The Malaysian government has recently announced the following initiatives to facilitate entry into the country by expatriates who need to start their employment or assignment in Malaysia.
1) Exemption of MyEntry approval from the Director General, Immigration Department of Malaysia (IDM) for expatriates and their dependents, including their foreign housekeeping staff.1
2) Extension of the eVISA facility, which is an online platform for single-entry visa applications without the need for physical submission at the High Commission or Consulate General or Embassy of Malaysia abroad by expatriates and their dependents who need to apply for the single-entry visa in reference to their approved Pass.2
3) Establishment of the ESD Satellite Centre (ESC) in Kuala Lumpur International Airport 1 (KLIA 1) which allows expatriates with newly-approved Employment Passes and their dependents’ Passes under the purview of the Expatriate Services Division (ESD) to have the Passes endorsed upon arrival in Malaysia.3 The ESC would not be able to endorse Professional Visit Passes and passes approved under the purview of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
4) MDEC, on the other hand, introduced an online endorsement process, whereby the passport will only be submitted to MDEC’s office upon notification by MDEC.4