Two (2) key updates from Malaysia’s immigration authorities means that companies and their expatriate hires or receiving foreign visitors will experience some changes in procedures and entry/stay rules.
Why this matters
It is imperative for employers and foreign visitors to be updated on the latest entry requirements; these vary depending on the purpose of the visit to Malaysia and whether the foreign national holds a Long-term Pass issued by the Immigration Department of Malaysia. When companies and travellers prepare the necessary entry documentation and comply with the rules, the end result can be a smooth entry and reduced immigration clearance time at the airport.
More Details
Below are the two (2) key updates that a company should take note of in respect of its expatriate hires or if receiving foreign visitors:
- Entry Visa – Under the Visa Liberalisation Plan,1 effective from 1 December 2023 to 31 December 2024, passport holders of the People’s Republic of China and India will be granted a 30-day visa exemption to visit Malaysia only for a social visit or tour. Foreign nationals entering Malaysia for other purposes, such as the endorsement of an approved Long-term Pass will still be required to apply for the single-entry visa. In the event the single-entry visa is not applied for, and the Social Visit Pass is issued, endorsement of a Long-term Pass (e.g., Employment, Professional Visit, Dependent, etc.) cannot be processed as announced by the Expatriate Services Division.2
- Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (“MDAC”)3 – Effective 1 January 2024, all foreign nationals need to complete and submit the MDAC application online as early as three days prior to one’s arrival date in Malaysia. Exemption from MDAC is applicable for holders of the following:
i) Singapore passport;
ii) Diplomatic and Official passport;
iii) Permanent Resident;
iv) Long-term Pass e.g., Employment Pass, Dependent Pass, Student Pass, etc.
Foreign nationals entering Malaysia for endorsement of the newly-approved Long-term Pass are not exempted and need to proceed with an application for the MDAC.
For more details, kindly refer to the FAQs.4
KPMG Insights
An IRP Stamp 1G is granted based on a relationship with a principal employment permit holder and is therefore not an independent immigration permission. The validity and renewal of an IRP Stamp 1G will remain contingent on the relationship between the parties, continued joint residency in Ireland, and the immigration status of the principal employment permit holder.
Individuals should be aware that the application processes for family reunification remain unchanged by this update. By way of example, General Employment Permit holders are usually required to have worked in Ireland for 12 months before they may seek to enjoy family reunification with their spouses or partners and children.
If employers have questions regarding this notice, family reunficiation requirements, or the conditions attached to an IRP Stamp 1G, they should contact their usual immigration counsel or a member of the Immigration and Employment Law team with KPMG Law in Ireland (see the Contact Us section).
Contacts
Additional Resources
Footnotes
1 See Immigration Department of Malaysia, Announcement, Visa Liberalisation Plan .
2 See Expatriate Services Division, “Single Entry Visa for Chinese and Indian Nationality” (6 December 2023).
Disclaimer
* Please note the KPMG International member firm in the United States does not provide immigration or labour law services. However, KPMG Law LLP in Canada can assist clients with U.S. immigration matters.
The information contained in this newsletter was submitted by the KPMG International member firm in Malaysia.
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