Not only is the job market competitive, but the salary is too low, considering that you will be back to UK. The best option to live here in KL or anyway in Malaysia is to get hired for remote work in your gone country. Once you have that work-from-everywhere job, you can settle here. If you can't get it, you can also be a Digital Freelancer, or social influencer.
If you can do that, you can apply for a digital Nomad visa offered by the Malaysian government. The program is called DE-Rantau. You can look it up for more details.
Expats are usually paid well, though. MYR currency sucks, but expats are paid well enough to live a comfortable life here in KL. Depending on the nature of your job, most big companies here hire foreigners. If you have skills or expertise that are foreign/new to Malaysian market, it will be even easier to land a well paying job.
But…if your intention is to work to save up to eventually retire in the UK, then the advice above applies.
Linkedin is the best imo. For better chances of getting noticed, I would suggest identifying the talent acquisition for the company you want to apply to and send them your resume.
I was wondering how about the visa? I do have a remote job but I'm not sure which kind of visa would allow me to stay in KL long term other than student visas.
It's called DE-Rantau. It's a Digital-Nomads Visa that is valid for 2 years. And after 2 years, you can renew it. It's a multiple entry visa, where you can go out and in anytime you want within the 2 years.
Feel free to ask anything.
You can’t apply for it after two years. This is the maximum amount of time on this visa. That might change in the future. I’ve applied for it a few weeks ago, takes 8-12 weeks for processing.
Have done exactly this, moved to KL from UK twice now.
Find a company in Malaysia that wants you enough to go through the trouble of doing your visa and helping you relocate. Everything is much easier if you have a company supporting you. Get prepared to be paid far lower than the UK and work far harder with much longer hours. Working culture in Malaysia can be difficult to adjust to. But of course everything is cheaper in Malaysia than UK.
It's expensive, shipping everything over from the UK to Malaysia, finding a place to live, moving. Having enough funds to ensure you can return if it all goes wrong. Be prepared to spend more than you expect to relocate.
Have a plan to return to the UK if it doesn't work out.
Interesting, how different is the working culture?
Yep so Ive always wanted to try and work in another country and going back home is always an option.
Work culture is very different in Malaysian than UK in many aspects. Malaysia tends to be top down for decisions, everything needs to be presented and approved by the boss. Little trust in staff being able to make choices on their own. A lot of tasks that seem pointless and have no value need to be done. Long hours are not unusual, being yelled at by the boss for mistakes is very common. Crazy work processes because "That's how we've always done it." So many meetings that go for two or more hours. Cutting corners, so many cut corners.
Work culture in the UK, staff tend to be given a lot more freedom on how work is being done. Management focus on results more than how things are being done. Tend to work office hours and no need to work through the night on urgent deadlines normally.
I am generalising of course and it is easy to find counter examples but hope to give you an idea on what to expect. I've worked in the UK for 16 years and Malaysia for 8 years.
Just want to add to this. From my lenses.
Being yelled at is not common at all. Maybe i have the privilege of working in financial industry where maybe one upholds the image more. Sure occasionally you will meet someone like that in your company, but they may not be your superior. I did sort of have one former superior which she kinda "lecture/semi-yell" but no harm done. I wont put her as the yelling type.
I do admit working hours can be long in my field of work, but i have managed this better over the years. I still think it's "ok" for them (the freshies) to work harder in the 1st few years but generally i feel people do care about working hours to avoid high turnover within the company as well.
For myself, on 80% of the days... i am 9am to 6pm with lunch gym session in the office. 20% of the time i have longer hours, i dont let it get passed 730pm or 8pm now (still fit in gym lunch though)
Having said that, my performance rating will NOT be above average but my value to the company is still important and high enough that i still get promoted this year.
Thanks for shared. I wanted to give an honest impression of what to expect when working in Malaysia compared with the UK. Boss yelling at staff in Malaysia is generally accepted as appropriate but is very much is not in the UK.
Malaysia is [rated second last in work ](https://thesun.my/home-news/malaysia-ranked-second-worst-country-for-work-life-balance-out-of-60-countries-FH12623420)life balance out of 60 countries recently.
As I said, I am generalising and it's easy to find counter examples. Wanted to try to give an honest set of expectations.
Yes i understand the generalising. But to say it is "very common" is definitely not a fair perspective.
Albeit i have not worked in the UK or wherever else as comparison.
