The Malaysia Expatriate Talent Service Centre (MYXpats Centre), a new processing division, will be open for employers applying for Employment Passes as well as other passes for foreign nationals, beginning on June 1, 2015. The system is expected to bring faster and more dependable processing for Employment Passes and work authorization for employers who are registered to hire foreign nationals.
The types of permits that the MYXpats Centre will process include Employment Passes, Professional Visit Pass, Dependent Pass, and Long-Term Social Visit Pass. Once the applications are completely filled out and submitted, it will take the MYXpats Centre five business days to process. Any questions regarding the work authorization application status of the employees should be directed to the Centre and not the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
Previously, all of the processing was administered by the Immigration Department but because the processing times were inconsistent and delayed, the Ministry of Home Affairs decided to separate the duties into two units. The MYXpats Centre will handle Employment Pass applications while the Expatriate Service Division (ESD) will focus solely on company account registration.
All employers must still go through the registration and compliance check process at the ESD before advancing to the MYXpats Centre. Once employers are already registered with the ESD, they can then use the MYXpats Centre to apply for Employment Passes and other work authorizations. Currently, the process and documentation requirements remain the same; however, changes may occur with little or no prior notice. It is important that employers and foreign nationals check the ESD website regularly for documentation requirements.
Please note that this is general information only and not intended as advice on a specific matter. Please feel free to contact Fakhoury Global Immigration directly with questions exclusive to your situation. This news alert may have been prepared using information from Peregrine Immigration Management, which is licensed to Fakhoury Global Immigration.