Reviewed 16 September 2026. Sources include Malaysia’s MM2H portal, the Expatriate Services Division, MDEC, Bernama and Tourism Malaysia. Programme rules can change between publication and application.
Further reading: Malaysia long-stay and MM2H guide.
Malaysia’s long-stay options became harder to compare in 2026. The federal MM2H programme uses several financial tiers, Employment Pass salary floors have risen, and the government has put more attention on foreigners operating businesses under the wrong immigration status.
I’ve separated those issues below because they apply to different people. A retiree considering MM2H shouldn’t read Employment Pass figures as personal-income requirements. A remote worker can’t assume that a residence programme automatically permits every kind of paid work.
Employment Pass salary bands changed in June 2026
Malaysia introduced higher salary thresholds for new Employment Pass applications from 1 June 2026. The published structure cited in the original report was:
- Category I: at least RM20,000 a month for senior or specialist roles, with employment of up to 10 years.
- Category II: RM10,000 to RM19,999 a month, with employment of up to 10 years and succession-planning requirements.
- Category III: RM5,000 to RM9,999 a month, generally limited to five years with succession planning. The reported manufacturing-sector floor is RM7,000.
The policy aims to “prioritise qualified local talent and reduce the nation’s reliance on foreign labour, in line with the targets of the 13th Malaysia Plan.” That is the government’s stated direction; it also tells employers what to expect at renewal.
Existing pass holders shouldn’t assume that an old approval guarantees renewal under the same category. I would ask the sponsoring employer to confirm the current classification, salary floor and transition treatment through Malaysia’s Expatriate Services Division well before the pass expires.
How federal MM2H is structured
Malaysia My Second Home is a residence programme built around fixed deposits, property purchases and minimum-stay conditions. It isn’t a general work visa.
The federal programme’s three main tiers were reported as follows in September 2026:
- Silver: US$150,000 fixed deposit, property costing at least RM600,000, RM1,000 participation fee and a renewable five-year term.
- Gold: US$500,000 fixed deposit, property costing at least RM1 million, RM3,000 participation fee and a renewable 15-year term.
- Platinum: US$1 million fixed deposit, property costing at least RM2 million, RM200,000 participation fee and a renewable 20-year term.
Applicants under 50 were also required to spend a cumulative 90 days a year in Malaysia. Programme materials allowed up to half of the principal fixed deposit to be withdrawn for approved spending such as property, education, healthcare or domestic tourism.
Those numbers are substantial. Before transferring funds or signing a sale agreement, confirm them on the official MM2H portal and check whether the property must be held for a minimum period. State-based MM2H schemes may use different rules.
SEZ and SFZ arrangements
The original guidance also reported a Special Economic Zone or Special Financial Zone route tied to qualifying property purchases. Its stated fixed-deposit figures were US$32,000 for applicants aged 50 or above and US$65,000 for those aged 21 to 49, with a ten-year term. The younger group was reported to have a 90-day annual-stay condition.
I would verify this route particularly carefully. Eligibility can depend on the designated zone, property and age at application; a lower fixed deposit doesn’t necessarily mean a lower total commitment.
Tourist and student passes aren’t business licences
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim raised concerns about foreign nationals entering on tourist or student visas and then operating businesses, including repair workshops, air-conditioning services and food outlets registered under Malaysian names.
Bernama quoted him saying that such operations “can have an adverse impact on employment opportunities for Malaysians.” The response involved several agencies, including immigration, tax, customs, trade, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
The practical point is straightforward. If you provide services, employ staff, rent commercial premises or invoice Malaysian customers, make sure your immigration status, company registration and tax treatment cover what you’re actually doing. A tourist permission is for a visit. It doesn’t become a work or business authorisation because the activity is small or informal.
The previous version of this article claimed that residents had observed checks at shops in specific Kuala Lumpur neighbourhoods. I removed that anecdote because it wasn’t supported by a named, verifiable source.
Where DE Rantau fits
DE Rantau is designed for eligible remote professionals and freelancers. MDEC administers it separately from MM2H and employer-sponsored Employment Passes.
The programme was reported to offer an initial stay of up to 12 months with a renewal option, subject to work and income evidence. Because eligibility and documentary requirements can change, applicants should use MDEC’s current DE Rantau guidance.
This route is covered in detail in our digital-nomad article. Here, the distinction is what matters: DE Rantau concerns qualifying remote work, MM2H concerns long-term residence and an Employment Pass concerns work for a sponsoring employer in Malaysia.
International students arriving at KLIA
Malaysia opened an International Student Arrival Centre at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 on 10 February 2026, with supporting services at Terminal 2. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir launched the facility.
The centre assists arriving students with immigration, orientation, cultural information and practical support. Bernama reported that more than 10,000 students used it during the September intake period, while Malaysia hosted about 150,000 international students from more than 160 countries.
That service may make arrival easier, but students and accompanying family members still need to check their own pass conditions. A student pass doesn’t authorise unrelated business activity.
Visit Malaysia 2026
Visit Malaysia 2026 was officially launched in Melaka in September 2025. Tourism Malaysia promoted more than 300 national and state events covering culture, food, nature and conferences.
Event dates change more often than immigration rules. Use Tourism Malaysia rather than an old article when planning travel.
Which route should you examine?
If you earn remotely for overseas clients or an overseas employer, start with DE Rantau. If you want long-term residence and can meet the deposit, property and stay conditions, examine MM2H. If a Malaysian company is hiring you, the employer should assess the correct Employment Pass category.
Business travellers may also benefit from an APEC Business Travel Card, but it doesn’t replace the immigration permission required to reside or take employment in Malaysia.
Keith’s view: choose the legal route by activity, not by whichever programme looks cheapest. Then verify the rules at the point of application. That extra check is far less expensive than restructuring a move after a pass is refused.