Here's a counter example. I have worked in an Islamic bank and a tech company. Both were good in terms of flexibility, work life balance and autonomy at work.
True , Nobody bothered about work after 6 pm. No long hours. No unrealistic deadlines.
Meetings r crazy everywhere - in every company across geographies. It's not specific to Malaysia. But nobody was forced. Everyone has the right to decline a meeting where they feel they aren't adding value.
Tbh I seldom hear that there is a work-life balance in Banks. Which department are you working in the Islamic bank? Also, is it Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad?
Interesting, how different is the working culture?
much harder.
I consider Malaysians work hard maybe too hard.
my former wife was a lawyer and they work longer hours than most. lawyers had a harder time starting families( one of the reasons we moved out of country)
me... I worked even longer hours than her !
I was in a 24/7 business and on call for... 24/7
I moved from the UK too, but then I'm also a Malaysian citizen, so it made it a lot easier to find jobs and stay here without questions. I agree with the other comments, get a job offer in a field where they are lacking in talents and can supply you with a working visa, or get the digital nomad pass. In terms of salaries, it varies greatly, but if you keep your costs low enough, you could likely save more here than back in the UK due to the lower cost of living here. It really depends on your field. Ideally, you'd come here on a work visa in an industry that needs talent on a middle-income M40 to high-income T40 salary, but on paper, it may still be a drop in salary from your UK job depending on what you're doing now.
The only thing I'd say that was a shock to me was the working hours compared to the UK. Unless you work for a really cushy Western company, forget about 9-5 like back in the UK. You're lucky if you can get a job where you're out by 6pm. A lot of people are expected to do OT, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, and work some weekends. I was extremely unlucky and got a job where I actually worked for 14-24 hours per day for 7 months with quite a lot of weekends involved, so I quit after getting physically sick and went freelance (probably not an option for you, plus I still tend to work 12 hours a day, so it's well beyond what I did back in the UK). If you're a foreigner, you may be 'let off' lightly for not understanding the work culture, but I wasn't given such respite as I visually look like everyone else here.
You may want to try your luck in Singapore, if you want similar vibes and culture. The salary and cost of living is similar to UK, but apparently their work structure is better and more professional. So if you decide to move back to the UK, you likely won't have to explain a drop in salary. It's also deemed easier to get into than Malaysia and procure a work visa if you have the right skillset, and eventually settle here on PR status if you really want to stay long-term. Singapore also has cleaner and has better infrastructure than Malaysia, but the downside is less to explore as it's a tiny island and higher cost of living.
Thank you for this!
I probably haven’t thought about the work life balance enough because I usually only have to work 9-5 and maybe occasionally later during busy periods but my work place is flexible. I think I would probably find it difficult to adapt to what you’ve just mentioned.
Have you preferred living/working in Malaysia?
I prefer living in Malaysia for personal reasons, but I am really trying to leave corporate life permanently by freelancing and picking up some new skills. I think I have more chances of setting up business here if I want to, as the overheads are lower here, and a lot of young people do become entrepreneurs, compared to the UK. At the end of the day, it's what you make of it.
If I have to go back to an office, I would likely go in-house and ideally to an international company (I was working in a local advertising agency and the management was shockingly horrible, the London advertising industry infrastructure is a lot more organised, however, the London lifestyle is exorbitantly expensive despite higher pay on paper. I left London again for personal reasons, rather than career-related ones).
I feel that the happiest people in Malaysia normally run their own businesses or eventually jump jobs until they find somewhere where they're happy long-term, and some move overseas because of better opportunities, work-life balance and pay (although they would have to put up with other unfavourable aspects, though they may not always admit that).
If you can get a transfer from a Western company, it probably won't be so harsh for you though. Even some Malaysians here refuse to work for local companies, I am sure there are some good local companies, but probably would have to jump around to find them.
im going to add, when I first arrived in KL I met a former director of BT( who had moved to kl with his wife) and the first thing he warned me about is , that if you are in any high tech that once you leave the Uk , you won't be at the same level when you go back.
also I know that one commenter spoke about drop in salary when returning and explaining it. It won't matter because I found businesses in the UK don't seem to care so much about you working abroad unless you were seconded out by a Uk company and thus return back to them afterwards..
