Employment in Malaysia

It's true that it's not easy to find work in Malaysia, despite the fact that the country is increasingly attractive to a large number of highly qualified homegrown graduates. But if you narrow your focus to industries with a skills need, you should be able to find work.

Though English is commonly spoken, it is helpful to know some Malay, the official language, before you travel there.

You'll be able to take use of your free time to visit the area's many attractions, including the beaches, bustling towns like Kuala Lumpur, and verdant jungles. You may take advantage of Malaysia's well-deserved reputation as a gastronomic crossroads by trying a menu that features a fusion of Chinese, Indian, and Indonesian favorites.

See GOV.UK - Foreign travel advice - Malaysia for helpful tips on getting to and around Malaysia.

Malaysian employment opportunities

Malaysia's economy has expanded rapidly in recent years, evolving from a primary source of raw resources to a diversified powerhouse built on the back of technological innovation.

However, there are limits on the number of foreign workers a Malaysian company can employ, and businesses can only bring in foreigners if no locals are up to the task. Competition for jobs is high because of the large annual influx of newly-qualified nationalities.

The oil and gas industries and the biotechnology field also employ large numbers of Malaysians, but the tertiary sector, also known as the service sector, accounts for more than half of the country's workforce.

Malaysia's primary economic sectors are:

industry (agricultural) industry (automotive) industry (construction) industry (elect
travel for the purpose of obtaining advanced medical equipment.
Each year, Malaysian college students and recent graduates vote on a list of 100 top companies where they would like to work after graduation. In 2021, the top ten were as follows.

Maybank
Royal Bank of Hong Kong
Malaysian Central Bank, or Petronas,

Completing the list are such companies as Shopee, EY, PwC, Intel Malaysia, Keysight Technologies, and Nestlé.
All of the companies that are hiring may be found on Malaysias100.

Check out: for a job search in Malaysia.

COMMON CAREERS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION

Expert in civil engineering, medicine, and computer programming
Analyst and expert in financial accounting
Advisor to businesses

The Scarcity of Skilled Workers

In order to address the scarcity of qualified workers in 42 specific fields, Malaysia has compiled a list of crucial occupations (COL). Here are the top ten:

Finance manager Human resource management Business service manager Policy and planning manager Information and communications technology (ICT) manager Chemist Mathematician Actuary Statistician Managing Director and Chief Executive
TalentCorp, Malaysia's national talent agency, has released the Critical Occupations List 2020/21.

Learn the ins and outs of finding work in Malaysia.
British graduates seeking employment in the United States will require a work visa and an employer that is ready to sponsor them in order to apply for one on their behalf.

Getting hired is simplest if you start working for a multinational firm outside of Malaysia and then request a transfer to the Malaysian branch. Otherwise, you'll have to look for work in your own nation.

Most larger organizations now use online application forms to find new employees, while smaller businesses are more likely to ask for a resume and cover letter. Similar to the British standard, these documents are limited to two pages.

Recognize that it will be difficult to find work when you first get there. It's not a good idea to go to Malaysia on a tourist visa with the hope of landing a job once you get there unless you have a lot of relevant work experience or a talent that's in great demand.

Positions Available This Summer

Seasonal employees can find work at hotels, bars, restaurants, and even with guided excursion firms in Malaysia because of the country's thriving tourist sector. With relevant expertise, you could also be able to obtain seasonal work as an au pair.

Doing volunteer work is a fantastic way to build your resume and get some valuable experience in the workforce. Many volunteer programs in Malaysia provide chances to serve in environmental protection, community service, or education.

Here are a few examples of volunteer groups that recommend Malaysia as a place to work:

Be a Good Fuse and Ecoteer
Travel Abroad and Do Some Good as a Volunteer in Malaysia
Opportunities to Teach Around the World for Free

There is a consistent need for English instructors in Malaysia, even if there aren't as many teaching positions as there are in China or Japan.

Private language schools, foreign schools, public institutions, and even giving individual lessons are all viable options.

