Working visa to Malaysia for Zimbabweans
A work visa to Malaysia is issued only to those Zimbabweans who have already obtained a work permit. Without it, it is impossible to apply for a work visa.
Malaysia work permit for Zimbabwean citizens
To work in Malaysia, Zimbabwean citizens must apply for an Employment Pass, which is only given to skilled professionals in technical or management positions. The application process starts with the employer, who must secure approval from Malaysian authorities. Depending on the job contract, the permit is valid for 1 to 5 years and can be renewed.
What types of work permits can Zimbabweans apply for in Malaysia?
Malaysia categorizes Employment Passes (EPs) into three tiers, depending on the employee’s job role and salary.
Employment Pass Category 1. Senior & Executive Roles
- CEOs, project managers, directors, and high-level technical experts
- Minimum salary: RM10,000/month
- Contract duration: Up to 5 years, with renewal options
- Perks: Can hire a foreign domestic assistant
Employment Pass Category 2. Managerial & Professional Roles
- Architects, marketing managers, investment analysts, teachers
- Minimum salary: RM5,000–RM9,999/month
- Contract duration: Up to 2 years, renewable
- Perks: Can hire a foreign domestic assistant
Employment Pass Category 3. Skilled & Technical Workers
- Fashion designers, craftsmen, food technologists, specialized technicians
- Minimum salary: RM3,000–RM4,999/month
- Contract duration: Up to 2 years, renewable twice
- Restrictions: Cannot hire a foreign domestic assistant
How to qualify for a work permit in Malaysia as a Zimbabwean citizen?
If you’re a Zimbabwean citizen planning to work in Malaysia, you must ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for a work permit. The main requirements include:
- Relevant academic qualifications that match the job role.
- At least three years of work experience (or more if your education level is lower).
- A managerial, supervisory, or technical position requiring specialized expertise.
- A salary that aligns with Malaysia’s employment pass regulations.
- Your profession must not fall under restricted industries.
Malaysia work permit process for Zimbabweans
The process involves:
- Securing an expatriate position. Your employer must get approval from the Expatriation Board or a designated authority to hire a foreign worker.
- Submitting an Employment Pass application. Once approval is granted, the employer applies for an Employment Pass through the Department of Immigration Malaysia, either by mail or in person.
What documents does a Malaysian employer need to sponsor your work visa?
When an employer in Malaysia applies for an Employment Pass on your behalf, they need to submit the following:
- A completed application form
- A passport photo (as per Malaysian specifications)
- A copy of your valid passport (must have at least six months left)
- An official approval letter from a relevant authority (if required)
- A company authorization letter for submission
- A signed employment contract or job offer letter with acceptance
- Your resume and educational certificates
- A copy of the company’s registration with Malaysia’s Companies Commission (SSM)
- Health insurance
The processing time is usually around three business days.
Malaysia work visa process for Zimbabweans
If you’re planning to work in Malaysia, you may need a Visa with Reference (VDR). This visa requires prior approval from the Malaysian Immigration Department—typically in the form of an Employment Pass—before a Malaysian diplomatic office can issue your visa.
The VDR serves as an entry visa for Zimbabwean citizens who come to Malaysia for a long-term stay, such as for work or study.
- If you are a citizen of a visa-free country, you do not need a separate visa - just an Employment Pass approval letter.
- Citizens who need a visa to enter Malaysia should apply to a Malaysian embassy or consulate.
Upon arrival in Malaysia, you must report to the immigration office, provide your passport, and make payment for the Employment Pass. Officials will affix an Employment Pass sticker to your passport and issue an expatriate card confirming your status.
Can Zimbabwean citizens on a work visa bring their families to Malaysia?
If you’re an Employment Pass holder, you can bring:
- Your spouse
- Your children under 21 years old
Other relatives can visit you with a Social Visit Pass, including:
- Your parents
- Your spouse
- Your children over 21
- Stepchildren
If your spouse wants to work in Malaysia, they must apply for a separate work permit, as a Dependant Pass does not grant work rights.
Malaysia’s temporary work permit for Zimbabweans
Temporary Employment Pass for Zimbabweans. Available only to citizens of approved countries, this pass permits employment in:
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Plantations
- Agriculture
- Services
Can Zimbabwean citizens get a work permit in Malaysia?
