Using an employer of record in Malaysia
Find out more about Employer of Record services in Malaysia. Payoneer WFM’s EOR in Malaysia simplifies compliance, payroll, onboarding, and more.
While there are endless benefits to hiring talent in Malaysia, the legal process can be complicated. Even though your business is U.S.-based, youโll still need to comply with Malaysian labor law when onboarding and paying employees.
While you can opt to register your business locally and handle compliance yourself, you could also use a Malaysia Employer of Record (EOR).
With Payoneer Workforce Management (WFM)โs EOR services in Malaysia, hiring locally becomes easier. We handle local employment regulations, so you can continue business as usual.
Learn about Payoneer WFM, or read on to find out more about EOR solutions in Malaysia.
How to hire employees in Malaysia
Employers can hire Malaysian employees in any of the following ways:
- Set up a local entity: You can register your business in Malaysia, though this can be expensive and time-consuming. Youโll also need to hire experts in Malaysian labor law.
- Hire independent contractors: You could hire independent contractors, but this gives you less control over their work.
- Work with an employer of record in Malaysia: This way, you wonโt need a legal entity or a team of local labor law experts. A Malaysia EOR helps you stay compliant by taking care of payroll, taxes, and benefit packages on your behalf.
Partnering with an EOR in Malaysia
If youโre looking to hire workers abroad, the quickest and easiest approach is to partner with an employer of record. Malaysia has a unique set of employment laws and regulations, which an EOR can help you navigate.
An EOR acts as the legal employer of your Malaysian workers, handling compliance matters like payroll, tax contributions and deductions, employment contracts, statutory employee rights, and more.
You wonโt need to register a legal entity or hire a team to deal with payroll and compliance locally.
Payoneer WFM offers employer of record services in Malaysia, giving businesses of all sizes the opportunity to scale effortlessly across borders.
How to onboard employees in Malaysia
When you hire international employees, having a thorough and smooth onboarding process is so important. They should have all the tools they need to hit the ground running and feel part of the company.
To onboard employees in compliance with Malaysian law, you need to register with the Malaysian authorities for payroll and tax purposes. You also need to set up their pension and social security contributions.
Beyond that, here are some onboarding best practices to consider:
- Prepare onboarding documentation about the company and their role within it
- Order and configure their work devices, setting up logins for key apps
- Schedule their orientation and introduce them to their immediate team
- Prepare their training on any key tools or programs theyโll be using
To provide the best onboarding experience possible, you can work with an employer of record in Malaysia. Weโll handle compliance so you can focus on welcoming your new employee to the team.
Pay employees in Malaysia
The Companies Act 2016 doesnโt specify a fiscal year in Malaysia. Instead, businesses can choose their own, though most either align with the calendar year (January 1st to December 31st) or with the end of a quarter (March 31st, June 30th, or September 30th).
The payroll cycle in Malaysia is usually monthly, and employees should be paid no later than 7 days after the last day of the wage period. They should also receive at least the minimum wage, which is currently MYR 1,700 per month.
Many employers opt to pay their workers an Annual Wage Supplement (AWS) or a 13th-month bonus at the end of the year, though this isnโt mandatory.
Income tax
Employers in Malaysia are responsible for withholding employee income tax, which is calculated as follows:
Income (MYR) | Tax rate (%) |
---|---|
0 to 5,000 | 0 |
5,001 to 20,000 | 1 |
20,001 to 35,000 | 3 |
35,001 to 50,000 | 6 |
50,001 to 70,000 | 11 |
70,001 to 100,000 | 19 |
100,001 to 400,000 | 25 |
400,001 to 600,000 | 26 |
600,001 to 2,000,000 | 28 |
2,000,001+ | 30 |
Employer provident fund
Employers must also register their employees in the Employee Provident Fund, paying into the scheme. Contribution rates are as follows:
Employee age | Monthly wage | Employer contribution | Employee contribution |
---|---|---|---|
Below 60 | MYR 5,000 and below | 13% | 11% |
Above MYR 5,000 | 12% | 11% | |
60 and above | MYR 5,000 and below | 6.5% | 5.5% |
Above MYR 5,000 | 6% | 5.5% |
Statutory insurance
All employees in Malaysia must also be registered and covered by PERKESO, a statutory insurance in Malaysia. The contribution rates are as follows:
Scheme | Employer contribution | Employee contribution |
---|---|---|
Employment Injury & Invalidity Scheme | 1.75% | 0.5% |
Employment Insurance System (EIS) | 0.2% | 0.2% |
Employer tax and contribution responsibilities are complex. Employer of Record solutions in Malaysia make it simple.
