Malaysia employment visas in 2024

Healy Consultants assists our Client to apply for employment and resident visas with the Immigration Department of Malaysia to allow them to live and work in Malaysia. We are proud to say that our approval rate is still 100%. Healy Consultants’ fee to assist our Client obtain a work permit is US$4,950.

  • Factors to take in consideration when hiring foreign staff in Malaysia

    Form a new business in Malaysia

    When hiring foreign workers, several aspects of local employment laws should be considered. The following is an overview of the most important information:

    • For international investors planning to start a Malaysian company with local staff, the minimum age for an IT position is 21 years, and for management posts is 27 years;
    • If an investor forms a limited company in Malaysia with a paid up capital of more than US$2 million, the company can apply for five employment visas for foreign staffs;
    • The criteria for the eligibility to sponsor the employment of foreign workers in Malaysia by non-export orientated industries are: i) total sales of at least MYR2 million (US$520,000) and ii) minimum paid-up capital of MYR100,000 (US$26,000);
    • If your company is active in the manufacturing, service and construction sectors, it is possible to hire citizens from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan;
    • Note that non-Malaysian staff that reside in Malaysia only require Entry Permits and are exempt from applying for any other type of Pass;
    • Note that the company must apply for Visit Passes, should it wish to hire non-Malaysians for short-term projects.
    • If the company is 100% foreign owned the minimum paid-up capital required is RM1,000,000 (US$246,000);
    • The company needs to be in operation for at least 6 months prior to application for Employment Pass for expatriate workers;
    • If the company falls under the Non-Regulated Service Industry, a WRT license is required prior to submitting an application for Employment Pass;
    • Although not a statutory requirement, it is advisable to have at least 4/5 local employees prior to submitting the EP applications.
  • Different types of visas available in Malaysia

    • Applying for an employment pass

      • An employment pass applies to investors, skilled workers, professionals and senior management of both local and foreign companies;
      • Time posts can be considered for up to 10 years for executive positions that require professional qualifications and practical experience, and five years for non-executive positions that require technical skills and experience;
      • Employment pass for expatriates with key posts can be considered where the company foreign paid-up capital is at least MYR500,000;
      • To support the employment pass application, we recommend expatriates to earn monthly wages of at least MYR5,000. Automatic approval will be given to expatriates who are paid RM8,000 and above per month if they meet certain criteria;
      • Before any Malaysian manufacturing company can hire expatriate staff, it is necessary to register with the Expatriate Services Division (ESD), which can be done after company formation;
      • The process can take up to one year depending on the license requirements of the company;
      • Realistically, the company must have a minimum paid-up capital of RM1,000,000 (US$246,000) prior to submission of EP applications;
      • The government reverts multiple times requesting for additional documents, depending on the scope of activities provided by the company;
      • Business should be active and registered for tax prior to initiation of the expatriate visa application.
    • Applying for an entrepreneur visa

      • Entrepreneurs interested in Malaysia company formation or are looking to invest in Malaysia can apply for an investor visa. This visa allows entrepreneurs to live in Malaysia and manage their business;
      • The 6th D-8 Summit for the D-8 countries, namely Malaysia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey was held in 2008 and agreed on the simplification of visa procedures for the businessmen of the D-8 Member states.
    • Applying for a tourist visa

      • Nationals of certain countries are required to apply for visitor’s visas before entering the country. Single entry and multiple entries are available, both for a period of up to 3 months;
      • A list of countries that require visas is available at the Immigration Department of Malaysia and can be obtained from any Malaysian embassy or consulate.
  • Malaysia My Second Home visa

    • Foreigners that wish to retire or live with their families in Malaysia may apply for the Malaysia My Second Home program. The program grants foreigners and dependents a 10-year multiple entre visa, renewable;
    • Applicants will be required to prove that they have the financial means to support their life in the country. As they are not allowed to work full time in Malaysia, all income must be foreign-sourced;
    • We at Healy Consultants Group can assist our Clients to assess if they meet all the necessary requirements, as well as to submit a high quality application to the Malaysia My Second Home Department.

Contact us

For additional information on our company formation services in Malaysia, please contact our in-house country expert, Ms. Chrissi Zamora, directly:
client relationship officer - Chrissi
MY Intl. chamber of commerce and industrymicpaMY accountantsmitimfapkfzMY Customsmaicsa