Malaysia increases visa fee for foreign workers: Here s what has changed

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is set to increase visa filing fees for expatriates and their dependents, it emerged on Friday.

The development was confirmed by the MYXpats Centre, part of the Immigration Department’s Expatriate Services Division, and the increase would be effective from September 1st this year. 

Under the revised fee, the cost of an Employment Pass will rise significantly from MYR 800 to MYR 2,000 while the Dependent Pass will see a modest increase from MYR 450 to MYR 500.

Similarly, the Long-Term Social Visit Pass and the Professional Visit Pass will both experience fee hikes—each rising from MYR 450 to MYR 500 and from MYR 800 to MYR 1,200, respectively.

As far as different categories are concerned, the Employment Pass allows expatriates to work in Malaysia with a contract lasting up to 60 months and permits holders to apply for Dependent Passes for their spouses and children under 18, Financial Express reported.

On the other hand, the Professional Visit Pass is designed for foreign professionals with the requisite skills to provide services or training in Malaysia for up to one year.

Meanwhile, the Long-Term Social Visit Pass is issued for stays of six months or more and can be extended under certain conditions; it also allows foreign spouses of Malaysians to remain for up to five years while engaging in paid employment without needing to switch to an Employment Pass.

In addition to the fee adjustments, the Immigration Department has also accelerated the application processing for Tier 1, Tier 2, and Critical Sector companies, reducing processing times from five working days to three.