IMPACT – HIGH

Malaysia has replaced the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) with the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), and has issued new entry procedures for expatriates, dependents, and foreign domestic workers, effective from June 10 to Aug. 31.

Key Points:

  • Expatriates, dependents, and foreign domestic workers with valid passes currently stranded abroad can now submit an entry permission application, together with a Support Letter from the relevant approving agency or regulatory body (e.g., the Expatriate Services Division [ESD] or Malaysian Investment Development Authority [MIDA]), to the Director General of Immigration Malaysia at pbf@imi.gov.my.
  • For new applications for expatriates currently abroad, companies may now submit pass applications (Employment Pass [EP], Professional Visit Pass [PVP] or Dependant Pass [DP]) to the relevant approving agency or regulatory body (ESD, MISA, or Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation [MDeC]) to obtain an Approval Letter and Support Letter. They can then submit an entry permission application, together with the Approval Letter and Support Letter, to the Director General of Immigration Malaysia at pbf@imi.gov.my.
  • Approval will be given within seven working days from the date of submission; and applications that do not receive a response within this timeframe can be considered to be rejected.
  • If the application is approved, ESD will issue an Entry Approval Letter to the company with copies sent to the approving agency or regulatory body, National Disaster Management Agency Malaysia (NADMA), National Security Council Malaysia, Malaysian Mission Abroad, Foreign Missions, and related agencies.
  • Individuals must then undergo a COVID-19 PCR test abroad, and be medically confirmed to be free of COVID-19 before entering Malaysia.
  • Visa-required nationals must also obtain a visa from a Malaysian embassy or consulate.
  • Upon arrival in Malaysia, both the Entry Approval Letter and COVID-19 PCR test results must be presented to the immigration officer at the entry checkpoint. The individual may also be required to undergo an additional COVID-19 swab test if instructed to do so by officials from the Ministry of Health (MOH) at the point of arrival.
  • The individual would then be required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine at their residence or a hotel, and download/install the ‘MySejahtera’ mobile app issued by MOH for monitoring purposes.

Background: Malaysia imposed the initial Movement Control Order in March and has extended it several times since then.

Analysis & Comments: The response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop, and Deloitte will provide additional updates as information becomes available. Please check Deloitte’s COVID-19 Digital Map, available here, for information on travel restrictions and immigration changes in other countries.

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