A Quick Guide To Category C JTK Licenses
This guide is for those looking to open a private employment agency under category ‘C’, which covers the following business activities:
- recruitment of local workers, foreign domestic workers, and non-citizens
- representation of employers in applications, recruitment, and placement of foreign domestic workers and non-citizens (including dealings with government agencies)
- job-matching local workers with overseas employment
- conducting training sessions for workers not exceeding three days, and
- conducting career seminars, counselling consultation, and job fairs
If you don’t plan for your agency to carry out these activities, see our complete employment agency guide to identify your category.
If category C sounds right, let’s begin!
Minimum requirements
There are four types of requirements you must fulfill:
- Capital
- Business Entity
- Premises
- Directors
1. Capital
You need to prepare at least two types of capital:
- Paid-up capital: RM250,000
- Security deposit: RM250,000
Additionally, every new branch you intend to open requires an additional security deposit of RM100,000,
This security deposit serves as a financial guarantee to settle any debts to JTK if penalties are imposed.
2. Business entity
In Malaysia, employment agencies are not allowed to operate as a Sole Proprietorship and must be registered as a Sdn Bhd, which in turn must meet the following requirements:
- at least 51% Malaysian ownership
- company name must begin with “Agensi Pekerjaan”
- the business activity must state: “To carry on the business as Private Employment Agency to recruit and place worker/s to another employer.”
3. Premises
Private employment agencies must have a physical office that is:
- located in a public and accessible location
- easily reachable by public transport
- not near establishments involved in immoral activities
- displays a signboard showing the agency name and license number
- housed in commercial premises or residential units with SOHO / SOVO status
4. Directors
All directors of the private employment agency must:
- Be Malaysian citizens
- Not be discharged bankrupts
- Provide a statutory declaration confirming they are not convicted of human trafficking or forced labour
Required documents
You may also use JTK’s official checklist for convenience:
- Application Form
- Company SSM profile
- Latest Annual Return
- Bank statement
- Copy of Local Authority (PBT) license / Temporary approval letter
- Copy of MyKad / Passport and shareholding details of individual shareholders
- SSM company profile of corporate shareholders
- Copy of MyKad / Passport of directors
- Copy of MyKad / Passport, non-bankruptcy declaration, and statutory declaration of the main director
⚠️ Note: The business address on your SSM profile, PBT license, and application form must be the same.
License fees
JTK imposes four types of fees:
| Fee Type | Amount (RM) |
|---|---|
| New application processing fee | 300 |
| License renewal processing fee | 100 |
| New branch application processing fee | 100 |
| Annual license fee | 500 |
These do not include additional charges if you engage a third party like MISHU to handle your JTK dealings and license application – but we promise we don’t charge much 😊
License application steps & timeline
While the steps and fess are the same every time, treat the estimated waiting times as rough estimates as every application is made under different circumstances.
| Step | Time Taken | Necessary Documents / Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1: Company incorporation | 3 – 5 working days | Register for account on SSM MyCoID and carry out name reservation + incorporation. You will be asked to provide the following information: 1. Proposed company name 2. Private / public company 3. Proposed type of business 4. Registered office address 5. Business address 6. Details of directors(s) and promoter(s) 7. Declaration from directors(s) and promoter(s) 8. Declaration of compliance from individuals responsible for incorporation Fee: RM1,010 |
| Step 2: Apply for premise and signboard license | 15 – 30 working days | Obtained from Local Authority where premise is located. You will be asked to provide copies of the following: 1. Set of SSM documents 2. S&P / Tenancy Agreement 3. Applicant’s MyKad photo 4. Office layout plan 5. Pictures of premises 6. Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) OR Certificate of Fitness (CF) Quit Rent (Cukai Tanah) and Assessment (Cukai Taksiran/ Pintu) receipts 7. Fire Department letter 8. Photos of exterior where signboard will be displayed 8. A colour visual of signboard design with measurements You also need to submit to a premise inspection by the Local Authority and make changes if requested. Fee: Differs between municipalities |
| Step 3: Apply for JTK license with Department of Labour | 30 working days | Fill in the following documents and submit them physically at the nearest Labour Office: 1. License Application Form 2. Sworn Statement 3. Official document checklist Fee: RM300 |
| Step 4: Register employees with Department of Labour | 30 working days | These must be submitted physically at a Labour Office. 1. Identification Application 2. Official document checklist Fee: RM50 / per employee |
| Step 5: Submit monthly reports | n/a | Submit the following four records to the Labour Department every month: 1. Registration of Jobseekers, Placement & Fee Collected 2. Registration of Employers, Placements & Fee Collected 3. Vacancies 4. Acknowledgment of Acceptance of Employees by Employers |
| Step 5: Renew JTK license | 30 working days | Every license category is valid for 24 months from the date it is issued, after which it must be renewed. As before, these documents must be submitted physically at a Labour Department branch. 1. Application for Agency License Renewal 2. Official document checklist Fee: RM100 |
For a full breakdown of what it takes to run an agency, check out the Labour Department’s official list.
Otherwise, that’s it for now! We wish you all the best with your agency application, and if you ever need assistance, the MISHU team is always here.
Start your employment agency with MISHU
MISHU has helped incorporate dozens of private employment agencies in Malaysia on behalf of other businesses and entrepreneurs. Our team is here to answer any questions you may have, so get in touch!