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at least 6 monthsMalaysia work visa
Short-term work visa for Malaysia
Malaysia business visa
Malaysia work visa for Pakistanis
To obtain a Malaysian work visa, Pakistani citizens must first obtain a work permit.
Malaysia work permit for Pakistanis
Malaysia Employment Pass is issued to Pakistani citizens who will be working in a Malaysian company in a highly skilled position, such as a technical or managerial position.
Before you can obtain an Employment Pass, your employer in Malaysia must obtain the approval of the Expatriation Board or the relevant regulatory authority to hire you.
This type of work permit in Malaysia can be issued for 1-5 years, depending on the specific case or duration of work, and is renewable.
What types of work permits are available for Pakistani citizens?
There are three types of Employment Pass for Malaysia, depending on your position and salary.
1. Employment Pass Category 1, which includes key positions in a company such as executives, CEOs, technical or managing directors, project managers, etc.
- You must have a monthly salary of at least RM10,000.
- You must have an employment contract for up to five years.
- The Employment Pass is renewable.
- You are allowed to hire a foreign domestic assistant.
2. Employment Pass Category 2, which includes managerial and professional positions in a company, such as marketing or investment manager, teachers, directors, architects, etc.
- You must have a salary between 5000 and 9999 ringgit.
- You must have an employment contract for up to two years.
- The Employment Pass is renewable.
- You are allowed to hire a foreign domestic assistant.
3. Employment Pass Category 3, which includes non-managerial positions in a company that require significant work experience and specific technical or practical skills. For example, designers (fashion, manufacturing, furniture), craftsmen, food technologists, etc.
- You must be paid a monthly salary of between RM3,000 and RM4,999.
- You must have an employment contract for up to two years.
- The Employment Pass cannot be renewed more than twice.
- You are not allowed to hire a foreign domestic assistant.
What are the requirements for obtaining a permit for Pakistani citizens?
To obtain a work permit in Malaysia, Pakistanis must meet the following requirements:
- You must have the proper academic qualifications required for the job.
- You must have at least three years of relevant work experience. If your academic qualifications are less, you may need more years of relevant work experience.
- You must be working in a managerial, supervisory or technical position that requires special skills.
- You must meet the required salary requirements.
- You must not be employed in a sector that is considered restricted.
How can Pakistanis obtain a work permit in Malaysia?
As a foreign worker, you do not need to apply for your own Employment Pass. It is your employer who applies on your behalf in Malaysia before you travel.
The process of obtaining a Malaysian Employment Pass is divided into two parts:
- Your employer must request approval for employment through the Expatriation Board or another authorized agency. This process is known as applying for an expatriate position.
- Once the posting application is approved, your employer must apply for an Employment Pass Malaysia to the Department of Immigration Malaysia.Your employer must apply for an Employment Pass to the Employment Pass section of the Department of Immigration Malaysia. They must submit the application by mail or in person.
When your employer applies for an Employment Pass, they must provide the following documents:
- Employment application form.
- Your passport size photo in accordance with Malaysia's photo requirements.
- A copy of your passport.
- Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date you intend to enter. In any case, the validity of your employment passport cannot exceed the validity of your passport.
- A letter or approval for mailing from the relevant authority.
- Authorization from the company to apply.
- Your employment contract or offer letter and acceptance letter.
- Your resume and copies of your diplomas and certificates.
- A copy of your employer's company profile from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM).
- Health insurance
Malaysia Employment Pass processing time is three days.
Work visa to Malaysia from Pakistan
A visa with reference (VDR) means that you need to get approval from the Malaysian Immigration Department (i.e. Employment Pass) before the Malaysian representative office abroad can issue you a visa.
VDR is simply an entry visa issued to Pakistanis who are traveling for long-term purposes, such as work or study.
If you do not need a visa to enter Malaysia, you can enter Malaysia with a certificate only if you have an Employment Pass approval letter.
Citizens of countries that require a visa to enter Malaysia must apply for a Malaysia visa with a certificate at the nearest Malaysian embassy or consulate.
Upon arrival in Malaysia, you must report in person to the immigration office and provide payment for the Employment Pass as well as your passport. Immigration officials will affix an Employment Pass sticker to your passport, confirming your stay in the country, and issue an expatriate card.
Can Pakistani citizens with work permits bring their families?
If you are an Employment Pass holder, you can bring the following family members under the Malaysia Dependants Pass:
- Your spouse
- Your dependent children under the age of 21
The following family members can visit the Employment Pass holder with a Social Visit Pass:
- Parents
- Spouse
- Children over the age of 21
- Stepchildren
If your spouse wants to work, their dependent pass will not automatically allow them to do so. They have to apply for their own work permit.
Can Pakistanis get a temporary work permit in Malaysia?
Temporary Employment Pass for Pakistani citizens. This permit allows Pakistani citizens to work in sectors such as:
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Plantations
- Agriculture
- Services
However, this type of permit is only available to citizens from approved countries.
