Malaysia Work Visa Employer Fees 2026
Do you want to recruit international talent in Malaysia in the year? The cost of expatriate employment has been complicated due to the significant changes in the policy that will come into force on June 1, 2026.
The government has unveiled a high-income, high-skill structure under the 13 th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13). This implies that whereas the administrative fees have remained constant following the 2024 increases, the minimum salary levels and compliances costs have changed considerably. In this guide, we disaggregate the amount of the ringgit you have to budget as an employer in the year 2026.
Statutory Immigration Endorsement and Costs of Levy
After a pass is granted there are some set statutory fees that must be paid to sticker or endorse the passport.These are paid directly to the Immigration Department.
- Annual Pass Fee: RM 200/per year (standard EP I, II and III).
- Immigration Processing Fee: RM 125 per application.
- eVAL Processing Fee: RM 159 (needed when applying to the Electronic Visa Approval Letter due to the arrival of new people).
- Visa Fee (Calling Visa): Depends on the nationality (e.g. India RM 50, China RM 30, USA/UK RM 6).
- Category III Levy: In Tier III skilled employees, annual levy will be charged (RM 1,850-2,000 according to the sector: Services or Manufacturing).
Adherence to Regulations and Costs of Operation
It is not the price on the portal that will in 2026 make a work visa more expensive but the price of compliance with the new standards of RMK-13.
The 1:3 Internship Mandate
In the case of every Expatriate (Category I) employed, three local interns are now being promoted or required in proportion.
- Estimated Cost: It is not a fee that an individual pays to the government, but now, monthly stipends allocated to three locals are considered as a part of the expat workforce planning.
Recruitment & Advertising
Prior to the use of the Projection 2026 Quota, employers are required to:
- MYFutureJobs Advertisement: Advertise the position over a period of 30 days to demonstrate that there are no local talents.
- Section 60K JTKSM: Approval of the Department of Labour (Depending on the sphere, it is mandatory).
- Audit of Local Succession Plan: the companies that recruit Tier II and III should report how they have been training locals to supplant the expatriate at one point, which might be incurring internal training expenditure.
Rapid Consensus Cost Scenarios Totals
With a new 2-year Employment Pass (Category II), an employer today (2026) is expected to pay the following:
- ESD Filing Fee: RM 2,160
- Annual Pass Fee (2 Years): RM 400
- Immigration Processing Fee: RM 125.
- eVAL & I-Kad: Approx. RM 200
- Visa Fee: ~RM 20
- Total Estimated Outlay: RM 2,905
FAQs
Do you pay to cancel work visa?
No. Pass and Special Passes cancellation is free of charge as of 2026.
What is the ESD Account Activation fee?
To the companies it is new with the Expatriate Services Division, it is charged a one time account opening fee of RM 2,000.
Is it possible to pay these fees at the counter?
The majority of payments are now centralized using the ESD portal via FPX, Credit card, or Debit card. ESD Satellite Centre (ESC) at KLIA would only process certain endorsement fees.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 fee structure is the reflection of the Malaysia objective of attracting top-tier talent. Although the Employment Pass Filing Fee is currently at the RM 2,160 level (with SST) the real challenge to the employer would be to comply with the revised minimum salaries (RM 20k Tier I) and the local talent quota.
Disclosure
The article is informative and educational. Users are encouraged to check the information of reliable sources, including the official ESD or MDEC portals, and then take the financial or legal step.