[LP] MDEC Expat Visa Application Service
MDEC Expat Visa
Application & Renewal
9 months + for new application | 1 -2 months for renewals
Employment Pass (MDEC FKW)
End-to-end service includes:
- MDEC account creation and company setup
- Document compilation and advisory
- Letter of Undertaking (LoU)
- Handling all MDEC, JTKSM, and MyFutureJobs compliance requirements / supporting documents
- Expatriate quota projection submission
- Employment Pass application / renewal management via Xpats Gateway
- Passport collection advisory
* This package does not cover dependents, and expats with family require a separate Dependent or Social Visit Pass application for each member.
Employment Pass (MDEC FKW)
Full services include:
- MDEC account creation and company setup
- Document compilation and advisory
- Letter of Undertaking (LoU)
- Handling all MDEC, JTKSM, and MyFutureJobs compliance requirements / supporting documents
- Expatriate quota projection submission
- Employment Pass application / renewal management
- Passport collection advisory
Employer requirements
Employers must meet the following conditions to apply for an Employment Pass under MDEC:
- locally incorporated Sdn Bhd with Malaysia Digital (MD) Status
- meet minimum paid-up capital requirement:
- RM250,000 (100% Malaysian-owned)
- RM350,000 (joint venture with ≥30% foreign equity)
- RM500,000 (100% foreign-owned)
- valid WRT or USS license if foreign equity >50%
- active employer account on MDEC eXpats
- can demonstrate operational credibility, including active business operations, tax compliance, financial capacity, and any required regulatory approvals
Foreign Knowledge Worker qualification
The expatriate must meet one of the following qualification thresholds:
- Degree or above from an institution of higher learning
- Diploma in multimedia / ICT or relevant subject AND at least 2 years’ experience in a relevant field, OR
- has held a professional, executive, management or technical work position in ICT enabled services
Notes: Exemptions may be given for roles that require locally scarce knowledge-based skills key to the MD activity or creative talent to produce creative work for an MD Status company.
Applicants with an immigration record of previous overstays, blacklisting, or improperly cancelled work passes in other countries may be rejected even if they meet academic qualifications.
Role requirement
The role must be related to the approved MD activities as specified in the company’s MD Status. Additionally, roles paying <RM15,000 require attempts to hire locally through job postings on MyFutureJobs for at least 14 days and a Hiring Outcome Report explaining why local interviewees were unsuitable.
MDEC EP categories
MDEC offers three categories of EPs for different roles, and a successful application requires role, salary, and expat to align with category.
| Category | Salary | Validity | Common roles |
| 1 | RM20,000 | 10 years | Directors, C-suite executives, senior management |
| 2 | RM10,000 | 10 years | Managers, professional specialists, subject-matter experts |
| 3 | RM5,000 | 5 years | Technical specialists, junior executives |
All three categories allow dependents, and MDEC facilitates applying for /renewing dependent visas together with the principal EP.
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FAQs
The MDEC eXpats system is the platform used by Malaysia Digital (MD) Status companies to manage expatriate visa applications, renewals, and tracking.
While applications are assessed through the eXpats ecosystem, submissions are made via Xpats Gateway, which connects employers with relevant regulatory bodies for supporting approvals and documentation.
MDEC Employment Passes are currently offered to any ICT-based role, but generally it is used by companies granted MD Status by MDEC.
The company must be a locally incorporated Sdn Bhd carrying out approved MD activities and meet MDEC’s employer eligibility requirements.
The minimum paid-up capital depends on the company’s ownership structure:
- RM250,000 for 100% Malaysian-owned companies
- RM350,000 for joint ventures with at least 30% foreign equity
- RM500,000 for 100% foreign-owned companies
Certain foreign-owned companies may also require additional licensing and higher capital thresholds.
MDEC offers three Employment Pass categories based on salary and seniority:
- Category 1: Minimum monthly salary of RM20,000, valid for up to 10 years, typically for directors, C-suite executives, and senior management.
- Category 2: Minimum monthly salary of RM10,000, valid for up to 10 years, typically for managers and professional specialists.
- Category 3: Minimum monthly salary of RM5,000, valid for up to 5 years, typically for technical specialists and junior executives.
For Category 2 and Category 3 applications, employers must provide a succession plan explaining how the role will eventually be localised.
Applicants must generally satisfy at least one of the following:
- A degree or higher qualification from a recognised institution
- A diploma in multimedia, ICT, or a related field with at least two years of relevant experience
- Previous employment in a professional, executive, management, or technical role within ICT-enabled services
Academic qualifications must be submitted as Certified True Copies (CTC). Applicants are also expected to have a clean immigration history.
Including company incorporation and MD Status approval, the overall process typically takes six to eight months. This timeline depends on the completeness of supporting documents, whether MyFutureJobs advertising is required, and current application volumes.
Renewal applications are generally much faster and can often be completed within one to two months.
Yes. Holders of all three MDEC Employment Pass categories may apply for dependent visas.
Eligible family members include:
- Legal spouses and children below 18 years old under a Dependent Pass
- Common law spouses, parents, parents-in-law, and children aged 18 and above under a Long-Term Social Visit Pass
Dependent applications can usually be submitted together with the principal Employment Pass application.
Positions offering a monthly salary below RM15,000 generally require employers to advertise the role on MyFutureJobs for at least 14 days.
The employer must also submit a Hiring Outcome Report explaining why local candidates interviewed were not suitable for the position. Roles paying above RM15,000, particularly Category 1 positions, may be exempt from this requirement.
As of April 2026, MDEC charges:
- Employment Pass (all categories): RM2,000
- Professional Visit Pass (PVP): RM1,200
- Dependent Pass: RM500
- Long-Term Social Visit Pass: RM500
Additional immigration fees, SST, and third-party charges may also apply.
The process typically involves:
- Company incorporation and MD Status approval
- eXpats account registration and activation
- JTK and Xpats Gateway approvals (where required)
- MyFutureJobs advertising and local hiring compliance (if applicable)
- Employment Pass application submission and MDEC assessment
- Approval and issuance of a VDR or eVisa
- Entry into Malaysia and final pass endorsement