How can Pakistani citizens qualify for a Malaysia work permit?
To be eligible for a temporary work permit in Malaysia, you must:
1. Work in an approved sector
- Construction
- Plantation
- Agriculture
- Services
- Manufacturing
2. Be a citizen of an approved country
- Bangladesh (only allowed in plantations)
- Cambodia
- India (not eligible for manufacturing jobs)
- Indonesia (men cannot work in manufacturing)
- Kazakhstan
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Sri Lanka
- Thailand
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan (female workers cannot apply for any sector)
3. Meet general eligibility criteria
- Be between 18 and 45 years old
- Pass a medical checkup at an approved clinic
- Your employer must have an approved foreign worker quota
- You must pass the Immigration Security Certificate (ISC) verification in your home country
What is the process for Pakistanis to obtain a temporary work permit in Malaysia?
If you’re a Pakistani citizen planning to work temporarily in Malaysia, your employer must apply for your work permit before you arrive.
Steps to obtain a temporary work permit:
1. Visa approval letter. Before you can travel to Malaysia, your employer must:
- Obtain your Immigration Security Certificate (ISC) verification.
- Get foreign worker quota approval from the Ministry of the Interior.
- Submit your work permit application to the Malaysian Immigration Department in person or online.
2. Visa application. After receiving the visa approval letter, you must apply for a Visa with Reference (VDR) in your home country before entering Malaysia.
Documents needed for a Malaysia work permit for Pakistani citizens
If you’re applying for a temporary work permit in Malaysia, your employer must provide the following paperwork:
- Visa application forms (IM.12 and IM.38)
- Approval letter for a foreign worker quota from the Ministry of the Interior
- Copy of your passport
- Passport-size photo (as per Malaysian guidelines)
- Medical check-up results from a certified medical center in your country (must be issued within three months)
- ISC verification results
- Proof of payment for the foreign worker fee
- Security bond
- Foreign worker compensation insurance
- Health insurance (SPIKPA) – required under Malaysia’s Health Insurance Protection Scheme for Foreign Workers
Conditions for obtaining a temporary work permit in Malaysia
If you are applying for a temporary work permit in Malaysia as a foreign worker, you must meet the following requirements:
- You cannot change your employer or switch to a different job sector.
- Marriage to a Malaysian citizen or another foreigner is not allowed while you hold this permit.
- You are not allowed to work in frontline positions.
- Bringing family members with you is not permitted.
Validity and renewal
- The permit is initially valid for 12 months and can be renewed annually for up to 10 years.
- Your employer must submit a renewal application at least three months before the permit expires. Late applications will be rejected.
Malaysia business visa
An approved business-visa for Malaysia allows its owner to enter the country for business events, such as attending meetings and seminars, signing contracts and fulfillment of agreements.
There is no special online application form for a Malaysian business-visa at the moment. However, those, willing to enter Malaysia with business goals that do not foresee payment for work, may do this with the help of one of Malaysian tourist visas.
Tourist online-visa for Malaysia can be obtained via a simple online-application and issued as one of the following one- or multiple-entry electronic visas:
- 30-day one-time electronic visa;
- 30-day multi-entry electronic visa;
- eNTRI visa for stays of up to 15 days (for Chinese and Indian nationals only).
While it is currently necessary to apply for a tourist visa online to travel to Malaysia for business, the Malaysian government plans to launch a new eVisa for business purposes in the technology sector, the Blockchain Visa, in the nearest future.
Documents required to apply for a business visa to Malaysia
To apply for a business visa online, applicants must meet the requirements for a Malaysian visa and provide the following documents when filling out the form:
- A passport of the corresponding country, valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival to Malaysia, that has at least 3 blank pages;
- Three copies of a passport-size photograph, that meets the requirements for eVisa photos;
- Bank statements from the past 3 months that prove the availability of sufficient financial resources to cover the entire stay;
- Confirmed return plane tickets with the flight details.
- Additionally, provide a filled application form for a business-visa with these documents. A simple online form can be filled out in just a few minutes with basic personal, passport and travel information.
To apply, you must also answer a few health and safety questions and pay the business visa fee using a valid debit or credit card.
The applicant must also provide a current email address to which a copy of the approved Malaysian business eVisa will be sent. They should then print a copy to carry with them when they travel to Malaysia.
Upon arrival in Malaysia, the business eVisa holder must show the following documents to the border officer to enter the country:
- The same passport that was used to apply for a visa to Malaysia;
- Color printout of an approved business eVisa;
- Confirmation of the availability of sufficient funds to cover accommodation;
- Boarding pass and confirmed return tickets;
- Travel itinerary for the stay;
- Proof of residency in Malaysia.
- The same passport used to complete the application must be used to enter Malaysia as the approved eVisa is linked to this passport.
- If the passport associated with the e-Visa expires while the online visa is valid, a new online form will need to be submitted to continue traveling to Malaysia.
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