{"id":206,"date":"2026-10-08T02:23:44","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T02:23:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vivosgroup.com\/my\/insights\/malaysia-work-visa-options\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T02:23:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T02:23:44","slug":"malaysia-work-visa-options","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vivosgroup.com\/my\/insights\/malaysia-work-visa-options\/","title":{"rendered":"Malaysia Work Visa Options in 2026: Employment Pass, PVP, RP-T and DE Rantau Compared"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Insights \u00b7 Malaysia Immigration<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malaysia Work Visa Options in 2026: Employment Pass, PVP, RP-T and DE Rantau Compared<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

A foreign professional hired by a Malaysian company needs an Employment Pass, which since 1 June 2026 requires a basic monthly salary of at least RM5,000 (Category III), RM10,000 (Category II) or RM20,000 (Category I). Staff who stay on an overseas payroll can use a Professional Visit Pass for up to 12 months. EP holders with 3 years in Malaysia on RM15,000 can apply for the 10-year Residence Pass-Talent, and remote workers earning USD24,000 a year can use DE Rantau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For employers moving staff to Malaysia and professionals weighing their own route, this guide compares the Employment Pass, PVP, family passes, RP-T, DE Rantau and MTEP, then sets out ESD\u2019s company rules, official fees and a worked 6-month and 3-year example.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Pass or rule<\/th>Position at 8 October 2026<\/th><\/tr>
Employment Pass minimum basic salary<\/td>RM5,000 (Category III), RM10,000 (II) or RM20,000 (I) a month, since 1 June 2026<\/td><\/tr>
Professional Visit Pass<\/td>Up to 12 months; holder stays employed overseas; no Dependant Pass<\/td><\/tr>
Residence Pass-Talent<\/td>Up to 10 years, renewable; RM15,000 basic and 3 consecutive years in Malaysia<\/td><\/tr>
DE Rantau Nomad Pass<\/td>USD24,000 (tech) or USD60,000 (non-tech) a year; up to 24 months<\/td><\/tr>
ESD paid-up capital, wholly foreign-owned company<\/td>RM500,000 (RM1,000,000 with a WRT licence)<\/td><\/tr>
ESD application fee<\/td>RM2,160 (EP), RM1,296 (PVP), RM540 per family pass, including 8% SST<\/td><\/tr>
Immigration fees<\/td>EP RM200 a year + RM125; family pass RM90 a year + RM50; PVP RM90 per 3 months; visa up to RM50 a year<\/td><\/tr>
EP processing standard<\/td>5 working days for a complete application<\/td><\/tr>
Where an EP is valid<\/td>Peninsular Malaysia only; Sabah and Sarawak run separate immigration control<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Malaysia work visa options compared: who each pass is for<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The right pass depends on who employs the person and for how long. An employee of a Malaysian company needs an Employment Pass (EP); someone who stays employed overseas and comes for a defined project, training or consultancy needs a Professional Visit Pass (PVP); a remote worker for a foreign employer uses DE Rantau; a tech founder uses MTEP. An experienced EP holder can later move to the Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An EP lets the holder work only for the company named on it. Each pass is approved for up to 5 years (Category I), 2 years (II) or 12 months (III), within a limit of 10 years with one employer (5 in Category III), and from 1 January 2027 Category II and III applications need a succession plan. A separate guide to the 2026 salary thresholds covers the bands and renewals in depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A PVP holder stays employed by the overseas company, may work only for the Malaysian sponsor and cannot apply for a Dependant Pass. An EP holder\u2019s spouse, children under 18 and disabled children join on a Dependant Pass, and unmarried children aged 18\u201325, parents and parents-in-law on a Long-Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP). Both need a principal earning above RM5,000, and neither allows work without the family member\u2019s own EP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pass<\/th>Who it is for<\/th>Minimum salary or income<\/th>Maximum length<\/th>Family<\/th>Can the holder work?<\/th>Issuing body<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
EP Category I<\/td>Employee of an ESD-registered Malaysian company<\/td>RM20,000 basic<\/td>Up to 5 years per pass; 10 years with one employer<\/td>Yes<\/td>Named employer only<\/td>Immigration Department (ESD), MIDA or MDEC<\/td><\/tr>
EP Category II<\/td>As Category I<\/td>RM10,000\u2013RM19,999<\/td>Up to 2 years per pass; 10 years with one employer<\/td>Yes<\/td>Named employer only<\/td>As Category I<\/td><\/tr>
