MD Company

Overview

At the Expats Service Centre, we provide services to aid companies in the process of obtaining valid relevant passes for their Foreign Knowledge Workers (FKW).

In general, companies will go through three (3) pre-application processes prior to applying for the relevant FKW passes.

MD STATUS COMPANY

The expatriate services are exclusive to companies that have Malaysia Digital (MD) Company only.

If companies are in the process of applying for Malaysia Digital (MD) Company and waiting for approval, the application’s status can be checked from this online system – Malaysia Digital platform

Alternatively, companies interested in new MD Company application can find further details on the Malaysia Digital page.

Invitation to Subscription

After the companies are registered as a Malaysia Digital (MD) Company, our Expats Service Centre will send them an invitation email and other relevant documents to register interest in subscribing to our services.

Acceptance

Upon successful registration, companies will be sent a registration email to initiate the following in the system:

  • To nominate an authorised person(s) on behalf of the company. Companies are discouraged to nominate third party agent.
  • To print and upload a signed copy of the Expatriate Service Agreement.
  • To print and upload a signed copy of an Authorised Person Letter (“APL”) using company’s letterhead for any modifications or additions to authorised personnel. For a change of company name and address, the company MUST provide a new cover letter:
    • Addressed to the Expats Service Centre.
    • Addressed to the Immigration Department of Malaysia in MDEC.
    • The latest e-SSM company profile.

Companies will be notified via email on the next step of the application process.

Please refer to the application process section for the next course of action

FOREIGN KNOWLEDGE WORKERS

At the Expats Service Centre, we define a “knowledge worker” as an individual who holds one or more of the following criteria:

  • Holds a tertiary qualification (Bachelor's Degree) from an institution of higher learning (in any field)
  • Holds a diploma in multimedia/ICT or another specialised ICT certification plus at least 2 years’ relevant experience in multimedia/ICT or an equivalent field; or
  • Has held a professional, executive, management or technical work position in information technology (“IT”) enabled services (e.g. IT / IS Professionals, Finance / Accounting, Business Administration)

Special exemptions are given to foreign knowledge workers who do not meet the above criteria but are to be employed in the following:

  • Global Business Services – foreign workers with knowledge-based skills that are not prevalent in Malaysia, but required by Malaysia Digital (MD) Company.
  • Creative Content and Technologies – workers who are utilised for their creative talent to produce value-added creative work for Malaysia Digital (MD) Company.

Eligibility Criteria :

Conditions

An approved Malaysia Digital (MD) company.

The company shall commence operation of and undertake the Malaysia Digital approved activities in Malaysia in accordance with the Company’s business plan submitted.

Activities :

NON-QUALIFYING

  • Trading i.e. reselling of hardware and software
  • Manufacturing
  • Provision of telecommunication services
  • Staffing services (recruitment agency)
  • Event management
  • Training and consultancy
  • E-news and e-publishing
  • Advertising
  • Staff Augmentation, i.e.
    • Request for resources via resource request form
    • Projects are without project managers and resources are not in charge of project management
    • Involves resource pricing table, breakdown of work permit costing, air ticket fare, etc
    • Resources has no associated service level commitment other than hours available to work and output is simply the performance of a task with no commitment that the task will result in the desired outcome

For MD Company, please refer to the list of promoted activities (Promoted Activities – MDEC) (Appendix 1)
Note: MDEC reserves the rights to check, and revoke employment passes or Malaysia Digital (MD) Company at any point of time if such activity is conducted.

APPLICABLE PASSES FOR FKW ENTRANCE INTO MALAYSIA

Our Expats Service Centre can only process and approve the following types of passes prior to submittal to the Immigration Department of Malaysia:

EMPLOYMENT PASS

There are 3 categories of this type of work permit that enables a FKW to take up employment under a contract of service with an organisation in Malaysia. The duration of these permits varies from a minimum of 12 months to a maximum of 60 months depending on the nature of employment and the need of such employment by the hiring organisation.

The Immigration Department of Malaysia will issue the Employment Pass upon the approval of employment positions by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) in Malaysia Digital (MD) Company.

A foreign knowledge worker issued with the Employment Pass shall not, without the consent of Immigration Department of Malaysia, engage in any form of paid employment in any business or professional occupation in Malaysia other than the particular employment specified in the Employment Pass.

Employment Pass Eligibility Criteria

Category 1

Category 2

Category 3

Applicant must earn a basic salary of minimum RM10,000 per month; AND Applicant must have an employment contract valid up to 60 months (subject to MDEC discretion).

Applicant must earn a basic salary of minimum RM5,000 per month; AND Applicant has an employment contract valid up to 24 months.

Applicant earns a basic salary between RM3, 000 to RM4,999; AND Applicant’s employment contract must not exceed 12 months.

Employment Pass Eligibility Criteria

Category 1

Category 2

Category 3

Allows the holder to be employed in West Malaysia by the hiring company
Spouse and children under 18 years old of Employment Pass holder are eligible for Dependent Pass.
Children over 18 years old and unmarried are eligible for Social Visit Pass (Long Term).
Parents / Parents-in-law are eligible for Social Visit Pass (Long Term).
Renewal of the pass can be considered, depending on the requirements.
Can be renewed for maximum two (2) times, subject to review.
For applicant that requires Visa to enter Malaysia, It is MANDATORY for the applicant who is currently abroad to obtain a Visa with Reference.
The applicant MUST be outside of Malaysia before the issuance of Approval Letter and to enter Malaysia AFTER obtaining the Reference Visa/eVisa (if required).

The following approval letter/documents are required for submission of Foreign Knowledge Worker:

  1. Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM).
    • Approval from JTKSM as required by the Ministry of Human Resource under the provisions of Section 60K, Employment Act 1955 (Act 265).
  2. Social Security Organization (SOCSO).
    • Approval from SOCSO after advertising job vacancies on the MYFutureJobs portal.

Please refer to and download this Checklist for Employment Pass
for all documentations required by MDEC and the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

FEE STRUCTURE

Services(New & Renewal)

MDEC's Charges(Per Applicant)

Employment Pass

RM2,160.00

Dependant Pass (DP)

  • Spouse
  • Children below 18 years (Biological/Adopted/Step Child)
  • Disabled Children (no age limit)

RM540.00

Social Visit Pass (SVP)

  • Parents
  • Parents in-law
  • Children above 18 years - 25 years old(Biological/Adopted/Step Child)
  • Common-law-spouse

RM540.00

Amendment of Approval Letters

RM108.00

Special Pass (SP), Transfer of Endorsement (TOE), Cancellation of Passes

N.A

The MDEC charges are non-refundable. However, MDEC shall refund 75% of Expatriate Services fee for rejected application.

N.A

Immigration Fee

Refer here