The FAQs listed herein cover four (4) sections:

1. General FAQs About Xpats Gateway
2. Xpats Gateway FAQs related to ESD Companies
3. Xpats Gateway FAQs related to MDEC Companies
4. Xpats Gateway FAQs related to IRDA (Iskandar Malaysia) Companies

Please scroll down to the respective sections.

About XPATS GATEWAY

• 1. What is the Xpats Gateway?

  A seamless, end-to-end solution that enables communication with relevant partner agencies throughout the application process, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience for both applicants and partner agencies. All decisions are issued electronically via Xpats Gateway, allowing for more efficient processing by partner agencies and well-time approvals.

• 2. Do all expatriatesrequire a Support Letter from the Agencies?

  Support Letters are required for employers that are under the purview of the respective Agencies. Please refer to the ESD Online Guidebook (page 19 & 20) for the list of Agencies.

• 3. If my company is not under the purview of any Agency, do I need to apply for a Support Letter?

  If the company is categorised in the sectors listed below, the employer can proceed to directly apply for an Employment Pass application in ESD Online (esd.imi.gov.my). The Expatriate Committee and Immigration Department of Malaysia reserves the right to request for a Support Letter, if necessary.

•      i. Business Services
•      ii. Wholesale & Retail
•      iii. Oil, Gas & Energy
•      iv. Logistics
•      v. Electrical & Electronics
•      vi. Automotive

• 4. What are the documents required to apply for the Support Letter?

  Employer can refer to the respective Agencies for the documents required.

• 5. How to check the status of the Support Letter?

  Employer can check the status of the Support Letter application via Xpats Gateway.

• 6. Who is the decision maker for the Support Letter?

  The decision for the Support Letter is subject to the respective Agency

• 7. Do I need prior approval from the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia and MYFutureJobs PERKESO for the Support Letter?

  Yes, employers are required to obtain prior approval from the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia and MYFutureJobs PERKESO to apply for the Support Letter from the respective Agency.

• 8. Is a Support Letter required for Professional Visit Pass (PVP) applications?

  A support letter is required for the PVP application under two (2) sectors as per the listing below:

  • 1. Support Letter from Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) for Aviation.
  • 2. Support Letter from the Department of Mineral & Geoscience (JMG) for Mining.

  Employers can apply for a Support Letter directly with the respective agencies. The Support Letter must be uploaded to ESD Online (esd.imi.gov.my) during the submission of the PVP application.

  PVP application other than the above does not require a Support Letter.

• 9. If there is any issue, to whom do we contact for any assistance/ support/ inquiries?

  For enquiries related to applications, please contact the respective Agencies. The contact information is available on Xpats Gateway (Contact Us).

  For technical and other matters, please contact helpdesk@myxpats.com.my or +603-7839 7171

  ESD Companies

  • 1. How to login to Xpats Gateway?

    Employers can access Xpats Gateway via the esd.imi.gov.my and click on the Xpats Gateway icon. To log in to Xpats Gateway, click on Company Login and use the same login ID and password that are registered on ESD Online.

  • 2. Can an Employer apply for the Support Letter via Xpats Gateway without an ESD account?

    The Employer is required to register for an account on ESD Online to access Xpats Gateway.

  • 3. Can I request for a Support Letter physically from the respective Agencies?

    The Employer must request a Support Letter from the respective Agencies via Xpats Gateway effective 15 June 2023.

  • 4. Will the expatriate application be automatically approved once the Employer received the Support Letter?

    Applications are required to be submitted and processed via ESD Online, and all application approvals are subject to the decision of the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

  • 5. What is company tiering?

    What is the key indicator to determine a company tiering?

    It is a formulated tiering system in ESD Online which has been in practice since 2017 internally by the Expatriate Services Division (ESD). The tiering system will auto populate the tiering of companies from Tier 1 (highest) to Tier 5 (lowest).

    ESD Online is an integrated system with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN), Immigration system and accessed by Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).

    Based on the information extracted from SSM, companies are ranked and calculated by the system according to the 5 key indicators:

    • - Twelfth Malaysia Plan (RMK-12)
    • - Company Lifecycle Stage
    • - Revenues
    • - Issued Capital
    • - Track Record

  • 6. What type of company falls under Fast Track and Normal Track?

    • - Fast Track: Companies in Tier 1, Tier 2 and Critical Sectors
    • - Normal Track: Companies between Tier 3 to Tier 5

  • 7. What is the Support Letter processing charter time?

    • - Fast Track: within 3 working days.
    • - Normal Track: within 10 working days.
    
    

    The following Agencies are excluded from the client charter:

    • 1. Malaysia Nursing Board, Ministry of Health (MOH)
    • 2. Allied Health Science Division, Ministry of Health (MOH)

  • 8. What is critical sector?

