Under Malaysia's new Expatriate Employment Policy effective June 1, 2026, MDEC and ESD-registered companies must submit a formal Succession Planning declaration starting January 1, 2027. The requirement is being phased in to allow companies time to prepare.
Effective June 3, 2026, MDEC-registered companies in Malaysia must follow a revised process for Foreign Knowledge Worker headcount quota requests, which now requires formal review and supporting documentation. Quota requests will no longer be approved instantly.
Effective June 3, 2026, companies in Malaysia must submit a Foreign Knowledge Worker (FKW) Projection Request via the eXpats system, replacing the discontinued FKW Headcount Declaration function. The change was announced by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
Malaysia's Expatriate Services Division has postponed the new succession plan requirement for expatriate passes to January 1, 2027, as part of a phased implementation. The Revised Expatriate Pass Salary Policy remains on schedule to take effect June 1, 2026.
Malaysia has confirmed transitional arrangements for the Employment Pass minimum salary revisions taking effect June 1, 2026, including how the new requirements will apply to applications already in progress. The update follows an Expats Service Centre announcement made on May 21, 2026.
Malaysia's MDEC is rolling out system updates to the Expats System in preparation for revised expatriate salary and employment pass policies. Effective May 25, 2026, the FKW Headcount Declaration request function will be discontinued as part of this transition.
As of May 26, 2026, IRCC has changed visa requirements for eligible Indonesian and Malaysian citizens. Those who have held a Canadian temporary resident visa in the past 10 years, or who currently hold a valid US non-immigrant visa, may qualify under revised entry conditions.
The Singapore–Johor Special Economic Zone is being compared to the Shenzhen–Hong Kong corridor, framing the cross-border area as a single integrated economic region. The zone is positioned as offering residency and investment opportunities across both sides of the border.