If you are a Zimbabwean citizen looking for a temporary work permit in Malaysia, here’s what you need:
Job sector eligibility
You must be working in:
- Construction
- Plantation
- Agriculture
- Services
- Manufacturing
Nationality restrictions
Only citizens from approved countries can apply, with some limitations:
- Bangladesh (only for plantation jobs)
- India (not allowed in manufacturing)
- Indonesia (men cannot work in manufacturing)
- Uzbekistan (female workers cannot apply)
- Other eligible countries include Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Turkmenistan.
Personal eligibility
- You must be between 18 and 45 years old.
- A medical examination at an approved facility is required.
Employer and security clearance
- Your employer must obtain a foreign worker quota from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- You must complete Immigration Security Certificate (ISC) verification in your country.
How do Zimbabweans get a temporary work permit for Malaysia?
Your employer must handle the application for your work permit before you arrive in Malaysia. Here’s how the process works:
Step 1: your employer obtains a visa approval letter
Before you can travel, your employer must:
- Complete Immigration Security Certificate (ISC) verification.
- Get foreign worker quota approval from the Ministry of the Interior.
- Submit the application with all necessary documents to the Malaysian Immigration Department.
Step 2: you apply for a visa
Once the visa approval letter is issued, you must apply for a Visa with Reference (VDR) in your home country before traveling to Malaysia.
Required documents for a Malaysia work permit application
To obtain a temporary work permit in Malaysia, your employer must submit these documents:
- Visa application forms (IM.12 and IM.38)
- Quota approval letter from the Ministry of the Interior
- Copy of your passport
- Recent passport photo (must meet Malaysia’s official photo specifications)
- Medical exam results from an approved clinic in your home country (valid for three months)
- Immigration Security Certificate (ISC) verification results
- Receipt of payment for the foreign worker fee
- Security bond
- Workers’ compensation insurance for foreign employees
- Health insurance (SPIKPA) under Malaysia’s Foreign Workers Health Insurance Protection Scheme
Work restrictions for temporary permit holders in Malaysia
Foreign workers in Malaysia with a temporary work permit must follow these rules:
- No changes in employer or job sector.
- No marriage to Malaysian citizens or other foreigners while holding the permit.
- No work in frontline positions.
- No option to bring family members.
Permit renewal process
- The permit is initially valid for 12 months and can be renewed annually for a maximum of 10 years.
- Employers must apply for renewal at least three months before the permit expires, or the application will be denied.
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.
What is the Investor Pass?
The Investor Pass is an entry permit for foreign investors who frequently travel to seek business opportunities in Malaysia. It allows you to stay in the country for up to 12 months (6 months with the possibility of extension). The pass uses a Multiple Entry Visa (MEV) system based on an existing Social Visit Permit (SVP).
It came into force on April 1, 2025.
Who can get an Investor Pass?
There are three categories of investors:
- New investors - those who do not yet have an investment in Malaysia.
- Investors in process - those who are negotiating or have applied for investment approval.
- Existing investors - those who already have companies registered in Malaysia but are not operating any of them.
What industries are covered by the Investor Pass?
- For new and potential investors, all sectors of the economy are covered.
- For existing investors - only manufacturing and selected service sectors (with MIDA approval).
What positions are eligible for Investor Pass?
Business owners, founders, members of the board of directors, shareholders, and senior executives.
Can I apply while I am in Malaysia?
No, the applicant must be outside Malaysia at the time of application.
What are the eligibility criteria for the Investor Pass?
- The age of 18 years or older.
- No undesirable persons or criminal records.
- Official employment in the country of origin.
- Exclusively business purposes of the trip (without the right to be employed in Malaysia).
- Passport valid for at least 6 months.
How to apply for Investor Pass?
The application must be submitted through the Xpats Gateway. MIDA issues a letter of support, and the final approval is given by the Malaysian Immigration Department.
What documents are required?
- A copy of your passport (all pages).
- Certificate of incorporation of the parent company.
- Audited financial statements.
- An official invitation from a government agency (if required).
How long does it take to process the application?
- Letter of support from MIDA - 3 business days.
- Approval from the Immigration Service - 2 business days.
Can I extend my Investor Pass?
Yes, you can apply for another 6 months 30 days before the expiration date.
Can I convert my Investor Pass into a work visa?
Yes, if necessary, it can be changed to Employment Pass (EP), Professional Visit Pass (PVP) or other types of permits.
Can I bring my family with me?
No, the Investor Pass does not allow the entry of dependents. They can come on a standard social visa.
How is the Investor Pass different from the Social Visit Pass?
The Investor Pass is a multiple entry visa (MEV) that allows you to stay in Malaysia for up to 12 months, while the standard social visa is a single entry visa.
Malaysia