Dear Valued Clients,

We wish to inform you that, effective 1 July 2025, the Expatriate Services Division (ESD) will implement a six (6) month "cooling-off period" for ESD accounts found to be in breach of compliance requirements related to expatriate applications.

This enforcement applies to, but is not limited to, the following serious offences:

• - Submission of false reports or statements
• - Falsification or misrepresentation of information
• - Use of forged or fraudulent documents
• - Any other form of misuse or abuse of the ESD system

Accounts found to be involved in such misconduct will be suspended from submitting new applications or appeals for a period of six (6) months. This cooling-off period will allow for a comprehensive review of the company's compliance track record, governance practices, and overall integrity. At the end of the six (6) months period, the company's eligibility to resume application activities will be reassessed based on the outcome of the compliance review. Further action may be taken if serious or repeated breaches are identified.

This measure is introduced in response to a concerning rise in non-compliant submissions and is in alignment with the Immigration Department of Malaysia's commitment to upholding national security, regulatory integrity, and public trust.

We urge all companies to exercise due diligence and uphold the highest standards of accuracy, transparency, and honesty in every submission made through the ESD online platform. We also strongly encourage all companies to review their existing expatriate application processes and internal controls to ensure full compliance with ESD requirements.

We remain committed to supporting Malaysia's talent ecosystem by maintaining a secure, transparent, and accountable expatriate management process.

Your cooperation and integrity are vital to maintaining the credibility and effectiveness of the ESD system and to ensuring the continued success of Malaysia's expatriate services ecosystem

Thank you.

MYXpats Centre