Jobs in Malaysia
Exclusive employer contracts in Malaysia across manufacturing, construction, and facility management — matched by a dedicated TAPS specialist.
Malaysia's manufacturing and construction sectors are a well-established part of EMIGRATLY's East and Southeast Asia network, with steady demand for facility management and specialized trades. Every contract is verified directly with the employer before a candidate is matched.
- Capital
- Kuala Lumpur
- Currency
- Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
- Languages
- Malay (English widely used in business)
- Population
- ~33.9 million (2023 est.)
Routes into this country
Choose where you are from to see the checks, documents and authorities for your route.
At a Glance
Latest published figures, and where this country sits among the 30 destination countries. The bar shows rank: a fuller bar means a higher figure.
- Population
- 35.98 million (2025) 10th of 29 destinations
- GDP per person
- US$13,125 (2025) 18th of 29 destinations
- Foreign-born share of population
- 10.7% (2024) 11th of 28 destinations
- Unemployment rate
- 3.8% (2025) 12th of 25 destinations
Source: World Bank Open Data, retrieved 2026-09-29. Each figure is for the year shown; countries without a published value for an indicator are left out of that ranking.
Your Rights, From Official Sources
What the government and the ILO publish, in plain words. Laws change: your contract and the official page always win over this summary.
Contract and pay
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Moving to a new employer in Malaysia needs its own application through the employer-change process in the ePPAx system, and cross-sector changes are allowed. Ask any recruiter how a change would work before you sign.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment (Malay text). Read 8 October 2026 -
An employer must prepare and sign a written contract of service for a foreign worker, with the terms the Employment Act 1955 requires.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026 -
Foreign workers are entitled to the full minimum wage, the same as everyone else. The employer must also pay foreign workers' wages through a bank, at least at the Minimum Wage Order rate.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment FAQ and prerequisites (Malay text), read 8 October 2026 -
An employer may transfer a foreign worker to a new employer only for reasons the policy lists: the original employer is bankrupt or closing, hit by a disaster such as fire, unable to afford the worker, restructuring or changing business status, changing company name or director, or has died. A change of employer needs its own prior approval under section 60K.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026 -
Under the same amendment, wages must be paid through a financial institution, forced labour is banned, and discrimination in employment is banned. The general penalty under the Act was raised to RM50,000.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): Employment Act 1955 (Amendment) 2022 FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026
Who can apply
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For hiring Nepali workers under the Nepal-Malaysia memorandum of understanding, JTKSM attests the employer's demand letter. It said it attests demand letters for no other country at the time of reading.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment (Malay text). Read 8 October 2026 -
Hiring a foreign worker without the section 60K approval is an offence, punishable by a fine of up to RM100,000, up to five years in prison, or both. The Department says employers must also have no conviction for forced labour and must advertise the vacancy on the government's MyFutureJobs portal.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026
Recruitment fees and your documents
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Before hiring a new foreign worker, an employer must obtain prior approval (Kelulusan Awal) from the Department of Labour under section 60K of the Employment Act 1955, with no exemption. Ask the recruiter for proof that the approval exists.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment -
Domestic workers from Indonesia must be recruited through licensed private employment agencies.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment -
An employer may not keep a foreign worker's passport. The Department of Labour says holding it is an offence under section 12(f) of the Passports Act 1966.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026 -
Anyone who recruits, including advertising as a go-between for employers and job seekers, must hold a private employment agency licence under the Private Employment Agencies Act 1981. A Licence C is the category that covers placing non-citizen workers in Malaysia, and Licence B covers foreign domestic workers; it requires paid-up capital of RM250,000 and a RM250,000 money guarantee. Ask a recruiter for the licence category and number, and check it against the Department's published list of agencies.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): private employment agencies page and FAQ, read 8 October 2026 -
To get an agency licence, at least 51 percent of the company must be held by Malaysian citizens, and its director must be a Malaysian citizen with no conviction under anti-trafficking or forced-labour laws. A licence lasts 24 months and must be renewed at least 60 days before it expires.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): private employment agencies FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026
Health, safety and housing
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An employer may deduct accommodation charges from a worker's pay, including a foreign worker's, but not more than RM100 a month and only after the Director General of Labour has certified the accommodation. If the contract says accommodation is free, no deduction may be made. Employers applying for foreign workers must also provide accommodation for all of them and register them with the social security body (PERKESO).
