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Working in Malaysia on a PLKS in plantations, factories, construction or services

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated Last verified

Open Formal-sector worker on a PLKS

Open through licensed P3MI agencies for manufacturing, plantation, agriculture, construction and services. The 2004 placement MoU ends in early 2027 and is being renewed.

Status as of 7 October 2026 Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)

Summary

  • Formal-sector foreign workers in Malaysia work on a Visitor's Pass (Temporary Employment), or PLKS, in manufacturing, plantation, agriculture, construction and services.
  • Malaysian Immigration says the employer is solely responsible for paying the deposit, visa and foreign worker levy.
  • Malaysia's minimum wage has applied to foreign workers since 1 February 2025 at employers with five or more workers, and since 1 August 2025 at all employers.
  • Foreign workers on a PLKS may work for up to five years in total, may not bring family and may not change employer without permission.
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On this page
  1. What are the requirements?
  2. What does it cost and who pays?
  3. How much does it pay?
  4. Which visa is used?
  5. What are the steps?
  6. Which schools or training lead to Malaysia?
  7. Which jobs do Indonesian migrant workers fill most in Malaysia?
  8. Which documents do you need to work in Malaysia?
  9. What are the warning signs of offers to Malaysia through this route?
Official routes, who runs them, and their legal basis
Route Run by Official link Who pays placement costs Legal basis
Formal-sector worker on a PLKS Pas Lawatan (Kerja Sementara) · Visitor's Pass (Temporary Employment) Through a licensed P3MI agency Immigration Department of Malaysia Official source For placement through a P3MI, the employer bears placement costs. You may be charged only costs that are written and itemised in the Placement Agreement. See the cost rules Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)

See this route in the comparison table

What do you need to work in Malaysia through Formal-sector worker on a PLKS?

Placement channels from Indonesia for working in Malaysia through Formal-sector worker on a PLKS: Through a licensed P3MI agency. Age limits: 18 to 40 years.

Placement channels from Indonesia
Through a licensed P3MI agency
Age
18 to 40 years
Job types
Plantation and agricultural worker, Factory production operator (manufacturing), Construction worker, Services worker, as stated in the work pass

What does working in Malaysia through Formal-sector worker on a PLKS cost, and who pays?

For placement through a P3MI on the Formal-sector worker on a PLKS route to Malaysia, the employer bears placement costs. Migrant workers may not be charged them, and you may pay only costs that are written and itemised in the Placement Agreement.

  1. Law 18/2017 Article 30(1): Indonesian migrant workers may not be charged placement costs. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
  2. Ministerial Regulation P2MI 17/2025: the employer bears placement costs. A worker may be charged only costs that are written and itemised in the Placement Agreement. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
  3. Any request for money outside that document, in cash or to a personal account, is a red flag.

Cost rules for this route

  • Levy, deposit and visa in Malaysia: Malaysian Immigration says the employer is solely responsible for paying the deposit, visa and foreign worker levy to Malaysian Immigration. Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)
  • Charges in Indonesia: Placement-cost components, including training, certification, passport, medical checks and social security, are borne by the employer unless a lawful exception applies. Any cost charged to you must be written and itemised in the Placement Agreement. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)

What is the minimum pay for working in Malaysia through Formal-sector worker on a PLKS?

The official pay floor for the Formal-sector worker on a PLKS route in Malaysia is MYR 1,700.00 per month, in force from 1 February 2025 (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Sarawak, Kementerian Sumber Manusia Malaysia). This is the legal minimum in Malaysia, not an offered wage.

Official floor
Area or group Official floor Approximate rupiah value
Malaysia: national minimum wage Applies to: Minimum monthly basic wage, foreign workers included: from 1 February 2025 for employers with five or more workers and MASCO professional-activity employers, from 1 August 2025 for employers with fewer than five workers Excludes: Domestic workers MYR 1,700.00 per month In force from about IDR 7,434,542 rate as of 8 October 2026

Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Sarawak, Kementerian Sumber Manusia Malaysia Radio Televisyen Malaysia (Portal Berita RTM), quoting Kementerian Sumber Manusia Malaysia (official statement via media)

Which visa do you need to work in Malaysia through Formal-sector worker on a PLKS?

Pas Lawatan (Kerja Sementara): Visitor's Pass (Temporary Employment), the temporary work pass for foreign workers in Malaysia, applied for by the employer together with a Visa With Reference (VDR). Official source

What are the steps to work in Malaysia through Formal-sector worker on a PLKS?

  1. Create your own SISKOP2MI account, choose a P3MI and a job, and upload your documents. Registration on SISKOP2MI is free of charge.
  2. Take part in the P3MI selection for the job qualifications listed in that agency's job order (SIP2MI).
  3. Sign the Placement Agreement after a placement officer explains it, then complete the medical and psychological checks and register for social security.
  4. The Malaysian employer gets quota approval, pays the levy, then applies for the Visa With Reference (VDR) and the PLKS. You stay in Indonesia meanwhile.
  5. Collect the visa at a Malaysian mission in Indonesia, attend the pre-departure orientation (OPP), and make sure you hold an E-KPMI, issued free through SISKOP2MI.
  6. After arrival, take the medical check at a FOMEMA clinic; the employer then obtains the PLKS sticker from Immigration.

