Malaysia

Currency:
Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Capital:
Kuala Lumpur
Language:
Malay (Bahasa Malaysia), English
Working Hours
45 hours per week
Holidays:
11 public holidays
Tax years:
Jan 1 - Dec 31
Data format:
DD/MM/YYYY
Payroll Frequency:
Monthly
Population:
GDP:
USD 406.31 billion (2022)
Time Zone:

Why work in

Malaysia

?

Hire in
Malaysia

Grow your team in

Malaysia

Onboard in
Malaysia

Risks of misclassification

Know more

Employing in

Malaysia

Contact Us

Payroll

Malaysia has established its employment regulations under the Employee Act of 1955. As mentioned previously, this guarantees that each employee is entitled to receive the salary and benefits that their employers are obligated to provide. International companies have two options to recruit and employ Malaysians in their workforce: by establishing a local company within the country or by partnering with a third-party entity responsible for hiring in the country.

Gloroots' Malaysian EOR and PEO service can assist businesses aiming to expand in Malaysia by recruiting exceptional talents on their behalf. We will ensure that your company adheres to the employment standards in this region.

Employment Contract

As per the Employment Act of 1955, any employment arrangement extending beyond one month must have a written contract detailing fundamental employment aspects including:

  •  Identification of involved parties
  •  Start date (and duration for temporary contracts)
  • Workplace
  •  Job description and responsibilities
  • Base salary along with additional compensation or benefits
  • Payment terms
  • Probation period
  • Working hours
  •  Total holidays
  • Notice periods and termination procedures
  • Provisions for health and safety
  • Employees in Malaysia can have either fixed-term or permanent employment status.

Working Hour 

The usual workday consists of eight hours, with a weekly limit of 45 hours, although a 40-hour workweek is often practiced.

Overtime

When employees work more than  45 hours, they are eligible for overtime pay. Overtime rates are governed by three sources - the Employment Act, employment agreements, and collective bargaining agreements. Primarily, the Employment Act is used as a guideline, although its application is limited to manual and non-manual employees earning less than 2,000 MYR.

Refer to the table below for overtime rates

Period Rates
Week days

Weekends

Public holidays
150% of regular salary

200% of regular salary

300% of regular salary

Minimum Wage

As per the National Wage Consultative Council Act 2011, the government is required to reassess the minimum wage every two years. Following this, the national minimum wage has been raised from 1,200 MYR per month in urban regions and 1,100 MYR per month in rural areas, to 1,500 MYR starting from May 1, 2022.

This wage adjustment applies solely to private sector firms with a workforce of five or more employees.

Maternity Leave and Paternity Leave

In Malaysia, female employees in the private sector are granted a paid maternity leave of 98 consecutive days, with full payment. This leave begins 30 days before the expected due date. 

Note that maternity leave benefits are applicable only for a female employee's first five surviving children. 

The employee has the option to rejoin work at any time within the 98-day period, subject to her employer's agreement and certification of her fitness to work by a medical professional.

Annual leave

Years of Service Annual Leave Entitlement
1-2 years 8 days
2-5 years 12 days
Over 5 years 16 days

Sick Leave

Paid sick leave in Malaysia depends on the employment contract, years of service, and a valid medical certificate. The amount of sick leave is linked to the length of employment:

Duration of service No. of leaves per year
< 2

2 - 5

5+
14

18

22

Additionally, hospitalized workers are granted 60 days of hospitalization leave each year, along with their regular sick leave entitlement.

