Employment Pass in Malaysia: how to build the right file

What is an Employment Pass?

It is a pass that allows a foreign professional to work for a company registered in Malaysia, in a specific role, salary and contract period. The employer submits the application through the Expatriate Services Division (ESD) of the Immigration Department.

The pass is tied to the company named in the application; it is not an open permit to work for any employer.

Two files, not one

An application succeeds when both files are ready together:

• The company file: ESD registration, licences, premises, and paid-up capital suited to the ownership structure and activity.
• The candidate file: qualifications and experience, job description, salary and contract period.

This is why we begin by reviewing the employer and the role before any submission.

The steps

• Review of the employer and the role.
• Preparing the company and registering it with ESD.
• Preparing the candidate file.
• Submission and follow-up with the authority.
• Passport endorsement, then the dependants and renewal plan.

Some roles must be advertised on MYFutureJobs before the application is submitted.

Typical documents

• The candidate’s passport and CV.
• Offer letter and a clear job description.
• Company documents, licence and premises.
• Salary details and contract period.
• Qualifications or certificates related to the role.

What does the authority decide?

Eligibility, the pass category and its duration, and whether dependants may be brought, are all decided by the authority for each case based on salary, contract and role. Conditions are updated from time to time, so we check the current version before any commitment.

Our office does not promise approval before reviewing the company and candidate file, nor after; the decision belongs to the authority.