digital nomad pass, is a type of professional visit pass that allows remote workers to stay in the country longer.
Eligibility
- Digital freelancers / independent contractors who perform work remotely on a freelance and project basis with no attachment to a specific company or location.
- Remote workers who have a flexible working arrangement that allows them to work remotely.
- Criteria for eligibility
- Tech talent/profession: Digital freelancer, independent contractor, and remote worker who are IT & digital professionals in various domains, that is, software engineers, backend engineers, UX, UI, cloud, cybersecurity, blockchain, AI (Artificial Intelligence), machine learning, data-related etc.), digital marketing, digital creative content, digital content development etc.
- Non-tech talent/profession: Chief Executive Officer (Founder/ Managing Director/ President), Chief Operations Officer, Business Development (Growth Manager), Marketing Manager, Chief Financial Officer, Finance Manager/Accountant, Sales Manager, Customer Success Manager, Human Resources Manager, Legal Counsel, Public Relation Manager, Consultant, Customer Service Manager/ Customer Service Representative/ Customer Success Specialist, Communications & Public Relations Manager, Administration Manager, Technical Writer, Tax Specialist, Tax Accountant, Production Manager, Supply Chain Manager or any related position equivalent to the above positions
- Annual income must be:
- Tech Talent/Profession: More than USD 24,000.
- Non-Tech Talent/Profession: More than USD 60,000.
Requirements
- Passport all pages (must have a minimum of 6 empty pages and at least 14 months remaining validity)
- Latest CV
- Latest 3 months bank statement
- Latest 3 months’ income statement or latest tax returns
- Latest 3 months’ payslip (for remote workers)
- A valid project contract with a contract period of 3 months or more (a combination of contracts from multiple companies will also be accepted)
- Personal bond (to fill out the prescribed form)
- Letter of good conduct (issued by an authority body in the respective country or current residence)
- Highest education certificate
- Medical insurance enrolment certificate that is valid in Malaysia (must also cover dependents, if any).
- Medical insurance can be submitted after the application has been approved or before the issuance of the pass sticker,
- Medical insurance must have a minimum validity of three months.
- Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia tax registration slip
Application process
To apply for the Malaysia Nomad Visa, follow the following steps:
- Visit the DE Rantau portal
- Scroll down and select whether you are a local nomad or a foreign nomad
- Click on the “Sign Up Now” button at the top of the page to start the application
- Create an account on the Malaysia Digital (MD) platform with your full name, email ID, and password
- Fill in the information asked for, such as personal details, passport details, employment information, etc
- Upload all the necessary documents
- Pay the visa application fee with a debit or credit card
- Submit the application
Validity
This pass lasts up to 1 year, and you can apply for 1 extra year.
Price
The cost of the Digital Nomad Pass is MYR 1,000 for the main applicant and MYR 500 for each dependent, including sales and service tax.
If your application is rejected, you will receive a refund of 50% of the application fees.
Malaysia work permit processing time
The processing time depends on the country from which you are applying. Generally, it takes approximately two weeks for the Immigration Department of Malaysia to issue a Malaysia work permit.
