How to Apply for Permanent Residency in Malaysia?

Investors

Foreign nationals with a high net worth have a high chance of getting a Malaysia Permanent Residency if they are able to deposit at least US$ 2 million in a Malaysian bank. However, they are not able to withdraw from this bank account for at least five years.

In addition, after five years, the foreigner’s spouse and minor children will also become eligible for Malaysia permanent residence.

Professionals

Highly-skilled and trained professional foreigners are considered eligible to get Malaysia Permanent Residency if they fulfill the following criteria:

• The foreign applicant has worked in a Malaysian Government Agency or Private Company for three years or more.
• An authoritative Malaysian agency recommends the foreigner. The agency must be related to the foreigner’s field.
• The foreigner has a Good Conduct Certificate from their home country.

Experts

Skilled and talented individuals who any international organization would refer to as World Class professionals are eligible to apply for Malaysia permanent residency if:

• An authoritative Malaysian agency recommends the foreigner. The agency must be related to the foreigner’s field.
• The foreigner has a Good Conduct Certificate from their home country.

A Malaysian citizen’s Spouse

The spouse of a Malaysian citizen may be considered eligible for a Malaysian permanent residency under the condition of living for at least five years in Malaysia under a Long Term Social Visit Pass.

Point-based system

There is an alternative way to obtain a Malaysia Permanent Residency if applicants do not fall into the categories mentioned earlier. They can use the Malaysian point-based system to get permanent residency. First, the applicant must have been living in Malaysia with a Malaysian work permit for several years. In addition, they must satisfy other conditions to be qualified.

The Malaysia point-based system of Malaysian PR works by adding up the points. Points are given to the applicants based on the following categories related to the applicants:

• Age
• Qualifications
• Duration of stay in Malaysia
• Familiarity level with the Malaysia Institute
• Value of investments
• Work experience in Malaysia
• Proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia

To be able to apply, applicants must gain a score of at least 65 out of 120 points. For example, they will get a higher score if they are between 36 and 60 years old. In addition, a Ph.D. score is higher than a Master’s or Bachelor’s Degree score, etc. The website of the Malaysia Immigration Department is equipped with the Point System Calculator for Entry Permits.

What are the Requirements for a Malaysia Permanent Resident?

To obtain a Malaysia country permanent residency, applicants must visit the Malaysian Immigration Department in Putrajaya and submit their applications. Immigration officers inform applicants about all the required forms and documents they need to collect.

Important note: Each applicant must have a sponsor who is a Malaysian citizen aged 21 or higher. The applicant and the sponsor must be present when they visit the Immigration Department to apply for the Entry Permit.

Once all the required documents are collected, they must be submitted to the Immigration Department. Depending on each specific resident case, the required documents can be changed. Read our article to learn about the complete Malaysian visa requirements.

• Application form IMM.4
• Pictures of the applicant and their sponsor (must be two passport-size pictures of either person)
• A personalized cover letter
• Applicants of the Expert and Professional categories need a recommendation from a Relevant Agency in Malaysia.
• Malaysian citizen’s spouses need a Marriage Decree Letter
• Employment Pass copies
• Marriage certificate copies
• Birth certificates copies (for applicants with children)
• Copies of all the pages of the applicant’s passport
• Additional documents like proof of assets which can support the application

How Can I Apply for a Malaysia Permanent Resident?

Applicants must visit the Immigration Department of Malaysia in Putrajaya so that they can submit their Permanent Residence application (Entry Permit). Keep in mind that this visit must be in person, not by mail or online.

After application submission, immigration officers ask the applicants to attend an interview. In addition, applicants are also subject to a background check by the police.

Recommendation for Malaysia Entry Permit

Applicants must obtain a recommendation from one of the following agencies related to their field of expertise in order to apply for Malaysia Permanent Resident in the Professional or Expert categories:

What is Malaysia My Second Home Program?

The program named Malaysia My Second Home or MM2H is a type of Malaysia residence permit. MM2H has a maximum validity of ten years which offers residence and free travel to its holder and their family members.

The MM2H program is available if applicants can demonstrate sufficient independent funding to cover the cost of their stay.

Note: Some of the requirements for a Malaysia My Second Home program depend on the applicant’s age:

• Applicants under 50 years old must have one of the following:
  • At least $135,000 of liquid assets
  • At least $10,000 from a non-Malaysian source each month

• Applicants over 50 years old must have:
  • Minimum assets of $95,000 or a monthly income of at least $3,000 from a pension or other sources
  • Applicants must open a bank account and deposit at least $40,000 in Malaysia. In the first year, applicants can withdraw $13,000 for use in Malaysia, but they must maintain a balance of $27,000 all the time.

What are the Benefits of a Malaysian Permanent Residence?

The benefits of becoming a Permanent Resident in Malaysia are not as extensive as those of Malaysian citizens, like voting and involvement in political and governmental affairs. However, there are still many advantages, such as:

• Applicants are allowed to work. In addition, they can change their employment and employers without the need to apply for an Employment Permit.
• They can set up a new business.
• They can buy property.
• Applicants are allowed to travel to Malaysia freely, even without a visa.
• There is no need for a renewal of permits every few years.

The Bottom Line…

Malaysia offers permanent residency to investors, highly-skilled professionals, experts, spouses of Malaysian citizens, and eligible applicants through the point-based system. Submitting an application for this residency must be done in person in Putrajaya. Malaysia’s permanent residency allows its holder to start businesses, change their employment or employer, travel to Malaysia without any limitations, etc.