    Companies that are identified by the respective agency as a critical sector are based on the company's projects, investment value, niche skills and technologies, and newly critical industries in the current market.

  • 9. How can I view my company tiering?

    The company tiering will be listed in the company profile in ESD Online effective 15 June 2023.

  • 10. The Primary Sector or Agency which was selected is incorrect. Who should I contact if I want to change the information?

    The employer can contact MYXpats Helpdesk at helpdesk@myxpats.com.my or +603-7839 7171

  • 11. If I am unsure of my Primary Sector or Agency, who should I contact to obtain the information?

    The employer can contact MYXpats Helpdesk at helpdesk@myxpats.com.my or +603-7839 7171

  • 12. I have received a Support Letter via Xpats Gateway. What is the next step?

    Log in to ESD Online (esd.imi.gov.my). Click on the "List of Supporting Letter Application" tab. Complete your employment pass application for final approval by the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

  • 13. What is the validity of the Support Letter?

    The validity of a Support Letter is six (6) months upon issuance date.

  • 14. Can i use the same Support Letter for the pass renewal?

    The Support Letter is only for one-time use per application in ESD Online.

  • 15. Do I need to apply quota or projection before a Support Letter application?

    There is no requirement to apply for quota or projection for a Support Letter.

  • 16. If the Support Letter application is Not Supported, is there a need to fulfil any cooling period before an employer can reapply?

    There is no cooling period for reapplying a new Support Letter.

  • 17. Is there any limitation to re-apply the Support Letter if the application has not been supported?

    There is no time limitation of the Support Letter application. Employer can proceed to re-apply for a Support Letter from the respective Agencies

  • 18. If the Support Letter application is Not Supported, can I proceed for an appeal?

    The company can proceed to reapply for a Support Letter

  • 19. How do I cancel the Support Letter application in Xpats Gateway?

    For cancellation of the Support Letter application, please email to helpdesk@myxpats.com.my

    MDEC Companies

    • 1. How to login to Xpats Gateway?

      Employers can access Xpats Gateway via the ESD Online (esd.imi.gov.my) and click on the Xpats Gateway icon. To log in to Xpats Gateway, click on eXpats under Company Login and use the same login credentials as the MDEC Expats System. New Employers will need to register an Expats account in the MDEC Expats System to access Xpats Gateway.

    • 2. Must all applications under MDECs purview be submitted through the Xpats Gateway?

      Effective 24 April 2024, all new and renewal applications for Employment Pass (EP) must be submitted through the Xpats Gateway at https://xpatsgateway.com.my.

    • 3. Can I edit an application that has been entered into the Xpats Gateway and already forwarded to the MDEC Expats System?

      Once an application has been submitted to the MDEC Expats System, the employer cannot edit it in the Xpats Gateway. To update any details of an application submitted to the MDEC Expats System, please contact MDEC directly.

      IRDA Companies

      • 1. My company is already registered in ESD Online. Do I still need to register in IRDA XPATNOVA system?

        Yes, you must register in XPATNOVA system with minimum information and activate your account to apply for an Employment Pass (EP). Please ensure your companys address falls within the Iskandar Malaysia Region postcodes, which you can verify here.

      • 2. How do I register for XPATNOVA?

        Visit the XPATNOVA system and create an account. Complete all required company information and submit the form. IRDA will process the company registration and notify you through the system.

      • 3. Do I need to wait for my company registration to be approved before submitting an EP application?

        Yes, only approved companies can apply for passes related to expatriates through the XPATNOVA system.

      • 4. How long does the company registration process take?

        The registration status will be available within 3-5 working days, provided all required information is complete and no further details are requested by IRDA officers.

      • 5. How do I apply for a Support Letter?

        You will need to apply the Support Letter through Xpats Gateway from the Supporting Agency listed in the system. If it is not available, please contact helpdesk@myxpats.com.my to request for the Agency to be updated in Xpats Gateway. To login to Xpats Gateway, click on 'IRDA' under Company Login and use the same login credentials as XPATNOVA system.

      • 6. What happen after the Support Letter is approved?

        You will be notified through email and the application will be automatically routed to XPATNOVA system together with the Support Letter. You may proceed to apply EP by login to XPATNOVA system and submit the application here.

      • 7. How long does it take for the EP application in XPATNOVA to be approved?

        The application status will be available within 3-5 working days if all required information is complete and no further details are requested by IRDA officers.

      • 8. How about other passes? Can I apply in XPATS GATEWAY?

        For other pass applications, transactions, and services (Professional Visit Pass (PVP) and Dependant Pass (DP)), please access the relevant features at https://app.xpatnova.com.my.

      • 9. Where can I get more information?

        For more information, please visit the IRDA website or contact IRDA via phone at +607 233 3019 or email at expat@irda.com.my.