Guidelines expected soon for new service center to handle Employment

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Malaysia’s launch of the Malaysia Expatriate Talent Service Centre (MYXpats Centre) to take over Employment Pass applications is expected soon.

What does the change mean? The government is expected to release an announcement on the official launch date. In the meantime, all Employment Pass and related applications will continue to be processed by the immigration office in Putrajaya until further notice.

• Implementation time frame: Ongoing.
• Visas/permits affected: Employment Passes, Dependent Passes, Professional Visit Passes.
• Who is affected: Companies applying for Employment Passes and other passes.
• Impact on processing times: Processing is not impacted at the moment, but implementation of MYXpats Centre may lead to delays during the initial introduction and transition.
• Business impact: The centrally-located MYXpats Centre is intended to offer logistical convenience for submission of passports payment and endorsement procedures. MYXpats Centre is expected to take over processing of passes plus other related matters when it goes live. After that, the Expatriate Services Division will concentrate on company registration procedures.
• Next steps: BAL is expecting a forthcoming announcement as to when MYXpats Centre will begin operations and how it may impact submission of applications.

Background: Currently, company registration and online submission of Employment Passes and related passes are handled by the Expatriate Services Division in Putrajaya. Once implemented, MYXpats Centre will handle Employment Pass submissions and related matters. ESD will continue to manage company registrations.

MYXpats Centre will be jointly run by the Immigration Department and Talent Corporation Malaysia, and falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

BAL Analysis: The government is expected to provide guidance to employers on the launch of MYXpats Centre and any new procedures for submitting Employment Pass applications. BAL is following these developments and will update clients when information is available.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Malaysia. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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