Employment laws in Malaysia
The Employment Act 1955 lays out the labor code in Malaysia. Key regulations include:
- Working hours: Employees cannot be contracted to work for more than 5 consecutive hours without a 30-minute break. Daily working hours are capped at 8 hours and weekly at 45 hours.
- Overtime: Overtime work should be paid at least 1.5 times regular pay.
- Rest days: Employees are entitled to at least 1 whole rest day per week.
- Remuneration frequency: Where an employee is paid monthly, they should receive their wages no later than 7 days after the wage period.
Minimum wage in Malaysia
As of August 1st, 2025, the minimum wage in Malaysia applies to all companies and is set to:
Payment basis | Amount (MYR) | Amount ($) |
---|---|---|
Hourly rate | 8.72 | 2.05 |
Daily rate (4 days/week) | 98.08 | 23.10 |
Daily rate (5 days/week) | 78.46 | 18.48 |
Daily rate (6 days/week) | 65.38 | 15.40 |
Monthly rate | 1,700 | 400.33 |
The minimum wage has been set in line with rising inflation, increasing living costs, and calls for wage equity across Malaysia.
They will continue to be reviewed periodically, which is why you need to stay updated and compliant in Malaysia.
EOR partners are helpful with this and other compliance-related issues, taking the burden off employers.
Employment contracts in Malaysia
According to Malaysiaโs Employment Act, any employment contract (whether permanent, fixed-term, training, or part-time) that is longer than 1 month has to be in writing. It must also include a clause stating that either party can end the contract.
Essential elements to include in a Malaysian employment contract are:
- Job title and role description
- Contract type
- Compensation and benefits
- Working hours
- Leave entitlements
- Probation period
- Termination and notice period
- Confidentiality and non-disclosure
Leave policy in Malaysia
Employees in Malaysia are entitled to the following leave:
Public holidays and vacations
Malaysia observes 11 public holidays, which are non-working days. Employers also get at least 8 vacation days per year, though this increases over time:
- Employed for less than 2 years: 8 vacation days for every 12 months of continuous service
- Employed for 2 to 5 years: 12 days of vacation for every 12 months of service
- Employed for more than 5 years: 16 days for every 12 months of service
Sick leave
Employees are entitled to at least 14 days of sick leave per year, though this also increases with years of service:
- Employed for less than 2 years: 14 days of sick leave
- Employed for 2 to 5 years: 18 sick days
- Employed for more than 5 years: 22 sick days
- Where hospitalization is necessary: Up to 60 days of sick leave
Parental leave
Pregnant employees are entitled to 98 days of maternity leave, as long as they have been employed for at least 90 days. Maternity leave can start up to 30 days before the birth, but must start at least 1 day before.
Married male employees receive 7 days of paternity leave with full pay if they have been employed for 12 months. They must provide their employer with 30 days’ notice.
To grant employees the correct leave, itโs best to partner with an EOR. Malaysia has evolving leave policies that are hard to keep up with, and without the help of an Employer of Record in Malaysia, you may risk non-compliance.
Work permit in Malaysia
Before foreign nationals can work in Malaysia, they need a job offer from an employer. The employer will then apply for the relevant work visa on their behalf.
