Malaysia: Employer Registration Process

Key Points  

• Malaysia will require employers to register with the appropriate government authorities as part of the process for hiring foreign national employees  

Overview  

The government of Malaysia will require employers of expatriate and foreign knowledge workers (FKW) to obtain an approval letter from the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) or provide proof of registration with the JTKSM when submitting Work Pass Projections beginning 1 February 2023.  

Registration can be completed through the Government of Malaysia’s JTKSM website. Some impacted application types include: 

• Foreign workers holding Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS)s in the manufacturing, services, plantation, agriculture, construction, mining and quarry sectors.  

• Expatriates or those holding employment passes or skilled worker passes.  

• Passes with permission to work – Student Pass, Resident Pass, Malaysia My Second Home Program (MM2H) & Malaysia Premium Visa Program (PVIP) 

• Other Pass categories – Foreign Fisherman, Ship Crew, Cooks, Traditional passes (Thai citizens in bordering states), Professional Visit Passes (religious teachers/ artists / missionaries of other religions). 

According to the announcement, this change is not expected to impact work and immigration authorization types that were issued prior to 1 January 2023.   

What are the Changes?    

The government of Malaysia introduced new requirements for employers of foreign national workers in specific sectors. According to the government announcement, employers will be required to register with the appropriate government sector linked to the work being performed by the foreign national.    

Looking Ahead  

Continue to check the government of Malaysia’s website and Envoy’s website for the latest updates and information.