Malaysia, located in Southeast Asia, is separated by the South China Sea into two non-contiguous regions: the Peninsula Malaysia region bordering Thailand (i.e. West Malaysia) and the Malaysia Borneo region bordering Indonesia and Brunei (i.e. East Malaysia). In the last decade, as it moved up the industry value chain from an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has emerged as an attractive regional hub for services including financial services, information, and communications technology (ICT), and logistics sectors.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Malaysia.
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Malaysia, located in Southeast Asia, is separated by the South China Sea into two non-contiguous regions: the Peninsula Malaysia region bordering Thailand (i.e. West Malaysia) and the Malaysia Borneo region bordering Indonesia and Brunei (i.e. East Malaysia). In the last decade, as it moved up the industry value chain from an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has emerged as an attractive regional hub for services including financial services, information, and communications technology (ICT), and logistics sectors.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Malaysia.
The national holidays mentioned below are valid for the year 2025.
| January 1 | New Year’s Day | National except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, & Terengganu |
| January 14 | YDPB Negeri Sembilan's Birthday | Negeri Sembilan |
| January 27 | Israk and Mikraj | Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis, & Terengganu |
| January 29 | Chinese New Year | Movable |
| February 1 | Federal Territory Day | Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, & Putrajaya |
| February 11 | Thaipusam | Johor, Kedah, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya & Selangor |
| February 20 | Hari Pengisytiharan Tarikh Kemerdekaan | Melaka |
| March 2 | Awal Ramadan | Johor, Kedah, & Melaka |
| March 4 | Installation of Sultan Terengganu | Terengganu |
| March 18 | Nuzul Al-Quran | Movable - National except Johor, Kedah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah & Sarawak |
| March 23 | Sultan of Johor's Birthday | Johor |
| March 31 - April 2 | Hari Raya Aidilfitri | Movable |
| April 18 | Good Friday | Movable |
| April 26 | Sultan of Terengganu's Birthday | Terengganu |
| May 1 | Labor Day | National except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan & Terengganu |
| May 12 | Wesak Day | National except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan & Terengganu |
| May 17 | Raja Perlis' Birthday | Perlis |
| May 22 | Hari Hol Pahang | Pahang |
| May 30 | Harvest Festival | Labuan & Sabah |
| May 31 | Harvest Festival Holiday | Labuan & Sabah |
| June 1 | Hari Gawai | Sarawak |
| June 2 | Hari Gawai Holiday | Sarawak |
| June 2 | Agong's Birthday | Movable - First Monday of June |
| June 6 | Arafat Day | Kelantan & Terengganu |
| June 7 | Hari Raya Haji | Movable |
| June 8 | Hari Raya Haji Holiday | Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, & Terengganu |
| June 22 | Sultan of Kedah's Birthday | Kedah |
| June 27 | Awal Muharram | Movable - National except Johor |
| July 7 | Georgetown World Heritage City Day | Penang |
| July 12 | Penang Governor's Birthday | Penang |
| July 22 | Sarawak Day | Sarawak |
| July 30 | Sultan of Pahang's Birthday | Pahang |
| July 31 | Hari Hol Almarhum Sultan Iskandar | Johor |
| August 24 | Melaka Governor's Birthday | Melaka |
| August 31 | Merdeka Day | |
| September 5 | Prophet Muhammad's Birthday | Movable - National except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan & Terengganu |
| September 15 | Malaysia Day Holiday | |
| September 16 | Malaysia Day | |
| September 29 | Sultan of Kelantan's Birthday | Kelantan |
| September 30 | Sultan of Kelantan's Birthday Holiday | Kelantan |
| October 4 | Sabah Governor's Birthday | Sabah |
| October 11 | Sarawak Governor's Birthday | Sarawak |
| October 20 | Deepavali | Movable - National except Sarawak |
| November 7 | Sultan of Perak's Birthday | Perak |
| December 11 | Sultan of Selangor's Birthday | Selangor |
| December 24 | Christmas Eve | |
| December 25 | Christmas |
The approximate time for sharing the contract with an employee in Malaysia is 6 business days assuming no special requests or changes to our standard employment contract. Any such requests or changes would need to undergo internal and external review, directly leading to a time delay.
