Malaysia's Employment Pass

Malaysia's Employment Pass (EP) is specifically designed for foreign professionals, divided into EP1, EP2, and EP3, corresponding to different talent types. It features low application thresholds: a college degree or above and more than 3 years of work experience are sufficient, with no language, fund, or income requirements. Applications can be submitted through a new company. Approval can be obtained as quickly as 3 months, with the first visa valid for 1–5 years and renewable indefinitely. It is rare in Asia to support three-generation migration. After holding the visa for 3 years, permanent residency can be applied for through the Talent Residence Permit (RP-T), making it a fast track for developing careers in Malaysia.

The Malaysia Professional Visit Pass - Expert (PVP) is aimed at foreign professionals with specialized skills or unique experience, valid for 1–12 months. Approval can be secured as quickly as 2–4 weeks, with no language, fund, or educational requirements. It is suitable for experts, trainers, and other professionals on short-term work assignments in Malaysia.

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Visa Type

1 / 2 / 5 years (renewable)

Taxation

Territorial Tax System

Language requirement

No official requirement, but English proficiency is commonly expected by employers

Established time

Employment Pass system formalized since 1960s

Application Requirements

Malaysian Employer Company Requirements:

Meet the paid-up capital requirements for various company types.
Have obtained relevant industry qualification certificates (for some industries, specific assessment can be contacted with Globevisa).

Employment Pass (EP) Applicant Requirements:

Category I: For senior management, general managers, directors

Monthly salary in Malaysia: MYR 10,000 or above
Visa validity: 1–5 years (renewable), allowed to bring dependents

Category II: For middle management or professional positions

Monthly salary in Malaysia: MYR 5,000–9,999
Visa validity: 1–2 years (renewable), allowed to bring dependents

Category III: For technical positions

Monthly salary in Malaysia: MYR 3,000–4,999
Visa validity: 1–12 months (renewable twice), cannot bring dependents

EP Educational Requirements (meet at least one):

Bachelor’s degree or higher + at least 3 years of relevant work experience.
Diploma + at least 5 years of relevant work experience.
Technical certificate or equivalent + at least 7 years of relevant work experience.

Professional Visit Pass - Expert (PVP) Applicant Requirements:

Suitable for short-term work/training; no salary requirement in Malaysia.
Visa validity: 1–12 months (renewable within 12 months), cannot bring dependents.

Applicants must fall into one of the following categories:

Category I: Professional knowledge transfer
Category II: Research
Category III: Training in ESD-registered companies
Category IV: Volunteers
Category V: Exhibitors as per regulations of the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB)
Category VI: Student internships (must be related to the applicant’s educational background), applicable to:
i. Foreign embassies
ii. ESD-registered companies
iii. Hotels

Program Benefits

Low Entry Barriers, Fast Processing

Applicants only need a diploma or above, with at least 3 years of work experience. There are no language, income, or financial proof requirements for the main applicant. The application can be submitted based on a newly established Malaysian company, with no need for local employees or other pre-landing obligations.

Favorable Tax Policy & Strategic Location

Malaysia adopts a territorial tax system — simple and efficient. There is no VAT, capital gains tax, gift tax, or inheritance tax, and interest income from deposits is tax-exempt. As a central hub in ASEAN, Malaysia offers 6-hour access to major Asian economies and connects to a 600 million population market with preferential tariffs under multiple free trade agreements (most goods taxed <5%).

Chinese Community & Seamless Integration

With ethnic Chinese making up nearly one-quarter of the population, Mandarin and Chinese dialects are widely spoken. Malaysia is a bilingual society with strong cultural inclusivity and no racial discrimination. The local Chinese community is highly welcoming, making it easy to start a business, invest, or settle down and integrate quickly into local life.