Contact Us

Tax

Income Tax

Annual Income (MYR) Income Tax Rate
Up to 5,000 0.00%
5,001 - 20,000 1.00%
20,001 - 35,000 3.00%
35,001 - 50,000 6.00%
50,001 - 70,000 11.00%
70,001 - 100,000 19.00%
100,001 - 400,000 25.00%
400,001 - 600,000 26.00%
600,001 - 2,000,000 28.00%
2,000,001 and over 30.00%

Social Security contribution

Employer Payroll Contributions:

Contribution Type Rate Range
Provident Fund (under 60) 12.00% - 13.00%
Provident Fund (over 60) 4.00% - 6.50%
Social Security (SOCSO) 1.75%
Employment Insurance (EIS) 0.20%
HR Development Fund (over 10) 1.00%
Total Employment Cost 18.95% - 22.45%

Employee Payroll Contributions:

Contribution Type Rate Range
Provident Fund (under 60) 11.00%
Provident Fund (over 60) 0.00% - 5.50%
Social Security (SOCSO) 0.50%
Employment Insurance (EIS) 0.20%
Total Employee Cost 11.70% - 17.20%

Separation

Termination Process

In Malaysia, when a company wants to end an employee's job, they usually follow the standard rules set by labor laws. They can't just fire someone without a good reason. They have to give written notice to the government about it.

There are special rules for pregnant employees. They can only be let go if they break their work agreement, do something wrong at work, or if the company is closing down.

Notice Period

Employees have the following minimal notice periods:

Duration of service Notice period (weeks)
<2

2 - 5

5+
4

6

8

Alternatively, either party can opt for a payment instead of notice.

Severance Pay

In Malaysia, severance pay is obligatory when relevant, but the sum varies depending on the duration of employment.

Years of service Severance pay
<2

2 - 5

5+
10 days’ worth of salary for each year of service

15 days’ worth of salary for each year of service

20 days’ worth of salary for each year of service

Probation Periods

In Malaysia, the probationary period for permanent employees typically spans from 1 to 3 months. However, it's important to note that the Employment Act stipulates that employee entitlements remain consistent regardless of whether they are in their probationary period or not.

EOR Service in Malaysia

Hire, Onboard and Pay Employees in Malaysia Quickly and Efficiently

Contact us

Hiring in Malaysia at a glance

CURRENCY
Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
working hours
45 hours per week
public/bank holidays
11 public holidays
capital
Kuala Lumpur
language
Malay (Bahasa Malaysia), English
date format
DD/MM/YYYY
remote workers
1.2M
tax year
Jan 1 - Dec 31
minimum hourly salary
No minimum wage
CURRENCY
Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
working hours
45 hours per week
public/bank holidays
11 public holidays
capital
Kuala Lumpur
language
Malay (Bahasa Malaysia), English
date format
DD/MM/YYYY
tax year
Jan 1 - Dec 31
Population
GDP
USD 406.31 billion (2022)

Employer of Record in Malaysia

When your company wants to hire foreign workers in Malaysia, an Employer of Record (EOR) simplifies the process. EORs handle hiring international employees, ensuring compliance, payments, and benefits, even for non-Malaysian companies.


Partnering with Gloroots' Malaysian EOR lets you hire faster, no matter your company's size or business goals. Gloroots' EOR services manage everything, freeing you to focus on your core work. This way, you can discover talent in Malaysia and explore business opportunities without the complexity of regulations.

Why use Malaysia EOR?

When enterprises aspire to expand their operations in Malaysia, the conventional approach necessitates the establishment of a local subsidiary. This process can span several months. 


The second challenge will be hiring in compliance with Malaysia’s labor laws. Malaysian employees are offered various workplace rights according to the Malaysia's Employment Act of 1995. For example, Malaysia’s labor pool has a substantial portion of migrant workers. There are specific regulations governing the employment of these workers, including levies, quotas, and specific terms and conditions.


Gloroots presents a reliable solution for global corporations seeking to tap into Malaysia's talent reservoir without the hassles of dealing with labor laws. Through our Professional Employer Organization (PEO) services, we assume the role of intermediaries, guaranteeing an optimal work experience for employees.



EOR Costs in Malaysia

EOR/ PEO services can be billed using two methods: a fixed yearly fee per employee or a calculated fee based on the company's annual payroll. The first option generally falls within a specific range, while the second option is a percentage of the total payroll.

Gloroots provides an equally competitive platform at an attractive rate. Our pricing guarantees that your company and its employees receive the necessary HR support for optimal performance.