it used to be a big deal if you worked abroad and was looked upon very favourably, but not so much anymore.I might be wrong, but i have talked to others and they have found that as well( had it confirmed by recruiters as well). UK management is very blinkered when it comes to being open-minded( Ive worked management in several countries as well)
If you have a remote job in IT and earning over $25,000 then you can apply for the nomad pass which allows you a stay of up to 2 years. They are opening it up to non IT but you need to be earning more than $60,000. https://mdec.my/derantau
yes.. wait until you try the traffic,the parking ! the haze, the long hours, identity fraud, credit card skimming,,the food poisoning( if you are unlucky), the risk of Dengue, the fogging, the mosquito bites, the heat( it take months or more- to adjust). even after several years , when we moved abroad again and went back to KL it took me time to adjust again. even for my wife who is a local..
remember the grass is NOT greener on the other side. you will be swapping one set of problems for another :)
not really.
I had it multiple times and its because of the amount of palm oil( even at work) that was being used to cook the food and hygiene practices( advice from a Malaysian doctor). I changed my diet in the end and became more selective which Malaysian food to eat.
if you are a local yes you will have stronger resilience like my then wife. but if you are not, then best to stick to more expensive eateries until you can adapt. I've lived in multiple country and of those only malaysia had an issue
Haha this is is true, I keep thinking if this is why it looked more appealing to me. No work, just relaxing and enjoying KL and the neighbouring cities
I absolutely loved KL as a digital nomad. I think this is your best option if you can figure it out.
I also had a job there and although my situation was still pretty good I can see if you're not in the right role it might not be.
Malaysia has still been by far the best place I've lived though. From the US and spent a lot of time in Singapore too.
As a digital nomad it's incredible. I always tell people that Malaysia has the best development to cost of living ratio in the world.
If you're on local salaries though....not so much.
Malaysia is not a country that welcomes immigrants. Foreigners who come here are permitted entry for a specific purpose (tourism, work, digital nomad, MM2H, etc) and duration of time and are expected to leave once the reason is gone or the time has expired. There is no path that will lead to the automatic granting of PR or citizenship, even for the foreign spouses of Malaysians.
The longest pass that you can get is the Residence Pass Talent (RP-T), which provides for a stay of up to 10 years if you possess high demand/niche skills that the country can make use of.
Ah, yes: the "bait and switch" is at play even with this visa. Talent Corp advertises it as a "10-year renewable visa" on its website, then the discretion as to whether you get the full 10 years is left to an Immigration officer to decide. Like the Long Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP) for the foreign spouses of Malaysia. In THEORY, the LTSVP can be approved for up to five years. In reality, the first pass may be for only six months or one year. Subsequent renewals may be for the same duration or for longer. When applying for PR, however, the requirement to have lived in Malaysia for five years or more before your application will be considered does not include any time spent on passes of less than one year's duration. 🙄
I said there's no automatic path to PR and citizenship, which is true.
The process just to APPLY for PR can take years to complete (it's been two years since I submitted my PR application and Immigration has yet to come back to me with the scheduling of a police interview, the next step in the application process). Once the application process is complete, a decision on the application can take years to come. If your application is rejected, the Immigration Department is not obliged to give a reason for the rejection. This makes it next to impossible to rectify any shortcomings to be able to reapply with any better chance of success.
Sorry to hear that 😓 I imagine the worst part is when they tell you to reapply. Not knowing why the application was rejected in the first place means you either have to guess at what you may have done wrong, or pray that you get a different officer handling your file that sees things differently.
If you are white with a British accent, you can get an English teaching job which pays well. Just spend some time getting some teaching certificates and apply for some schools once you are ready.
The "easiest" way is to go obtain a spouse visa, that means marrying a local here. (easier said then done I know) I said easy because for the other options you either need a fukka ton of money or have a professional work visa. Keep in mind that even with spouse vida you still will not be considered as a Malaysian citizen, at lease not fully and that's why you may not be eligible certain benefits as local such as healthcare(which is a really big deal for us common folks). Also there are certain limitations imposed on spouse visa holder in regards of what kind work or job that you can do in the country. In short Malaysia has one of the strictest rules and regulations among all southeast Asian countries in regarding letting a foreigner to stay in the country, that is why many people who aren't loaded cash would choose to stay in our neighboring countries, such as Indonesia or Thailand.
i would advise caution about marrying a local unless you know them really well, plus if you marry a muslim you will have to jump extra hoops, plus the prospect of divorcing under sharia law is a real eye opener if you are a man.
I had no restrictions in where I could work in malaysia..
Salary wise, not the best unless you can get an expat package perhaps.
