Work Permit and Visa Applications in Malaysia

October 24, 2013 Posted by ASEAN Briefing Reading Time: 3 minutes

Oct. 24 – Malaysia has a flexible visa policy that allows a majority of countries to enter without a visa for business trips that do not last longer than 90 days, including foreign nationals from the United States, France, Australia, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Nonetheless, it is important to check ahead of time if Malaysia requires a visa from your country.

Foreign workers who wish to be employed by a company within Malaysia will have to have their application reviewed by the relevant government agencies, such as the Ministry of Manpower. The employee’s sponsoring company must also work with the government to ensure that the worker is approved for entry.

Types of Visas

There are two types of visas in Malaysia:

Single Entry – valid for 3 months
Multiple Entry – valid for 3-12 months

Application Process

Applications must be made through the nearest Malaysian Representative Office Abroad or, for Indian and Chinese nationals, through the online I-Visa System. Several documents are required during the visa application process. These include:

Original passport
Two passport photos
Two copies of the applicant’s passport
Two copies of the visa application form
Two copies of a return air ticket
Original approval letter from the Immigration Department of Malaysia
Evidence of sufficient financial standing

Work Permit

Work permits are required for foreign nationals working within eligible work sectors. These are:

Manufacturing
Plantation
Agriculture
Construction
Services

In order to work in Malaysia, the applicant must obtain approval from the Local Center of Approval under the Ministry of Home Affairs and the applicant’s employer must also file for a Visa with Reference and a Visitor’s Pass if the employment is on a temporary basis. The paperwork required to obtain a work permit includes the following:

Copy of applicant’s passport
One passport photo
A letter of work permit application from employer
Visa application
Letter of approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs
Original receipt of fees paid
Visa with Reference application form
Medical report from the country of origin approved by the Ministry of Health Malaysia

Portions of this article came from the September/October 2013 issue of Asia Briefing Magazine titled, “Work Visa and Permit Procedures Across Asia,” which is currently available as a complimentary PDF download on the Asia Briefing Bookstore until the end of October. In this edition of Asia Briefing Magazine, we outline the specific documents required for foreign nationals working in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as highlight the relevant application processes in each of these countries.

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