Key Metrics For Foreign Employers

The table below depicts key indicators from the Global Talent Competitiveness Report for employers wishing to hire from Malaysia.

Factors Global Ranking Interpretation
Rule of law

Labour-employer cooperation

Reading Maths, and Science

University Ranking

Labour productivity per employee

Ease of finding skilled employees

Workforce with tertiary education

Digital Skills
38

30

47

13

47

52

49

15
Indicates effectiveness of law enforcement

Indicates positive labor-employee relationships

Indicates average scores in OECD's survey of 15-year-old students

Indicates average QS rankings

Indicates total output by the total labor input used to produce that output

Indicates findability of skilled talent

Indicates % of the workforce with PG degrees

Indicates the prevalence of advanced digital skills in the population

Source: The Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2022

Through the Gloroots’ Recrew platform, you can discover amazing talent in Malaysia.

Why work in Malaysia?

Grow your team in Malaysia

Risks of misclassification

Contact Us

Employing in Malaysia

Tax

Income Tax

Annual Income (MYR) Income Tax Rate
Up to 5,000 0.00%
5,001 - 20,000 1.00%
20,001 - 35,000 3.00%
35,001 - 50,000 6.00%
50,001 - 70,000 11.00%
70,001 - 100,000 19.00%
100,001 - 400,000 25.00%
400,001 - 600,000 26.00%
600,001 - 2,000,000 28.00%
2,000,001 and over 30.00%

Social Security contribution

Employer Payroll Contributions:

Contribution Type Rate Range
Provident Fund (under 60) 12.00% - 13.00%
Provident Fund (over 60) 4.00% - 6.50%
Social Security (SOCSO) 1.75%
Employment Insurance (EIS) 0.20%
HR Development Fund (over 10) 1.00%
Total Employment Cost 18.95% - 22.45%

Employee Payroll Contributions:

Contribution Type Rate Range
Provident Fund (under 60) 11.00%
Provident Fund (over 60) 0.00% - 5.50%
Social Security (SOCSO) 0.50%
Employment Insurance (EIS) 0.20%
Total Employee Cost 11.70% - 17.20%

Separation

Termination Process

In Malaysia, when a company wants to end an employee's job, they usually follow the standard rules set by labor laws. They can't just fire someone without a good reason. They have to give written notice to the government about it.

There are special rules for pregnant employees. They can only be let go if they break their work agreement, do something wrong at work, or if the company is closing down.

Notice Period

Employees have the following minimal notice periods:

Duration of service Notice period (weeks)
<2

2 - 5

5+
4

6

8

Alternatively, either party can opt for a payment instead of notice.

Severance Pay

In Malaysia, severance pay is obligatory when relevant, but the sum varies depending on the duration of employment.

Years of service Severance pay
<2

2 - 5

5+
10 days’ worth of salary for each year of service

15 days’ worth of salary for each year of service

20 days’ worth of salary for each year of service

Probation Periods

In Malaysia, the probationary period for permanent employees typically spans from 1 to 3 months. However, it's important to note that the Employment Act stipulates that employee entitlements remain consistent regardless of whether they are in their probationary period or not.

Start Hiring in Malaysia today

Hiring employees in Malaysia might seem complex due to various regulations to remember. You need to understand employment laws, ensure accurate payments to employees, adhere to fairness and data protection rules, and more. All these factors can make the hiring process appear intricate.

But here's the good news – Gloroots can simplify everything for you. Our comprehensive solutions offer a convenient way to manage all aspects of hiring in Malaysia. Our experts assist with international hiring and complying with payment and work regulations. We handle employment agreements, on-time payments, and benefits, allowing you to concentrate on choosing the best candidates.

You can rely on Gloroots to make global hiring straightforward and hassle-free.

Are you Ready to
Experience Seamless Hiring in Malaysia?

Let us take care of all your employment needs. We guarantee easy onboarding & compliant workforce management in Malaysia.

Speak to our Expert