NOTE: This number is subject to change and is only an estimation of the Contract Sharing Time. The estimated Contract Sharing Time begins from the moment that WorkMotion has received all required information from both the client and the employee.
Social security benefits such as disability, retirement, medical payments, and survivors’ benefits are provided by the Social Security Organization and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
Employers are required to pay monthly contributions for each eligible employee according to the rate specified under the Employees’ Social Security Act, 1969. These contributions are divided into two types, namely:
| Employer Contributions for Malaysian Citizens and Permanent Residents (Mandatory) | ||
| Contribution Items | Category 1: Below Age 60 | Category 2: Above Age 60 |
| Employment Injury Scheme and the Invalidity Scheme |
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| Employment Insurance System* |
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| Employee Provident Fund |
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*All employees 18 to 60 years have to contribute. Employees aged 57 and above who have no prior contributions before the age of 57 are exempt. Contribution rates are capped at an assumed monthly salary of MYR 4000.
** Only for Permanent Residents and Non-Malaysians (registered as members before August 1998).
The Malaysia workweek is 40 hours, with a standard workday of eight hours. The maximum number of work hours is 45 hours in a week. Workers are entitled to one rest day for every six days worked, and cannot be compelled to work on that rest day.
Work hours should not exceed more than 45 per week. If employers request extra hours, they must pay 1.5 times the employee’s regular wages.
The minimum guidelines for overtime pay are:
There is no law governing the length of the probationary period. It depends entirely on the employment contract agreed upon between the employer and the employee. The duration period for probation is usually from a period of three to 12 months.
The length of such notice is the same for both employer and employee and is determined by a provision made in writing for such notice in the terms of the contract of service, or, in the absence of such provision in writing, and should not be less than:
| Service Period | Notice Period |
| Less than 2 years of service | Minimum 4 weeks |
| 2 years or more but less than 5 years of service | Minimum 6 weeks |
| 5 years of service or more | Minimum 8 weeks |
The Malaysia workweek is 40 hours, with a standard workday of eight hours. The maximum number of work hours is 45 hours in a week. Workers are entitled to one rest day for every six days worked, and cannot be compelled to work on that rest day.
Work hours should not exceed more than 45 per week. If employers request extra hours, they must pay 1.5 times the employee’s regular wages.
The minimum guidelines for overtime pay are:
There is no law governing the length of the probationary period. It depends entirely on the employment contract agreed upon between the employer and the employee. The duration period for probation is usually from a period of three to 12 months.
The length of such notice is the same for both employer and employee and is determined by a provision made in writing for such notice in the terms of the contract of service, or, in the absence of such provision in writing, and should not be less than:
| Service Period | Notice Period |
| Less than 2 years of service | Minimum 4 weeks |
| 2 years or more but less than 5 years of service | Minimum 6 weeks |
| 5 years of service or more | Minimum 8 weeks |
Social security benefits such as disability, retirement, medical payments, and survivors’ benefits are provided by the Social Security Organization and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
Employers are required to pay monthly contributions for each eligible employee according to the rate specified under the Employees’ Social Security Act, 1969. These contributions are divided into two types, namely:
| Employer Contributions for Malaysian Citizens and Permanent Residents (Mandatory) | ||
| Contribution Items | Category 1: Below Age 60 | Category 2: Above Age 60 |
| Employment Injury Scheme and the Invalidity Scheme |
|
|
| Employment Insurance System* |
|
– |
| Employee Provident Fund |
|
|
*All employees 18 to 60 years have to contribute. Employees aged 57 and above who have no prior contributions before the age of 57 are exempt. Contribution rates are capped at an assumed monthly salary of MYR 4000.
** Only for Permanent Residents and Non-Malaysians (registered as members before August 1998).
