All companies must use online portal for Employment Passes processed through Putrajaya

IMPACT – HIGH

What is the change? With little notice, the Putrajaya headquarters of the Immigration Department of Malaysia has mandated that all companies use the new online portal to apply for employment passes.

What does the change mean? Manual applications are no longer accepted and companies must enroll in the Expatriate Services Department’s online portal before they can submit employment pass applications in Putrajaya.

• Implementation timeframe: Immediate.
• Visas/permits affected: Employment Passes.
• Who is affected: Companies submitting applications through Putrajaya. This will not affect work permit applications processed through Cyberjaya or the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).
• Impact on processing times: This unscheduled rollout to all companies may cause delays during the initial period as the new system is implemented. 
• Business impact: As this is a somewhat sudden change, there may be delays in foreign assignments while companies enroll and register through the portal.
• Next steps: Employers will have to register on the portal and obtain a login ID and password before submitting applications.

Background: The Immigration Department of Malaysia launched the online portal last month, starting with energy sector companies and later phasing in six more industries. The Putrajaya headquarters verbally confirmed that it is enforcing mandatory online portal registration for all companies ahead of a scheduled rollout. As of April 21, companies processing applications through Putrajaya will no longer be able to submit applications over the counter.

BAL Analysis: To avoid delays, employers should work with their BAL attorney to gather the information necessary to register on the portal.

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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