Registration, banking and utilities in Kuala Lumpur

The employment pass

Employment passes are applied for by the employer, not by you, and are graded into categories with different salary levels, contract lengths and dependant rights attached. Most applications for eligible companies route through the Expatriate Services Division portal and the MYXpats Centre. Categories, thresholds and processing times change regularly, so treat any number you read online as indicative and confirm the current position with the Immigration Department or MYXpats.

• The employer must be registered with ESD before it can file anything for you.
• Dependants are covered by a Dependant Pass or a long-term social visit pass, applied for alongside or after your own.
• An i-Kad is issued as the physical identification card for pass holders — carry it.
• The MM2H long-stay programme is a separate route with its own criteria, revised periodically.

Tax, and the clearance letter

Malaysian income tax is administered by LHDN, and your residence status for tax purposes turns on days present in the country rather than on your pass. Non-resident status in the first partial year is common and taxed at a flat, higher rate, which frequently surprises people who arrive mid-year. Set up your tax file early, and remember that tax clearance is required before you leave the country or move employer.

• Register a tax file with LHDN once employment starts; your employer usually initiates it.
• Residence for tax is decided by days present, not by pass type.
• Tax clearance before departure or a change of employer; final salary is withheld until it is issued.
• Confirm your own position with LHDN or an accountant rather than assuming.

Social contributions

Two schemes matter. SOCSO, run by PERKESO, covers employment injury and is extended to foreign employees, with contributions made by the employer. EPF, the provident fund, has historically been voluntary for most non-citizens and its treatment has been under active change. Ask your employer what is being deducted, under which scheme, and what you can recover when you leave.

• SOCSO employment injury cover applies to foreign employees.
• EPF treatment for non-citizens has been changing; confirm the current rule with your employer.
• Ask what, if anything, is refundable on departure and what the process is.

Banking, licences and everyday admin

A local bank account wants your passport, employment pass or i-Kad and a letter from your employer, and the major banks are used to the process. Driving is exchange-based for some nationalities through the road transport department, and otherwise requires local lessons and tests; an international permit covers a limited initial period. Touch 'n Go doubles as a transit card, a toll tag and a wallet, and is the single most useful thing to get in week one.

• Bank account: passport, pass or i-Kad, employer letter, sometimes proof of address.
• Driving licence conversion runs through JPJ; the eligible list changes.
• Touch 'n Go card and the linked e-wallet cover tolls, parking, transit and a lot of retail.
• Utilities: TNB for electricity, the state water operator, and Indah Water for sewerage.

In order

1. 1Confirm your employer is registered with ESD and can file the pass.
2. 2Provide certified degree and reference documents early — they are frequently requested.
3. 3Enter on the correct pass or approval, not as a visitor hoping to convert.
4. 4Collect the i-Kad once the pass is endorsed.
5. 5Open a bank account with the pass and an employer letter.
6. 6Register a tax file with LHDN.
7. 7Apply for dependants' passes.
8. 8Sort the driving licence and get a Touch 'n Go card.
9. 9Plan tax clearance well before any departure or change of employer.