Quick answer: MDEC's published rules do not create a separate pass for AI engineers, data scientists or cybersecurity staff. They apply the same Employment Pass rules as any foreign knowledge worker. MDEC's non-MD ICT scope lists cybersecurity, data management and analytics, and cloud computing among qualifying fields. The worker needs a qualifying degree or ICT credential, the basic salary must reach a category, and the company needs section 60K, MyFutureJobs and approved projection headcount.
- No special pass or fast lane for AI, data or cybersecurity roles appears in MDEC's pages reviewed.
- MDEC's ICT scope includes cybersecurity, data management and analytics, and cloud computing.
- Qualification is the same: degree, ICT diploma or certificate with experience, or professional technical role.
- Salary category by basic salary, from RM5,000.
- Roles must match the company's approved activities.
Same Rules, Specialist Roles
MDEC describes the knowledge-worker test and the salary bands without role-specific carve-outs. A data scientist with a master's degree and an AI engineer with a computer science degree each hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which qualifies. A cybersecurity analyst with a specialised ICT certification qualifies with relevant experience, 2 years on the MD route and 5 on the non-MD route.
The ICT Scope MDEC Lists
- IT, digital media and content, e-commerce.
- Cloud computing, networking and infrastructure, BPO.
- Cybersecurity.
- Data management and analytics.
- Telecommunications and related areas, noting that providing telecommunication services is a non-qualifying activity.
Qualification Table
| Background | Qualifies as FKW? | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree, any field | Yes | None added by MDEC |
| ICT diploma | Yes | 2 years (MD) or 5 years (non-MD) relevant experience |
| Specialised ICT certification | Yes | Same experience requirement |
| Professional or technical role in IT-enabled services | Yes | Role and experience as MDEC assesses |
Salary and Category
| Category | Minimum basic salary (MDEC) | Maximum contract (MDEC) |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | RM20,000 per month | Up to 60 months, subject to MDEC discretion |
| Category 2 | RM10,000 per month | Up to 24 months |
| Category 3 | RM5,000 to RM9,999 per month | Not exceeding 12 months |
The category table above is as MDEC publishes it on its Expats Service Centre pages. Immigration's revised salary policy applies to applications received on or after 1 June 2026 and its FAQ says companies may apply for employment periods of up to 60 months, without listing validity by category. The two sources do not match on duration, so confirm the period you can request with MDEC before you quote it in an offer letter.
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Making the Role Fit Your Approvals
Describe the role in terms of your company's approved activities. A cybersecurity operations engineer for a company whose approved activity is software and platform development needs a clear explanation of how the role supports it. For a research-heavy AI role, state the outcome the company is building. Vague titles invite queries.
Example: Three Specialist Hires
Example. A Malaysia Digital company plans an ML engineer, a data engineer and a security engineer. Each is listed in the projection with qualification, basic salary and a one-line reason the role cannot be filled locally yet, alongside the succession plan information MDEC encourages. These are planning steps, not predictions of approval.
Common Mistakes
Expecting a priority track
None is described in MDEC's pages reviewed.
Skipping role justification
Specific descriptions help the review.
Staffing clients with the specialist
Placing the hire at a client under a resource-hour model risks the staff augmentation exclusion.
How We Help
What we handle for you
Before you apply
- Check which MDEC route your company fits, MD status or non-MD ICT, and whether the post, salary and category match.
- Prepare the JTKSM, MyFutureJobs and supporting documents with your team and review them against MDEC's checklist.
Application
- Prepare the FKW projection and pass application for your company's authorised person to submit, and help you respond to MDEC and Immigration queries.
- MDEC states that companies are discouraged from nominating a third-party agent as the authorised person, so the submission stays under your own account.
Why companies choose us
End-to-end under one roof
- We handle company incorporation, Malaysia Digital status, accounting and payroll as well as expatriate pass preparation, so your structure, payroll and hiring plan stay aligned.
- The company is set up correctly from day one.
We check before you invest
- We confirm eligibility, including whether you can hire the expatriates you need, before a foreign investor decides to incorporate in Malaysia.
- Neutral Consulting PLT is a Kuala Lumpur firm led by a Managing Partner who is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most.
Who counts as a foreign knowledge worker?
On MDEC's MD route, a foreign knowledge worker holds a bachelor's degree in any field, or a diploma in multimedia or ICT, or a specialised ICT certification, with at least 2 years of relevant experience, or holds a professional, executive, management or technical role in IT-enabled services. On the non-MD route the experience requirement for diploma and certificate holders is 5 years. MDEC also lists exemptions for Global Business Services and Creative Content roles.
Is the minimum salary basic salary only?
