Malaysia has various types of employment visas and residency permits to encourage investments and bring skilled talents to support the country’s robust economy. There are three broad categories - employment visas, residency long stay visas and family visas.
Types of employment visas
Employment visas are primarily managed by the Expatriate Services Division of the Immigration Department. Some visas are offered in conjunction with other government linked companies or agencies to offer specific incentives and attract special talents. Collaborations for employment visas exist between Talentcorp and MDEC and the Immigration Department.
Immigration Pass | Duration | Condition | Purpose |
Employment Pass I | Up to 5 years | Monthly salary above RM10,000 | To live and work in a permanent job in Malaysia |
Employment Pass II | Up to 2 years | Monthly salary above 5,000 and up to 9,999 | To live and work in a permanent job in Malaysia |
Employment Pass III | 1 year | Monthly salary above 3,000 and up to 4,999 | To live and work in a permanent job in Malaysia |
Resident-Pass Talent | Up to 10 years | Monthly salary above RM15,000. Worked in Malaysia on Employment Pass for more than 3 consecutive years. More info can be found here. | To live and work in a permanent job in Malaysia with flexibility to change employers or be self-employed |
MDEC Tech Entrepreneurship visa | 1 year for new tech founders; 5 years for experienced founders, investors, and senior management | The requirements are rather flexible as long as you meet the parameters of a start up founder. More info can be found here. | For tech start up founders and investors to consider Malaysia as their start up HQ or a place to set up |
MDEC Digital Nomad Visa | 1 year + 1 year | Secured minimum USD 36,000 income from abroad and working in the digital sector | For digital nomads to choose to work, live and spend in in Malaysia for 2 years |
Sarawak Digital Nomad Visa (launched under the Sarawak Digital Residency Visa Scheme) | More details to come (new program launched in October 2024) | More details to come (new program launched in October 2024) | For digital nomads to choose to work, live and spend in Sarawak for 2 years |
Professional Visit Pass - Work Purpose | 1 year + 1 year | Skilled technician, consultant or any other eligible job titles with a monthly salary of more than RM3,000 monthly | For temporary placement or secondment in Malaysia for project work or process implementation |
Professional Visit Pass - Spiritual, charitable, volunteer purpose | 1 to 3 years | Religious preacher or student, approved by the respective religious authorities or bodies; charitable organisation personnel carrying out works for Malaysia based charities, or volunteers | For religious, charitable or volunteer purposes without a commercial purpose |
Types of residency long stay visas (non-family category)
Immigration Pass | Duration | Condition | Purpose |
MM2H | 10 years | Must live and invest in Malaysia | To encourage retirees to spend their retirement in Malaysia |
S-MM2H | 10 years | Must live and invest in Sarawak | To encourage retirees to spend their retirement in Sarawak |
Long Term Social Visit Pass (Medical) | Depends on medical need | Undergoing medical treatment in Malaysia | To support Malaysia’s medical tourism industry |
Types of family visas
Immigration Pass | Duration | Condition | Purpose |
Long Term Social Visit Pass | If sponsor is Malaysian, indefinite | Married to Malaysian, or child of Malaysian below 18 years old or elderly dependent above 60 years old | To allow non-Malaysian family members to live with Malaysian family members in Malaysia |
Dependent Passes | Follows length of principal pass such as employment pass | Married to or is a child/ elderly dependent of an employment pass holder | To allow non-Malaysian dependents of employment pass holders to live in Malaysia with the employment pass holder |
Permanent Residency | Indefinite | Married to Malaysian for more than 5 years and living in Malaysia | To provide permanent residency rights to foreign spouses of Malaysians including working rights equivalent to Malaysians |
Citizenship | Indefinite | Spouse of Malaysian or child of Malaysian | To provide full citizenship rights to foreign spouses and child or children of Malaysians equivalent to Malaysians |
Our website and its contents are provided for general information purposes only and nothing on this website or in its contents is intended to provide professional advice. Please contact us at info@migratesafe.org or +6082-295175 for more information.
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