The order and timings are editor estimates, not promises.

Which schools or training lead to Malaysia?

The education and training routes linked to working in Malaysia through Formal-sector worker on a PLKS: Vocational high school (SMK) in Indonesia, BLK and BPVP, BNSP competency certification in Indonesia.

Which jobs do Indonesian migrant workers fill most in Malaysia?

KP2MI's placement and protection data published on 15 September 2026 put Malaysia among the five destinations with the most placement services in August 2026, and plantation workers among the five most common jobs. In the same month, most complaints came from Indonesian workers in Malaysia, and the largest category was a request to be brought home. Keep a copy of your employment contract and the official contacts of KP2MI and the Indonesian mission before you leave.

Which documents do you need to work in Malaysia?

Documents in Indonesia follow Law 18/2017 Article 13 and Regulation P2MI 2/2026: national ID card, marital-status letter, permission from your spouse, parents or guardian acknowledged by the village head or lurah, competency certificate, JKN card, health certificate, social security, passport, work visa, Placement Agreement and employment contract. For the Malaysian application, Malaysian Immigration asks for, among other things, a passport copy, a photo and a medical report from the home country recognised by Malaysia's Ministry of Health. For renewals, the passport must be valid for at least 12 months. Panduan Warga passport guide

What are the warning signs of offers to Malaysia through this route?

  • You are told to enter Malaysia first on a visit visa and promised the work pass later. Workers must stay outside Malaysia until the pass is approved.
  • You are asked to pay the Malaysian levy, deposit or visa, although Malaysian Immigration says these are the employer's responsibility.
  • You are moved to another employer or job without official permission from the Malaysian government.Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia)
  • A private individual promises work in Malaysia without a P3MI. Law 18/2017 Article 69 bans individuals from placing migrant workers.Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
  • The recruiter cannot show a P3MI listed as active on SISKOP2MI and a job order in that agency's name.KP2MI/BP2MI (SISKOP2MI)

How to check a P3MI agency in 5 steps Learn the signs of trafficking through job offers

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Not legal advice. Always check SISKOP2MI before you sign up.

Frequently asked questions

Does Malaysia's minimum wage apply to Indonesian workers?

Yes. The Minimum Wages Order 2024 has applied since 1 February 2025 to employers with five or more workers, which covers most factories and plantations, and since 1 August 2025 to smaller employers. According to Malaysia's Ministry of Human Resources, it covers non-citizen workers; the exception is domestic workers. The figure is in the pay table on this page.

Who pays the foreign worker levy in Malaysia?

Malaysian Immigration says the employer is solely responsible for paying the deposit, visa and foreign worker levy. If you are asked to repay the levy, ask for the written basis and compare it with your Placement Agreement.

What is the age limit for Indonesians working in Malaysia?

Indonesian Law 18/2017 Article 5 sets a minimum age of 18. Malaysian Immigration gives 18 to 45 for foreign workers, but KP2MI says the current maximum for new Indonesian migrant workers is 40. Malaysia has proposed raising it to 45 in the new MoU under discussion.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

  1. Visitor's Pass (Temporary Employment) Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia) · accessed
  2. Risalah Perintah Gaji Minimum 2024 (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Sarawak, Kementerian Sumber Manusia) Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Sarawak, Kementerian Sumber Manusia Malaysia · Perintah Gaji Minimum 2024, P.U. (A) 376/2024 · accessed
  3. Perintah Gaji Minimum berkuat kuasa sepenuhnya 1 Ogos 2025 (kenyataan KESUMA, laporan RTM) Radio Televisyen Malaysia (Portal Berita RTM), quoting Kementerian Sumber Manusia Malaysia · official statement via media · accessed
  4. KP2MI: Data Penempatan dan Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Periode Januari sampai Agustus 2026 Kementerian Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia (KP2MI) · accessed
  5. Indonesia-Malaysia percepat pembaruan MoU pekerja migran, dorong tata kelola digital terpusat Kementerian Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia (KP2MI) · accessed
  6. Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed
  7. Peraturan Menteri P2MI/Kepala BP2MI Nomor 17 Tahun 2025 tentang Biaya Penempatan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · Permen P2MI 17/2025 · accessed
  8. Peraturan Menteri P2MI/Kepala BP2MI Nomor 2 Tahun 2026 tentang Tata Cara Penempatan Pekerja Migran Indonesia oleh Pelaksana Penempatan Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · Permen P2MI 2/2026 · accessed
  9. Peraturan Menteri P2MI/Kepala BP2MI Nomor 34 Tahun 2025 tentang Kartu Pekerja Migran Indonesia Elektronik Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · Permen P2MI 34/2025 · accessed
  10. SISKOP2MI: daftar P3MI, detail status dan daftar P3MI dengan sanksi administratif KP2MI/BP2MI (SISKOP2MI) · accessed
How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Working in Malaysia on a PLKS in plantations, factories, construction or services. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/malaysia/formal-sector/

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Change log
  • : Corrected the Malaysian minimum wage to its two stages (1 February and 1 August 2025) and added KP2MI's August 2026 placement data.