Malaysia Employment Pass Category 3: A Guide For Employers

With relatively relaxed requirements and limited benefits, a Category 3 Employment Pass (EP) caters to Malaysian employers who need to hire expatriates for semi-skilled roles.

Our guide explains the essentials so businesses know if this is the visa for their hiring needs.

Here’s how we’ve broken it down:

• an overview of key details for EP Category 3
• employer requirements
• expatriate requirements
• how it compares to Category 1 and 2 EPs
• steps in the application process

Let’s begin.

Overview of Category 3 Employment Pass

A Category 3 EP is used for junior roles and technical executives on an annual contract with a minimum pay of RM3,000 / month. Correspondingly, the visa has a maximum validity period of 12 months, though it can be renewed if the work arrangement continues.

Throughout their stay, the holder is not allowed to bring any dependents or hire a foreign maid, but can upgrade to a Category 2 EP if they meet the salary and role requirements which will allow dependents.

Employer requirements

Employers must meet four conditions to be eligible to apply for a Category 3 EP:

1. Be one of the following registered Malaysian business entities:
   • Sdn Bhd
   • LLP
   • society
   • statutorily registered professional firm
2. Sdn Bhds must meet minimum paid up capital based on foreign shareholding:
   • RM250,000 for 100% locally owned companies
   • RM350,000 for joint ventures with at least 30% foreign equity
   • RM500,000 for 100% foreign owned companies
3. Foreign owned businesses must have a valid WRT / USS license
4. Must have a valid employer account on Expatriate Services Division (ESD) portal (which we cover below)

Expatriate & role requirements

To qualify as an ‘expatriate’, the candidate must meet Immigration’s definition of ‘skilled foreign talent’ via relevant academic achievements based on the role.

Skilled foreign talent

• Degree and above, with at least 3 years’ experience in the relevant field;
• Diploma, with at least 5 years’ experience in the relevant field;
• Technical Certificate or equivalent, with at least 7 years’ experience in the relevant field

Role

The position must require specialised skills not available locally, and which are not in sectors restricted from foreign ownership by KPDN.

Comparing different EP categories

As the table shows, Category 3 is for single expats or employers not ready for a long-term engagement.

Employment Pass	Category 1	Category 2	Category 3
Contract Duration	5 years (10 years from June 2026)	2 years (10 years from June 2026)	12 months (5 years from June 2026)
Minimum Monthly Pay	RM10,000  (RM20,000 from June 2026)	RM5,000  (RM10,000 from June 2026)	RM3,000  (RM5,000 from June 2026)
Dependent Permissions	Spouse & children under 18 via Dependant Pass Children 18–25 and parents / parents-in-law via Social Visit Pass Can hire foreign maid	Same as Category 1	Cannot bring dependents or hire foreign maid

While Category 1 and 3 are too different to be directly incomparable, we often get enquiries from employers on the fence about whether to go with Category 3 or 2.

For a deep dive, see our employer’s guide to Malaysian Employment Passes, but here’s how we usually answer this specific question.

Category 3 vs Category 2

Employment Pass applications are approved when role and salary align with category, and as both Category 2 and 3 EPs are designed for non-key positions in a company, what truly separates them is mainly:

• the salary of the position
• whether the expat has dependents

Category 3 EPs are designed for the most junior positions with lowest salaries, which normally means candidates who are unmarried and don’t have families of their own (and even if they did, it would be a struggle to support them here on a salary of RM3,000).

If your candidate does have a family, a spouse, or parents who depend on them, then the practical solution is to offer them at least RM5,000 per month and apply for a Category 2 EP.

Required documents

New EP applications require the following documents: 

• Relevant sector documents (e.g. MIDA, CIDB, etc.)
• Passport (full copy, color)
• CTC academic certificates
• Updated resume / CV
• Employment contract
• Job description on company letterhead
• MyFutureJobs support letter (stamped)
• JTK approval letter

Application process & timeline

For employers applying for an EP for the first time, the process typically takes 7 – 8 months and consists of five steps for Category 1 specifically.

Stage	Details	Estimated Timeline
1. ESD Registration	Company profile registration & activation	~2 months
2. JTK / Support Letter	JTK approval & XPats Gateway submission	~1 month
3. MyFutureJobs	Job advertisement & interview process	~ 1 month
3. EP Application	Full documentation submission & review	~2–3 months
4. Approval & Visa	Approval letter & VDR/eVisa issuance	~2 weeks
5. Endorsement	Sticker endorsement & ePass issuance	~2 weeks

Note: The applicant must NOT be physically present in Malaysia at the time of a new EP application submission, and entering the country during processing may result in rejection.

Good news: Subsequent applications start at Stage 2, reducing follow-up lead times by two months.

Why applications are rejected

Due to the sensitive nature of allowing foreigners to reside long-term in Malaysia, Employment Passes are strictly regulated, we’ve had numerous employers ask us for help after their applications were rejected.

Here are the five main reasons:

• poor handling of regulatory requirements due to confusing multi-agency rules (ESD, JTK, MDEC, MIDA)
• overlooking policy updates and submitting applications out of order
• submitting incomplete or inconsistent documents that are not Certified True Copies
• not following required formatting standards for academic certificates
• misclassifying role / EP category or failing to align job description and salary with immigration expectations

Any one of these mistakes can cause delays or outright rejection, which not only affects this particular hire, but can cause all future applications by the employer to face added scrutiny.

We say this not to discourage you from applying yourself, but to warn you to be mindful of following the right steps – see our ESD account registration guide, and we wish you all the best with your application.

If you need help, we’re right here 🙂

Let MISHU handle your EP application

MISHU’s has been helping businesses in Malaysia secure Category 3 Employment Passes for foreign talents for many years, and if you need help understanding and meeting immigration requirements, get in touch!