Labuan employment visas in 2024

Non-Malaysian nationals are required to apply for a visa to work and conduct business in Labuan. Healy Consultants Group offers this service to our Clients for US$4,250. Please note that visa application fees can be different based on your country of origin. The following visas will be available to our Clients:

Business visas

Entrepreneurs can obtain either a single-entry or multiple-entry business visa that enables them to stay in Labuan for up to 3 months. The multiple-entry visa, which is valid for 2 years, may require an interview at the Malaysian Embassy. It is not necessary to complete formation of a Labuan company for such purpose, provided our Client receives a letter of invitation. Documents required to obtain a business visa include i) valid passport ii) confirmed return tickets iii) address of stay in Malaysia and iv) invitation letter.

Employee visas

There are three types of work permits available for foreigners who wish to work in Labuan. Applications for these three visas must be sponsored by an employer from a a company formed in Labuan or another province of Malaysia:

• Professional Visit Pass (PVP) – This pass is issued to skilled foreigners who provide services to a Labuan company on behalf of an overseas company temporarily. Under this pass, the foreigner is employed by the company in their home country. A PVP is usually valid for up to 12 months. The Malaysian sponsoring company has to apply for this pass at the Malaysian Immigration Department;
• Employment Pass – The employment pass is reserved for employees who are in either i) a top managerial position in a foreign owned company based in Labuan ii) a professional or mid-level managerial post or iii) a highly skilled non-executive post. The job offer from the Labuan company must be for at least two years and the minimum salary required is MYR10,000 (~US$2,500) per month. Labuan companies operating in unlicensed sectors will require paid-up capital of at least MYR250,000 (~US$61,000) to gain permission to hire foreigners. Licensed businesses such as financial firms and insurance companies must simply meet their regulatory capital requirements in order to gain an employment pass quota;
• Visitor’s Pass – Visitor’s Pass is relevant for workers in i) manufacturing ii) plantation iii) agriculture iv) construction and v) services. The criteria attached to this pass include i) workers must be between 18 and 45 years old ii) they may not change jobs without approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs and iii) they may not work in Malaysia page for longer than 5 years.

Tourist visas

A Malaysian tourist visa generally allows visitors to stay in Malaysia for 90 days. Requirements for a tourist visa are i) a valid passport and ii) return tickets. Nationals of several countries are exempt from having to obtain a tourist visa to Malaysia, for a stay of less than 90 days. For a stay of less than 1 month, nationals from ASEAN countries (except Myanmar) do not require a visa. It is of course not required to form a company in Labuan before applying for such visa.