How do you get a work permit in Malaysia in 2026?

The employer must already be registered on ESD Online. Approving agencies or the Expatriate Committee may need to clear the post first, depending on sector. ESD publishes Category I, II, and III Employment Passes with different basic-salary floors, maximum contract lengths, and Dependant Pass rights. Confirm the live category table before you treat an old blog salary line as current. Charter processing for complete EP files is commonly quoted in working days once documents clear MYXpats.

You need an approval letter before entering to work. Endorse the Employment Pass sticker inside Malaysia within the stated window after approval, or within the stated window after arrival if you endorsed from abroad. The pass ties you to the named employer; change company and you refile. Eligible holders then collect an i-Kad for everyday ID: Get an i-Kad. Broader lifestyle routes such as MM2H or PVIP are separate products that do not replace an EP for paid local employment: Apply for a residence permit.

Employment Pass holders who meet salary and category rules can ask the employer to lodge a Dependant Pass for a legal spouse and children under 18 (disabled children without an age cap when certified). Dependant Pass holders do not get automatic work rights; a working spouse needs their own EP. Parents and some older children may sit on Long Term Social Visit Pass products instead of DP. Marriage and birth certificates usually need embassy-attested or CTC English versions: Apostille documents.

Once you earn locally, register a Tax Identification Number and keep e-Filing current, because renewals ask for latest e-BE or e-M evidence: Get a tax number and File taxes. Pair private health cover with the pass package rather than assuming a tourist clinic habit: Choose health insurance.