16 February 2023
Immigration
Impact: Medium
Summary
Referring to the latest announcement by the Expatriate Services Division (ESD) of the Immigration Department of Malaysia, effective 20 February 2023, endorsement at the ESD Satellite Centre (ESC), Kuala Lumpur International Airport 1 (KLIA1) will be available for new Employment Pass Category III and Professional Visit Pass (PVP) applications.
Prior to this announcement, the KLIA1 endorsement option was only available for new Employment Pass Category I & II, Resident Pass-Talent, Dependant Pass and Long Term Social Visit Pass applications.
The Detail
Foreign nationals who have obtained approvals of their new Employment Pass Category III and PVP applications are eligible to complete their endorsement process at the ESC at KLIA1 upon arrival.
Payment for the KLIA1 endorsement process must be done and approval letter for endorsement at KLIA1 must be obtained prior to arrival in Malaysia in order to proceed with the endorsement at the ESC, KLIA1. A lead time of at least two (2) weeks prior to arrival in Malaysia is required in order to obtain the KLIA1 endorsement approval letter. The approval for endorsement at KLIA1 is subject to the discretion of the Malaysian immigration authorities.
The endorsement process through pass delivery by Pos Malaysia for renewal applications and new applications for foreign nationals who do not opt for KLIA1 endorsement remains the same for the time being. Similarly, the endorsement process for applications submitted through the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) remains the same.
It is important to highlight that the KLIA1 endorsement facility is only available for foreign nationals who enter Malaysia through KLIA1 and not through any other international airports in Malaysia, including KLIA2.
What this means
Companies will benefit from the expansion of the KLIA1 endorsement process as it now covers the main types of work passes in Malaysia. Foreign nationals who are required to begin work in Malaysia as soon as possible can complete their pass endorsement at KLIA1 upon arrival, instead of waiting for the endorsement to be completed through pass delivery, which may take an additional one (1) week after arrival in Malaysia.
Foreign nationals who will proceed with the KLIA1 endorsement process will need to ensure that they obtain the approval letter for endorsement at KLIA1 prior to travelling to Malaysia and sufficient time must be factored in in order to obtain the aforementioned approval letter from the Immigration authorities.
How we can help
Our team is happy to assist you in understanding the pass endorsement options and processes in greater detail. In the meantime, our team is closely monitoring the implementation of the expanded scope of the KLIA1 endorsement and we will provide you with the relevant updates from time to time.
Contact us
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Further information on Vialto Partners can be found here: www.vialtopartners.com
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