Switch Language
When hiring talent in Malaysia or transferring current employees there, compliance with the law is not voluntary. Obtaining the correct visas and permits is essential to prevent fines, delays, or reputational damage.
In this article, you’ll learn who needs a work visa, the types of passes given, eligibility criteria, application processes and timelines, common problems with practical solutions, and how Glints TalentHub can make the process seamless for your employees. By the time you’re done, you’ll know exactly how to process work permits in Malaysia with ease.
Before going further into the different types of passes, an understanding of who exactly needs one is necessary. Not all individuals working in Malaysia are bound by the same laws, and an error in this aspect can risk your company.
All foreigners employed by a Malaysian entity, whether on-site, hybrid, or even remote, must be legitimized by a valid work visa or permit. Digital nomads are not exempt from these rules either. Working illegally can be punishable through fines, deportation, or even blacklisting. Short version, if you are going to employ non-Malaysian talent, step one is ensuring that they are legally permitted to work within the country.
Now that you have an idea of who needs authorization, step two is to identify the right type of pass. Malaysia offers different categories of work permits designed to suit different kinds of work arrangements. Selecting the appropriate one ensures a smoother process and saves valuable time.
Malaysia’s immigration policy provides a range of passes based on the reason and period of entry. Below is an overview of the most common options for employers and professionals.
| Visa / Pass Type | Purpose | Duration & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Employment Pass | For long-term professional roles under a Malaysian company | Valid for 1–5 years; employer must obtain quota approval |
| Visitor’s Pass (Temporary Employment) | For manual workers or lower-skilled jobs | Subject to age and sector limits; validity varies by industry |
| Professional Visit Pass (PVP) | For short-term professional assignments, expert visits, training, or industry-specific work (e.g., film, religious teaching) | Typically up to 12 months; 6 months for certain sectors. Includes the DE Rantau Digital Nomad Pass (DNP) for remote professionals |
| Social Visit Pass | For business visitors, dependents, or other non-employment purposes | Divided into short-term and long-term passes depending on the visit purpose |
Malaysia’s Employment Pass (EP) is further split into categories. These thresholds are important for HR managers and business leaders planning budgets, since they directly affect eligibility.
| Category | Minimum Monthly Salary | Validity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category I | RM 10,000 and above | Up to 5 years | Senior roles; renewable |
| Category II | RM 5,000 – RM 9,999 | Up to 2 years | Mid-level roles |
| Category III | RM 3,000 – RM 4,999 | Up to 1 year | Short-term; renewable twice only |
Tip: Salaries below RM 3,000 usually don’t qualify for expatriate work authorization unless in specific approved sectors.
Obtaining a work visa in Malaysia is not as simple as completing the right forms. Both the employer and employee must establish that they are qualified to satisfy the law and requirements of the land.
Together, these conditions make both parties qualified and prepared for legal employment in Malaysia.
Application looks complicated, but broken into steps, it becomes more manageable. There is a timeframe for each step, and skipping any of these would mean costly delays.
Typically, four to eight weeks on average, but this may vary depending on the industry, nationality of the applicant, or embassy processing times. Adequate preparation keeps the clock moving.
Even if everything appears simple, businesses usually encounter roadblocks that halt applications. The most usual cause of frustration is reaching quota limits or industry restrictions. Employers must also monitor salary limits, which can shift midway through and impact eligibility.
Nationality-restricted limitations, processing delays for renewals of the permits, or misclassification of the employee as a contractor instead of an employee can all be time-delaying. Certificate and translation requirements of documents can further delay the process, and backlogs in Malaysian consulates in some countries can create further delays.
Early expectation of these issues makes the process more effective and spares your company unnecessary disruption.
Malaysia’s immigration policies shift as labor market needs and economic priorities dictate. Employers must keep abreast of them in order to comply.
The government recently issued the DE Rantau Digital Nomad Pass, which allows foreign professionals to stay for a maximum of 12 months and to bring dependents along. Officials also tightened up on the hiring of foreign lower-paid workers, compelling companies to invest in local talent development.
There is also stricter enforcement of sanctions in case of non-adherence, and more cooperation between immigration and labor authorities, so that it becomes more challenging to bypass regulations. These are all part of Malaysia’s move to attract high-quality foreign talent while retaining opportunities for domestic workers.
Understanding work visas and permits in Malaysia is a heavy administrative burden, especially when the time could be used to grow the business and build amazing teams. That’s where your trusted partner can step in and make a difference. Glints TalentHub helps companies to:
👉 See our Malaysia Hiring Guide
Before you start the process, it helps to have a simple checklist to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
Most of all, having a partner like Glints TalentHub ensures nothing slips through the cracks and your business is always compliant.
It’s huge to hire a team in Malaysia, but compliance first. Permits and work visas sound like a maze of regulations, but with the right guidance, they become achievable. Whether you’re relocating existing employees, hiring top talent from abroad, or exploring flexible options like digital nomad passes, having clarity on the system gives your business a competitive edge. With Glints TalentHub, you’re not only getting compliance, but also the ability to grow your teams faster, more intelligently, and with greater certainty.
This article is brought to you by Glints TalentHub. Leading companies are actively building their borderless teams in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and beyond. However, the prospect of going borderless can be daunting due to complex regulations and cultural ambiguities. With Glints TalentHub, you’ll have a dedicated team of in-market legal, HR, and talent experts by your side at every step of the way.
Glints TalentHub offers an end-to-end, tech-enabled talent solution that encompasses talent acquisition, EOR, and talent development. We empower businesses to leverage the strengths of regional talent efficiently to build high-performing, cost-efficient teams.
Schedule a no-obligation consultation with our experts to receive a tailored proposal today!
Never miss a beat! Follow our social media channels for specially curated insights, knowledge and best practices to help you hire, retain and improve on your human capital.