Yes. Immigration's revised policy FAQ says the minimum salary is measured on basic salary only, and allowances and other payments are excluded. It applies to applications received on or after 1 June 2026. Complete applications received before that date are assessed under the previous policy.
Does staff augmentation qualify?
No. MDEC lists staff augmentation among the activities that do not qualify, describing it as resource requests through a request form, projects without project managers, pricing by resource tables or work permit costs, and resources with no service level commitment beyond available hours. MDEC states that it may check for these activities and revoke passes or MD status at any time.
What is section 60K approval?
Section 60K of the Employment Act 1955 requires employers to get approval from the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) before employing an expatriate. It applies to private sector employers in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan under amendments effective 1 January 2023, applications go through Xpats Gateway from 1 July 2025, and it is required for new Employment Pass applications, valid for 12 months, and decided in 10 working days. Xpats Gateway states that operating without the required approval carries a fine of up to RM100,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
Do we have to advertise the job on MyFutureJobs?
For new Employment Pass applications from 1 July 2025, Xpats Gateway requires the MyFutureJobs advertisement acknowledgement letter from PERKESO, with exemptions for renewals, in-country position or category changes, and positions on PERKESO's exemption list. PERKESO decides, and employers must follow its advertising guidelines. MDEC's pages describe this as SOCSO approval after advertising the vacancy.
What is an FKW Projection Request?
It is the request through the eXpats system for the number of foreign knowledge workers a company may hire. Under MDEC's June 2026 announcement, a company seeking new or additional FKW headcount files the request with all mandatory documents, MDEC reviews it, and the FKW Approval Committee decides. Only approved projection headcount allows the company to file individual FKW applications.
How long does an Employment Pass application through MDEC take?
MDEC states about 14 working days for an FKW Projection Request, about 7 working days for an individual FKW application, and 10 working days for the JTKSM section 60K approval that comes first. Endorsement takes 3 working days for an applicant already in Malaysia, and immediate endorsement at ESC KLIA Terminal 1 for an applicant arriving from abroad. A first-time MD company subscription takes about 2 working days, and a non-MD registration about 30 working days. These are stated service times for complete submissions, not guarantees.
What does an Employment Pass cost through MDEC?
MDEC's published charge is RM2,160 per applicant for an MD company and RM3,024 per applicant for a non-MD company, for new and renewal applications. A Dependant Pass or Social Visit Pass is RM540 per applicant, and an amendment of an approval letter is RM108. Immigration's own fees are on a separate Immigration schedule that MDEC links to, and this page does not quote them. Confirm the current amounts with MDEC before budgeting.
What is a succession plan, and is it compulsory?
Immigration's FAQ describes it as a structured plan to prepare local employees to take over expatriate roles within the employment period, which may include role transfers, training, knowledge transfer and a timeline. MDEC's June 2026 announcement says companies are encouraged to submit succession plan information now, and that an annual succession plan declaration takes effect on 1 January 2027, as communicated by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Can the foreign hire be in Malaysia when the application is approved?
For a new Employment Pass, MDEC states that the applicant must be outside Malaysia when the Approval Letter is issued. The applicant may enter Malaysia only after obtaining the Reference Visa or eVisa, if one is required for the applicant's nationality. Someone who needs a visa must obtain a Visa with Reference while abroad.
How must education certificates be certified?
MDEC's June 2026 announcement says education certificate copies must be certified by a Malaysian embassy, high commission or consulate-general in the country concerned, by the foreign embassy in Malaysia, or by a Commissioner for Oaths for applicants who studied overseas. The rule applies only to education certificates. Marriage and birth certificates follow the certification rules of the relevant authorities.
Is there a talent pass for AI specialists?
The sources reviewed describe no separate pass for AI roles. Other Malaysian programmes exist outside the sources reviewed, so ask MDEC or Immigration if one matches your case.
Do researchers on PhD programmes qualify?
The pass depends on a contract of service with a Malaysian organisation. A student or visiting researcher is a separate case that this page does not cover.
Does certification count without a degree?
A specialised ICT certification qualifies with relevant experience, 2 years on the MD route and 5 years on the non-MD route, per MDEC.
Sources
Official sources
- MDEC, Expats Service Centre: services and eligibility
- MDEC, Pre-application process for MD companies
- MDEC, Pre-application process for non-MD companies
- Immigration Department (ESD), Revised Expatriate Salary Policy FAQ (updated 12 February 2026)
- MDEC, FKW declaration, headcount and additional requirements (June 2026)
- Immigration Department (ESD), Xpats Gateway FAQ
This page is general information, not legal advice. Agencies change their requirements, so confirm the current rules with MDEC, the Immigration Department (ESD) and MIDA, or with us, before you act. Checked November 2026.
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