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment FAQ (Malay text), citing the 2020 maximum accommodation rent regulations, read 8 October 2026
If something goes wrong
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The Department of Labour takes complaints about labour disputes, including late payment of wages, no copy of your employment contract, no salary statement, unpaid maternity benefits, and an employer not paying the minimum wage. It lists the numbers 03-8000 8000 and 03-8888 9111 on its site.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): complaints page and site footer, read 8 October 2026 -
Money claims between employee and employer, such as unpaid salary or other payments due under your contract or the law, are heard in the Labour Court under section 69 of the Employment Act 1955, and workplace discrimination claims under section 69F. Employees earning over RM4,000 a month, other than manual workers, cannot claim overtime, rest-day or public-holiday pay, shift allowance or termination benefits.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): labour case page, read 8 October 2026
Hours, rest and leave
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The 2022 amendment to the Employment Act 1955, in force from 1 January 2023, cut the working week to 45 hours and brought every private-sector employee under the Act whatever their pay. It applies in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan only: Sabah and Sarawak still use their own Labour Ordinances. Employees earning over RM4,000 a month, other than manual workers, do not get overtime, rest-day or public-holiday pay.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): Employment Act 1955 (Amendment) 2022 FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026
Checked against the linked pages on 2026-10-08. This is general information, not legal advice.
How Employers Hire Foreign Workers Here
Route: Employer approval from the Department of Labour, then licensed agencies. Here the big employers do not recruit through their own careers pages, so there is no honest employer list to show. This is the process they must follow, from official sources. Laws change: your contract and the official page always win over this summary.
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Approval before hiring. Before hiring a new foreign worker, an employer must obtain prior approval from the Department of Labour under section 60K of the Employment Act 1955, with no exemption. The Department also says employers must advertise the vacancy on the government's MyFutureJobs portal and have no conviction for forced labour. Hiring without the approval is an offence.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026 -
Who may recruit. Anyone who recruits, including as a go-between for employers and job seekers, must hold a private employment agency licence. Licence C covers placing non-citizen workers in Malaysia and Licence B covers foreign domestic workers. Ask a recruiter for the category and number and check it against the Department's list.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): private employment agencies FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026 -
Country arrangements. For hiring Nepali workers under the Nepal-Malaysia memorandum of understanding, the Department attests the employer's demand letter. It said it attests demand letters for no other country at the time of reading. Domestic workers from Indonesia must be recruited through licensed private employment agencies.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment, read 8 October 2026 -
What the employer must provide. An employer must prepare and sign a written contract of service, pay wages through a bank at least at the minimum wage, provide accommodation for the workers it applies for, and register them with the social security body (PERKESO).
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026 -
Your passport and moving employer. An employer may not keep a foreign worker's passport; the Department says holding it is an offence under the Passports Act 1966. A change of employer needs its own prior approval and is allowed only for the reasons the policy lists.
Malaysian Department of Labour (JTKSM): foreign workers employment FAQ (Malay text), read 8 October 2026
Checked against the linked pages on 2026-10-08. Anyone who offers a job here outside this process, or asks you to pay for a named company's job, is a warning sign: check them at /verify. This is general information, not legal advice.
What's That Worth Back Home?
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Indicative only, not a guaranteed offer amount — rates from exchangerate-api.com. Your actual offer is set out in your employment contract.
Geography
Malaysia spans Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo, with tropical rainforest, coastal plains, and a warm, humid climate year-round; the capital Kuala Lumpur sits in the peninsula's Klang Valley.
Economy and Key Industries
A diversified economy with strong electronics manufacturing, palm oil production, and a steady construction sector.
Foreign Worker Population
Malaysia has one of Southeast Asia's largest foreign-worker populations, concentrated in manufacturing, construction, and plantation work, with established migrant-worker frameworks and communities across the peninsula.
Lifestyle for Foreign Workers
Climate
Tropical, hot and humid throughout the year with regular rainfall.
Culture
Malaysia's multicultural society (Malay, Chinese, Indian communities living alongside each other) makes for relatively easy day-to-day adaptation, with familiar food and community options for most EMIGRATLY source-country candidates. Cost of living is moderate.
Sectors EMIGRATLY Places Into
Manufacturing, construction, and facility management are EMIGRATLY's primary Malaysia sectors.
Publicly Showcased Roles
No roles from this destination are publicly listed right now — some of our employer contracts here are confidential by request. Register and your TAPS specialist will match you against everything we hold, public or private.
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