Yes, all Sdn Bhd companies are allowed to apply for an EP, only those who fall under restricted sectors are prohibited.

Kindly take note that companies with or more than 51% foreign shareholding and operating in the Wholesale, Retail and Trade (WRT)sectors required to have the WRT license before they are entitled to apply for an EP.

The following sectors are restricted from applying for employment pass under the Guidelines on Foreign Participation in the Distributive Trade Services Malaysia:

• Supermarket / mini market (less than 3,000 square sales floor area)
• Provision shop / general vendor
• Convenience store (that opens for business for 24 hours)
• News agent and miscellaneous goods store
• Medical hall (inclined towards traditional alternative medicines plus general dry foodstuff)
• Fuel station with convenience store
• Fuel station without convenience store 
• Permanent wet market store
• Permanent pavement store
• National strategic interest
• Textile, restaurant (non exclusive), bistro, jewellery shops
• Others

First of all, please ensure that your company can meet the requirements to apply for an Employment Pass which is required by the Immigration Department. 

a. Minimum Paid Up Capital Requirement

b. Types of Employment Pass and their respective requirements

No, the Paid-Up Capital requirement is the minimum requirements fixed by the Immigration Department for companies who wish to apply for an Employment Pass.

It very much depends on the qualifications of the applicants.

We do have some guidelines for the minimum requirements to apply for an expatriate post, as following: 

• 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;
• Applicant must work in a managerial, executive or technical position which requires specific skills; 
• Applicant must meet the required salary requirements; and  
• Applicant must not take up work in a sector which is considered restricted by the Government of Malaysia. 

If the expatriate is only to act as a shareholder, these are the requirements:

• Shareholder(s) must have a minimum of 30% equity in the company; and
• Must be a SSM-registered Director of the company and/or holds a key position in the company.

No, there’s no Business Owner Visa in Malaysia. For all directors or employees who wish to work in Malaysia, the only way is by applying for an Employment Pass.

Yes, you can. As long as you can prove the sum of capital has been deposited to the bank account.

But you may also take note on the accounting side, if withdrawing the capital means it will become the amount owing to the company by whoever receives the fund, e.g. amount owing by shareholder / director.

Normally the Immigration Department will approve a 1 year Employment Pass for new application. The applying company can renew the pass 3 months before the expiry date. The renewal procedure is quite simple and straightforward. The approval for pass renewal depends on the Immigration Department’s decision.

The Employment Pass process consists of two main stages:

First Stage: ESD Account Registration

• The employing company must register for an Expatriate Services Division (ESD) account.
• This process takes approximately 2 to 3 months, including document submission and approval.

Second Stage: Employment Pass Application

• Once the ESD account is approved, the company can proceed with the Employment Pass application for the expatriate.
• This stage also takes around 2 to 3 months for processing and approval.

No, the approval decision is always held by the Immigration Department. However, we have a successful track record in Employment Pass application with 98% success rate!

We have successfully concluded 6 cases, and are currently handling 6 cases. So far no rejected case. There’s 2 clients pulled out because they cancelled their plan to move to Malaysia. There’s more cases coming up!

Companies regulated by an Approving Agency or Regulatory Body need to submit an approval letter from the relevant Approving Agency/ Regulatory body for all Employment Pass categories. As these Approving Agencies/ Regulatory Bodies regulate companies in specific economic sectors, they are as such responsible for approving and supporting expatriate posts in the relevant sectors.

Depending on the Applicant’s profession, the Applicant’s employer has to apply for the Expatriate Post at one of the following government-approved agencies: 

• Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) for the sectors of manufacturing and services. 
• Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) for the technology sector. 
• Central Bank of Malaysia (BNM) for the sectors of finance, insurance, and banking. 
• Bioeconomy Corporation for the sector of biotechnology and bio-based industry.Securities Commission (SC) for the sector of securities and futures market. Expatriate Committee (EC) (operating under the Immigration Department of Malaysia) for sectors other than those mentioned above. 

Once the Expatriate Committee or another authorized agency has approved the employer’s application, the employer can proceed to apply for the Employment Pass.

The key distinction lies in the purpose and scope of these two types of permits. 

An expatriate visa is a type of visa that allows foreigners or expats to enter and reside in a country for various purposes. It is more general and can encompass activities beyond employment, such as retirement, personal reasons, or property investment, without actively seeking employment. 

On the other hand, an employment pass is specifically for individuals coming to Malaysia to work for a particular employer or company. It is typically tied to a specific job or employment contract. 

We provide both the expats visa and employment pass application services.

To apply for a Business Visa Malaysia (Potential Investor Visa), you must submit an application through the relevant Malaysian authorities. The required documents include two years of audited financial reports, company incorporation documents, and the applicant’s profile/CV. The processing time typically takes 2.5 to 3 months.

The Business Visa in Malaysia, also known as the Potential Investor Visa, is a multiple-entry visa issued to foreign investors exploring business opportunities in Malaysia. It allows investors to conduct market research, attend meetings, and engage with government agencies before making an investment decision.

The Business Visa Malaysia is valid for 12 to 24 months and cannot be renewed after expiration.

No, the Business Visa in Malaysia is non-renewable. Once it expires, applicants must apply for a different visa type if they wish to continue their business activities in Malaysia.