Malaysia: JTKSM Pre-Approval Now Required for ESD Companies

Update - December 12, 2024: According to verbal confirmations from immigration authorities, the requirement to obtain pre-approval (JTKSM) from the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia online portal now applies to all Employment Pass (EP) and Professional Visit Pass (PVP) applications, including renewals, where previously it was only applicable to initial EP and PVP applications. Additionally, it has been confirmed that JTKSM pre-approval is mandatory for Foreign Domestic Worker/Maid applications. Lastly, JTKSM for PVP applications can now be filed through the ePPAX portal, whereas previously, it was filed via a Google form.

Update – May 9, 2024: The requirement to obtain pre-approval from the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia online portal (JTKSM) now applies to all initial Professional Visit Pass (PVP) applications, where previously it was only applicable to initial Employment Pass applications. The process remains the same as indicated below except that, unlike before, the pre-approval can now be downloaded from the JTKSM online portal. This additional requirement does not apply to PVP renewal applications.  

December 19, 2023: Companies registered under the Expatriate Services Division (ESD) must now obtain pre-approval from the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) online portal before applying for a new Employment Pass (EP). Employers must submit this approval with each new EP application. It will take JTKSM 7-14 business days to process the pre-approval, after which it will be sent to the employer via email. The employer will then upload the JKTSM approval for each new EP application. This process is already required for many other application types in Malaysia but the government has expanded it to ensure increased visibility over all foreign nationals in the country. Employers should note that this new requirement is only applicable for new EP applications and this additional step is not required for EP renewals.