Employers in the teaching field like to do in-person interviews, so you'll need to be in Malaysia to have a chance at getting hired. Upon arriving, make a list of potential schools, universities, and language centers to apply to on the off chance that you can teach English there.

Jobs teaching English often call for a bachelor's degree, a certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages, and a minimum of two years of classroom experience.

Check out these places for TEFL job openings:

Move Abroad and Work as an English Instructor in Malaysia
Teach Abroad Volunteer Work
TEFL.com

Internships at TEFL International

Unfortunately, not all companies in the nation provide formal internship or work experience programs. Internships in Malaysia normally run between one to three months and are offered by both large and small enterprises, but the former are more common.

Graduan is Malaysia's premier career advising and employment resource for recent graduates, and it is where you can get information about the most up-to-date internships and work experience opportunities.

In addition to these measures, sending out a large number of speculative applications may also assist.

Students can also set up internships and summer jobs by:

Students and recent grads in the UK can join AIESEC.
The Institution of Arts, Engineering, and Science Teachers of the United Kingdom (IAESTE UK).

Visas for Malaysia

Foreigners seeking employment in Malaysia must comply fully with the country's stringent immigration requirements.

Although British citizens do not require a visa for short-term visits to Malaysia for tourism or business, they do need a visa and a work permit if they plan to stay in Malaysia for an extended period of time or permanently.

The government is hesitant to open the country's borders to foreign workers for fear of harming the employment opportunities of locals. If you want to work for a company in Malaysia, the company usually needs to show that they can't find a Malaysian to fill the position.

The company offering you employment must submit an application for one of three types of work permits to the Immigration Department of Malaysia once you've accepted the offer.

visa to work in a particular country
a work visa for short-term employment or a business visa for a professional visit.
There are specific requirements for each type of pass that must be met before one can be issued.

Applying for a work visa also necessitates a plethora of supporting paperwork. All of these things:

a cover letter, a letter of appointment, an offer of employment, a contract, and visa forms
original application receipts, a copy of your passport, passport photos, a copy of your resume, and any relevant certifications or licenses
a health assessment that has been sanctioned by Malaysia's Ministry of Health.

Need for a Common Language

Malay, or Bahasa Malaysia, is the national language of Malaysia and is also spoken in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Brunei.

Despite this, most people in this country speak English as a second language since it is taught in every public school. The majority of working-age Malaysians are English fluent, therefore knowing the local language isn't essential. However, being able to speak the local language might give you a leg up in the competitive job market, and having a second language is always a plus when presenting your resume to potential employers.

Make sure you double-check the stated requirements for the position you're interested in to determine the exact language(s) needed for success.

Justifying Your Skills to Potential Employers

Employers in Malaysia should have little trouble understanding a student's credentials from the United Kingdom according to the MQF. The qualification system of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland is already widely recognized by higher education institutions in the nation.

Still, if you run into trouble, know that UNESCO-supported organization ENIC-NARIC has made available useful materials for facilitating recognition throughout the Asia-Pacific.

A look at the working conditions in Malaysia

The regular business hours for most offices are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You'll normally work eight hours a day, five days a week, however some firms may open their offices for half a day on a Saturday. In a standard workweek, you should only be expected to put in a maximum of 48 hours.

Various nationalities, such as those from China and India, are represented in Malaysia, so you should be prepared to interact with them.

Workers in Malaysia who have put in between one and two years in their current job are eligible for a minimum of eight paid holidays each year. For individuals with two to five years of service, this increases to 12 days; for those with more than five years, it increases to 16 days. Despite the limited number, 11 national holidays are celebrated each year.

Under Malaysian tax law, if you stay in the country for more than 182 days in a calendar year, you are deemed a resident. You should expect to pay taxes as a result of this. The Malaysian Inland Revenue Board is where taxpayers may get tax identification numbers and make electronic tax payments (LHDN).

Learn more about this topic

Find out about the academic environment in Malaysia.
Learn more about what it's like to live in Malaysia by visiting Tourism Malaysia.