Expats based in Malaysia needs to earn a minimum of RM20,000 for Category 1. Easy to achieve, right?

Expats based in Malaysia needs to earn a minimum of RM20,000 for Category 1. Easy to achieve, right?

Expats in Malaysia helping to grow Malaysians

If you are an expat here in Malaysia, thanks for coming here and share your expertise and experience and at the same time bringing up Malaysians to be as amazing as you in the future. Many, many, many years ago when I was speaking to a Senior HR Manager in manufacturing, he told me that he could easily attract expats to come to Malaysia because he told the expat that they will be offered a similar pay but the quality of their living would be 4 times better simply because they would be staying here. Bigger property, more ASEAN vacations and not needing to look at the menus before entering the usual restaurants here in Malaysia.

Attracting top ones and not just the lower skilled ones

Well, for expats, there’s a big change. I do think it is for the better. Let’s only attract the top ones where we have to pay them a high pay. usually this is for skills not yet available here in Malaysia. I know, someone would now say that these expats might as well go to work in some other developed countries including the one in the southern of Peninsular Malaysia? Aiya… same pay, of course staying and working in Malaysia is better lah. I do not wish to argue yeah, if you think for the same pay they can live better in some other countries which are more expensive, then let you win yeah. haha. Coming back to the topic.

Starting this year; 2026, expats under the Category 1 Employment Pass must have a minimum salary of RM20,000. Else, they will not qualify under this category anymore.

Below would be the changes:

• Category I: Minimum salary raised from RM10,000 to RM20,000 per month, with a maximum employment duration of 10 years.
• Category II: Salary range adjusted from RM5,000-RM9,999 to RM10,000-RM19,999, with a maximum employment duration of 10 years (subject to a succession plan).
• Category III: Salary range adjusted from RM3,000-RM4,999 to RM5,000-RM9,999, with a maximum employment duration of 5 years (subject to a succession plan). (A higher minimum of RM7,000 applies to the manufacturing sector).

Info Source: malaymail.com

Minimum of RM20,000 is actually easy lah

Take a look at below. Let’s not even look to the US or the UK, let’s look at just Australia. A typical manager (not a senior manager) already is earning around AUD130,000 per year and that’s AUD11,000 per month yeah. Or in RM, that’s already RM30,000 per month. This is just for a manager pay. Look at the bottom and we have the typical manager salary in Singapore.

The Engineering manager earns between SGD6,100 to SGD8,600. In RM, that’s between RM19,000 all the way to RM27,000. Depending on exchange rate but generally we are hiring from these two countries, this RM20,000 minimum requirement is so easy to meet.

I will still welcome expats to come and work in Malaysia. It’s not just because you will have great co-workers who are smart and fast learner but you will feel the warmth and gain new friends and real friendship too. Malaysians do have time for mamak sessions. You can play pickleball and badminton and tennis easily too. Some of these sports will not be easy in some countries due to noise pollution or availability of courts too. Or in some countries, just too expensive even when the pay is in the local currency too. Drive to any town and city within Peninsular and enjoy all the culture. Perhaps learning a FEW new languages. Not one, not two, a few! Cheers.

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