Malaysia
Make employment in Malaysia easy. Let us handle payroll, benefits, taxes, compliance, and even stock options for your team in Malaysia, all in one easy-to-use platform.
- Capital City
Kuala Lumpur
- Currency
Malaysian ringgit (RM, MYR)
- Languages
Malay
- Population size
32,730,000
Facts & Stats
- Capital City
Kuala Lumpur
- Currency
Malaysian ringgit (RM, MYR)
- Languages
Malay
- Population size
32,730,000
- Ease of doing business
Very easy
- Cost of living index
39.51 (2021)
- Payroll frequency
Monthly
- VAT - standard rate
6%
- GDP - real growth rate
4.3 (2019)
Malaysia is a tourism hotspot with rich cultural diversity, and an established economic superpower among the ASEAN countries.
For over half a century, the Malaysian economy has experienced significant economic growth, driven by gains in the mining, tourism, commerce, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing industries in particular. Kuala Lumpur is now home to a burgeoning tech sector with a strong base of digital talent and highly skilled services professionals.
This Southeast Asian nation is a prime destination for employers looking for quality team members, and many businesses establish an Asian hub in the city affectionately know as KL.
Grow your team in Malaysia with Remote
Want to hire employees in Malaysia? Companies hiring in Malaysia are typically required to either own a local legal entity or work with a global employment platform like Remote that can legally provide employment services in the country.
Remote can employ team members in Malaysia and keep you compliant at all times. Remote can hire, onboard, and pay your Malaysia team so you don't have to set up local HR services in the region. Remote also makes it easy to pay contractors in Malaysia. now to get started or talk to an expert for more details.
Risks of misclassification
Malaysia, like many other countries, treats self-employed individuals or contractors and full-time employees differently. Misclassification of contractors in Malaysia may lead to fines and penalties for the offending company.
Employing in Malaysia
Employment regulations in Malaysia are spelled out across several government statutes such as:
Act A1651 - Employment (Amendment) Act 2022
The Industrial Relations Act of 1967
Trade Unions Act of 1959
Employees Provident Fund Act of 1991
Employees’ Social Security Act of 1969
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1994, etc.
Put together, these regulations define the protections and rights applicable to Malaysia’s workforce of 16 million. Employees in Malaysia enjoy protections against discrimination based on age, religion, gender expression, and race.
Common questions that could come up during the hiring process include the minimum wage, overtime rates, and guaranteed paid time off. Remote can help you offer a complete, competitive, and compliant benefits package to your employees in Malaysia.
Onboarding Time
We can help you get a new employee started in Malaysia fast. The minimum onboarding time we need is only 4 working days.
Our team ensures your employees are onboarded and paid as quickly as possible while keeping your business compliant with all local employment legislation. The minimum onboarding time begins after the employee submits all required information onto the Remote platform. The onboarding timeline is also dependent upon registration with local authorities.
For all non-nationals of the country of employment, the Right to Work assessment (if applicable) will add three extra days to the total time to onboard. There may be extra time required if we need to follow-up on the right to work assessment.
Please note, payroll cut-off dates can impact the actual first day of employment. Remote has a payroll cut-off date of the 10th of the month unless otherwise specified.
The Malaysian government has raised the minimum wage from RM 1,500 per month to RM 1,700 per month, effective Feb 1, 2025. This change will impact employers who hire workers on monthly, daily and hourly arrangements.
14 Public holidays
Want to see and manage all holidays? Sign up for our free HRIS!
Effortless HR Malaysia: Take the Tour
Competitive benefits package in Malaysia
At Remote, we’re passionate about helping you craft the best possible employee experience for your team. We are leading the way in developing globally competitive benefits programs. This means making sure employees everywhere have access to both the required and supplemental benefits they need to thrive, and your company has the localized expertise needed to attract and keep the best global talent.
Our benefits packages in Malaysia are tailored to fulfill the local needs of employees. Typically, our packages contain some or all of the following benefits:
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Mental Health Support
Pension or 401(K)
Life and Disability Insurance
Fair Pricing in Malaysia
Employer of Record
$599
per employee/month
Top features
Hire without opening a local entity
Guided onboarding
Local payroll paid on time, every time
Built-in security and compliance
Flexible, localized benefits
Offer equity incentives with tax assistance
Dedicated experts for local support
Contractor Management
$29
per contractor/month
Top features
Only pay for contractors you actively work with
Work with international contractors
Create, edit, and sign tailored, localized contracts
Approve contractor invoices with one click or auto-pay
Transparent payments with complete visibility
Payroll
$29
per employee/month
Top features
Powerful, transparent international payroll
Simple self-service platform
Personalized support from dedicated specialists
Adhere to local payroll regulations in every country
Integrated payroll, expense management, and HRIS solution
Top features
Guided onboarding and offboarding
Employee profile and document management
Contract templates and e-signing
Time off and time tracking
Expense management
Employee and manager self-serve experiencea
Mobile app