The available work visas are:
- The Employment Pass: For high-skilled positions, valid for 1 to 5 years
- The Temporary Employment Pass: For workers in Manufacturing, Construction, Plantation, Agriculture, and Services, valid for up to 2 years
- The Professional Visit Pass: For foreign nationals who want to work in Malaysia but are still employed by a foreign employer, valid for up to 1 year.
Background check in Malaysia
There are no laws against running background checks on prospective employees in Malaysia. You just need to get the candidateโs consent and comply with the Personal Data Protection Act.
This includes telling the applicant what checks youโll be carrying out and how youโre collecting their personal data.
Background checks are usually run after an offer of employment has been made. Some of the more common checks in Malaysia include:
- Criminal records check
- Reference check
- Educational history check
- Social media check
The simplest way to carry out compliant checks is through a Malaysia Employer of Record.
Employment termination in Malaysia
Malaysian labor law stipulates that both the employer and employee can terminate a contract. The employment agreement should specify the required notice period.
However, if it doesnโt, the notice period should be:
Time of service | Notice period |
---|---|
Less than 2 years | No less than 4 weeks |
2 to 5 years | 6 weeks |
More than 5 years | 8 weeks |
Alternatively, the employer can terminate a contract without notice by paying the employee the wages they would have earned during this time.
Employers may terminate employees without notice on the grounds of misconduct, though an enquiry must be made to prove it. During this enquiry, the employee should receive at least 50% of their wages.
Where an employee is made redundant or a company closes, statutory severance pay is:
Time of service | Severance pay per year of employment |
---|---|
Less than 2 years | 10 days’ wages |
2 to 5 years | 15 days’ wages |
5 or more years | 20 days’ wages |
Company registration in Malaysia
Registering a company in Malaysia is a big step, but it can be the right decision if youโre expecting to develop a significant presence in the area.
To register a company in Malaysia, youโll need to:
- Reserve your company name
- Submit your registration application
- Pay the registration fee (MYR 1,000)
- Wait for approval
However, for many U.S.-based companies, itโs easier to hire local talent through an EOR in Malaysia.
PEO in Malaysia
An Employer of Record offers more services than a Professional Employer Organization (PEO).
While a PEO performs domestic HR tasks for companies, EORs enable companies to scale their operations worldwide, taking care of HR, payroll, taxes, and compliance, among other Employer of Record services.
Malaysia workers can be legally employed through an EORโs own legal entity, while a PEO would require a company to register its own local entity.
Payoneer WFM: Leading employer of record services in Malaysia
To make hiring abroad as simple as hiring in your base country, youโll need reputable EOR solutions. Malaysia has a complex set of labor regulations that an EOR like Payoneer WFM can help you to comply with.
We handle payroll, taxes, and more in 160+ countries, allowing your team to function smoothly.
Try Payoneer WFMโs EOR solutions in Malaysia to manage teams seamlessly.
FAQs about Malaysia employer of record
1) What is an EOR in Malaysia?
An EOR in Malaysia legally employs workers on behalf of foreign companies and handles compliance, payroll, taxes, and more, allowing their partner business to scale global operations with ease.
2) Is an employer of record legal in Malaysia?
Yes, EORs in Malaysia enable international companies to legally hire Malaysian nationals, as well as foreign employees with a work permit.
3) What is the best Employer of Record?
Payoneer WFM is a leading employer of record that enables companies, U.S.-based or otherwise, to hire employees in 160+ countries. They also help businesses to pay and manage employees effortlessly and compliantly, removing the hassle of international payroll, taxes, and more.
Disclaimer
Nothing herein should be construed as if Payoneer Inc. or its affiliates are soliciting or inviting any person outside the jurisdiction where it operates/is licensed to engage in payment services provided by Payoneer Inc. or its affiliates, unless permitted by applicable laws. Any products/services availability are subject to customerโs eligibility. The availability of this product is not guaranteed and may vary. Not all products/services are available in all jurisdictions in the same manner.
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