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🇲🇾 Malaysia Employment Pass 2025 — New Rules, Fees, and Skill-Shortage Insights

Malaysia is fine-tuning its Employment Pass (EP) to lure global expertise while nurturing home-grown talent. Below is a concise, up-to-date guide to the 2025 framework—covering policy tweaks, eligibility tiers, costs, application steps, and where to hunt for in-demand roles.

   
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What Is the Employment Pass?

The EP is Malaysia’s main work visa for foreign professionals with a confirmed job offer from a company registered in the country. It lets you live, work, and bring dependants while contributing to one of Southeast Asia’s most diverse economies.

Key 2025 Updates at a Glance

ChangeWhat It Means
Mandatory “change-of-category” letterSwitching from Category III to II or II to I? Your employer must cancel the old EP and upload a formal letter explaining the new role and salary.
Higher visa feesEP, Dependant Pass, and Long-Term Visit Pass charges have all gone up. Budget for the increase before signing your contract.
ePASS replaces stickersAll approved applicants receive a downloadable digital permit—no more paper endorsements in your passport.
1:3 internship ratioEmployers must offer three internships for every foreign EP hire until at least Dec 2025, ensuring knowledge transfer to Malaysian students.

Source: Malaysia Government Portal – Immigration & Visas https://www.malaysia.gov.my/portal/subcategory/1543

EP Categories & Salary Thresholds (2025)

CategoryMonthly SalaryPass ValidityTypical Roles
IRM 10,000+Up to 5 yearsDirectors, senior managers, niche specialists
IIRM 5,000 – 9,999Up to 2 yearsExperienced engineers, analysts, mid-level managers
IIIRM 3,000 – 4,9991 year (renewable twice)Entry-level tech, support engineers, junior consultants

You can work only for the sponsoring company.

Who Is Eligible?

  1. Job offer from an employer registered with the Expatriate Services Division (ESD).
  2. Academic or professional credentials matching the role.
  3. Salary meets the threshold for your EP category.
  4. Relevant experience that local candidates cannot fill.
  5. Extra licences if you work in regulated fields (finance, healthcare, manufacturing).

Recommended: Call for Applications: NTU Scholarships Singapore 2025 (Fully Funded)

Critical Occupations List (MyCOL)

Malaysia’s Critical Occupations List pinpoints hard-to-fill roles across 18 industries. Appearing on MyCOL—engineers, IT security leads, finance managers, pilots, environmental scientists—speeds up EP approvals because the skills shortage is pre-confirmed.

Step-by-Step Application Process (Employer-Led)

  1. Register with ESD – company account creation.
  2. Position approval – employer proves role is critical.
  3. Upload documents – passport, CV, certificates, job description.
  4. Pay fees – via the ESD portal.
  5. Processing – 5 – 10 working days for most cases.
  6. Download ePASS – print and carry it when entering Malaysia.

Family & Dependant Passes

Approved EP holders can sponsor a spouse and children. Dependant Pass fees have risen but the procedure remains straightforward once the main EP is issued.

Where to Find Skill-Shortage Jobs

PlatformWhy Use It
JobStreet (https://www.jobstreet.com.my)Largest Malaysian job board; “expatriate” filter available.
LinkedIn Jobs (https://www.linkedin.com/jobs)Direct access to hiring managers; robust tech openings.
Indeed Malaysia (https://www.indeed.com.my)Aggregates listings across sectors; good for urgent roles.
MyFutureJobs (https://www.myfuturejobs.gov.my)Government portal with skill-shortage alerts.

Leading Recruitment Agencies

AgencyFocus Area
Robert Walters MalaysiaSenior finance, tech, legal, engineering
Michael Page MalaysiaHealthcare, banking, tech, supply-chain
Hays MalaysiaOil & gas, construction, IT, banking
ManpowerGroup MalaysiaContract & permanent placements in multiple sectors

Takeaways for 2025 Applicants

  • Check your salary band—it decides your EP category and validity.
  • Confirm MyCOL status—being on the list cuts red tape.
  • Prepare for ePASS—no sticker means digital copies must be handy at airports.
  • Expect higher costs—visa fees rose, but processing is faster and fully online.

If your expertise matches Malaysia’s critical needs, the 2025 Employment Pass offers a clear, digital-first route to a booming Southeast Asian market. Secure your offer, gather documents, and let your employer handle the ESD portal—your ePASS could be in hand within two weeks.

More Opportunities:

   
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