EP Category III<\/td>As Category I<\/td>RM5,000\u2013RM9,999 (RM7,000 in manufacturing and related services)<\/td>Up to 12 months per pass; 5 years with one employer<\/td>Yes, for passes applied for from 1 June 2026<\/td>Named employer only<\/td>As Category I<\/td><\/tr>
PVP<\/td>Professional employed overseas, on assignment to a Malaysian host<\/td>None set<\/td>12 months<\/td>No Dependant Pass<\/td>Sponsor only<\/td>Immigration Department (ESD) or MIDA<\/td><\/tr>
RP-T<\/td>EP holder with 3 consecutive years in Malaysia<\/td>RM15,000 basic<\/td>10 years, renewable<\/td>Spouse and children under 18<\/td>Yes, any employer; spouse may work<\/td>TalentCorp and Immigration Department<\/td><\/tr>
DE Rantau<\/td>Remote worker for a foreign employer, or freelancer<\/td>USD24,000 a year (tech); USD60,000 (non-tech)<\/td>3\u201312 months; 24 months in total<\/td>Spouse, children under 18 and parents<\/td>For the foreign employer or mainly foreign clients<\/td>MDEC<\/td><\/tr>
MTEP<\/td>Tech founder<\/td>None set<\/td>1 + 1 years (new); 5 + 5 years (established)<\/td>Established entrepreneurs only<\/td>Own business<\/td>MDEC<\/td><\/tr>
Dependant Pass<\/td>EP holder\u2019s spouse and children under 18<\/td>Principal earns above RM5,000<\/td>Follows the principal\u2019s pass<\/td>Not applicable<\/td>Not without own EP<\/td>Immigration Department (ESD)<\/td><\/tr>
LTSVP<\/td>EP holder\u2019s children aged 18\u201325, parents and parents-in-law<\/td>Principal earns above RM5,000<\/td>12 months per approval<\/td>Not applicable<\/td>Not without own EP<\/td>Immigration Department (ESD)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Salary tests use basic salary only. Foreign workers in six sectors, including construction and manufacturing, use the separate, levy-based Visitor\u2019s Pass (Temporary Employment), which does not allow family members.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Residence Pass-Talent, DE Rantau and MTEP: long-term, remote and founder routes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Residence Pass-Talent is TalentCorp\u2019s 10-year renewable pass for established expatriates. Applicants need at least 3 consecutive years of work in Malaysia, a valid EP with more than 3 months left, a basic salary of RM15,000 a month, income tax paid for at least the last 2 years, 5 years\u2019 total experience and a recognised qualification. The holder can change employer without converting the pass, and a legally married spouse can work without an EP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MDEC\u2019s DE Rantau Nomad Pass is for remote workers whose employer is not registered in Malaysia and freelancers with mainly foreign clients. The minimum income is USD24,000 a year in tech roles such as software and data, and USD60,000 in non-tech roles such as executives and consultants, under contracts that started at least 3 months before applying. The pass runs 3\u201312 months and can be renewed once for 12 months. MDEC charges RM1,080 per applicant and RM540 per dependant, including 8% SST, plus RM90 in Immigration fees every 3 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Malaysia Tech Entrepreneur Programme (MTEP) is MDEC\u2019s route for tech founders. A New Entrepreneur receives a 1-year PVP-MTE, renewable once, must be based at a Malaysia Digital Hub or MRANTI partner and cannot bring family. An Established Entrepreneur, whose business is over 3 years old, receives a Residence Pass (RP-MTE) of up to 5 years, renewable for 5. MDEC lists a RM540 application fee, then RM2,160 plus a RM360 pass fee (new) or RM4,860 plus RM500 (established).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What an employer needs: ESD registration, paid-up capital and the MYXpats Centre<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before it can apply for an EP or PVP, the Malaysian company must register with the Immigration Department\u2019s Expatriate Services Division (ESD), which sets minimum paid-up capital by ownership: RM250,000 for a wholly Malaysian-owned company, RM350,000 for a joint venture with at least 30% foreign equity, RM500,000 for a wholly foreign-owned company and RM1,000,000 for a foreign-owned company in wholesale, retail or trade, which also needs a WRT licence. Registration takes 14 working days once documents are in order; MIDA-supervised companies use the MIDA Expatriate System instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applications are filed on ESD Online and processed by the MYXpats Centre, a joint initiative of TalentCorp and the Immigration Department operated by Malaysia Expatriate Services Centre Sdn Bhd, which collects ESD fees online. The centre at Level 4, Surian Tower, Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, is open 9am\u20135pm on weekdays (payment counter 9am\u20134pm) for submissions, ePASS endorsement, amendments and refunds; endorsed passes can also be collected at ESC KLIA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n