Malaysia: Opening for 2024 Projection Applications for Employers Registered with Expatriate Services Division
December 5, 2023
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At a Glance
- The Expatriate Services Division (ESD) will begin accepting applications on December 15, 2023, from companies in Malaysia registered with the ESD who plan to submit Employment Pass and Professional Visit Pass applications in 2024.
- These companies are required to submit projections for the number of foreign nationals they seek to sponsor in the following year.
- Although there is no deadline for submission, affected employers who do not have approved projections for 2024 cannot submit initial or renewal Employment Pass (EP) and Professional Visit Pass (PVP) applications until they obtain the required approval.
- Companies that do not submit projection submissions risk their foreign national employees in Malaysia being unable to timely renew their EP or PVP, which may result in them having to leave Malaysia for a period of time.
The situation
The Expatriate Services Division (ESD) will begin accepting applications on December 15, 2023, from companies in Malaysia registered with the Expatriate Services Division who plan to submit Employment Pass (EP) and Professional Visit Pass (PVP) applications in 2024.
Background
The Malaysian government requires companies to submit projection applications to sponsor EP and PVP applications to delineate the need of the company to hire foreign nationals. If additional work passes are needed beyond those approved projection application, companies can submit additional projection applications throughout the year.
A closer look
- Application details. Companies are required to purchase the latest e-SSM search report in the ESD portal before filing the projection application. When filing the application, companies must provide the total number of local staff, foreign staff and the position group (e.g., Top Management, Middle Management, Technical Expert, Entry Level, etc.) of the projection applied.
- Processing time. The ESD will approve the projection application instantly upon submission of the application.
- 2023 numbers will no longer be valid. Companies will no longer be able to use approved EP and PVP projection numbers granted in 2023 for applications in 2024, even if they have not fully utilized their 2023 numbers.
Impact on employers
Although there is no deadline for submission of the projections, companies that do not have approved projections for 2024 will not be able to submit initial and renewal EP and PVP applications until they obtain the required projection approval.
Impact on foreign nationals
Companies that do not submit projection submissions risk their foreign national employees in Malaysia being unable to timely renew their EP or PVP, which may result in them having to leave Malaysia for a period of time.
Looking ahead
Though the projection application by the ESD will be instantly approved upon submission, companies in Malaysia registered with the ESD should submit their 2024 projection application as soon as it is allowed to avoid any delays in filing work pass applications in 2024.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