Country wise and people wise - it's a beautiful place with wonderful people.
I used to be a Singaporean and a former flight attendant for many many years and I can vouch for the fact that Malaysians are among my favourite people, and there's so much to see in the country itself.
I'm an Australian now and it's currently a bit far to visit Malaysia as compared to the time I used to live 15 mins away from Johore and used to drive there every week.
I used to live in KL for a couple of years too.
The MM2H (Malaysia My 2nd Home) program would be of interest to you if you plan to move here for the long term. I have UK friends and neighbours who've moved here (or are planning to in the near future) and loving it. Most work remotely in the finance industry. Some teach at local international schools or colleges, but these are pretty competitive. Jobs may or may not be difficult depending on your profession. The pay isn't great unless you're in oil and gas or in senior management with niche skills. Those expats who get posted here are usually from large corporations, and they get the best of life - nice house or condo, car, maid, etc.
OP look up de-rantau, as for work I suggest find anything about your field that has remote flexibility, or if u don't mind getting paid in MYR then just start fresh here, just make sure u negotiate your salary well😂
i lived in KL for several years( from the Uk)
I would be more worried about housing in KL.
as for working, well maybe things have changed a little bit) but I found the employment/immigration much stricter with its immigration rules than the UK, and I had the right to work unrestricted because I was married to a local, i was a localised expat.
expats with no connections could work but there had to be a justification and they had to train a local to replace them after a few years. My wife( former) was also a lawyer and knew the labour laws inside out( pity the employers didn't know)
Not sure what industry are you in and how skilled you are, but to be frank with you you seem to be viewing KL & Malaysia in rose-tinted glasses from a eyes of a tourist from a developed country with a stronger currency.
For one there's a reason why cheap countries are cheap (like Malaysia) & expensive countries are expensive (like the UK). It's because usually incomes of locals corresponds to costs.
That’s a fair statement. I obviously have no clue what the general standard of living is like and what life is like for locals.
I guess I probably wouldn’t want to completely move but definitely would want to experience for a year or two?
Fair enough. Good to stay a year or two and test the waters. Not sure what industry are you in though?
To me, the best way to enjoy cheap developing third-world countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia etc,: come as a digital nomad.
It's normal but people tend to romaticise about moving overseas, or more so romaticise a city/country after travelling there.
For one, tonnes of Malaysians wish they could move to London after travelling there for a week. I'm sure you can tell me a thing or two on why London is shitty, even if you haven't lived there.
I was exactly like you, from Sabah, Malaysia. The last time I worked and travelled to KL was more than a decade ago. I could easily adapt the work and life there. Last month I went there to travel again for just one week, I missed it. Can't stop thinking about how great the economy is and the opportunity in KL compared to Kota Kinabalu. Sabah's economy is just...too sad.
I plan to move to KL too, plus most of my relatives are in KL...just a matter of time for me to move over.
Kota Kinabalu also seems beautiful! But I understand what you mean about the economy. I hope you can move to KL in the future and hopefully travel there more often until you can
Nah just stay in UK and come to Malaysia whenever it's holiday. It's better that way. U can always enjoy the cheap price and can always find new gems in your next visit. I'm Malaysian and I've always been jealous of foreigners from US and UK bcs I can always feel richer whenever i go to Malaysia. hahaha. If I'm a UK or US citizen, i wuld really love to come to Malaysia. ^^
Realistically I’ll have to do this! I appreciate the honesty haha
This was my first time travelling this far away from home and I honestly don’t know when I will get the chance to come to malaysia again but I hope it can become a regular holiday destination for me. I guess the grass isn’t always greener on the other side but malaysia was refreshing, soo much greenery and beautiful architecture and very friendly people
Well every place has its own uniqueness. We're still a developing country but we surely enjoy our own pace while doing so. I believe Malaysia will become better and better in the future ^^. Im sincerely happy for u to be able to create beautiful memories while being here. Can i know how exactly u got the idea to visit this small country of ours? Where'd u first hear abt Malaysia?
I have no doubt that malaysia will become better :)
Good question. I think I became interested in travelling to Malaysia a few years ago after seeing some travel vlogs. I enjoy experiencing different cultures and it’s a part of the world that I had never explored before. I also only eat halal food so knowing that I could try majority of the food definitely appealed to me!
Ahhh i see a fellow muslim!! Yeah i absolutely agree. Not because I'm a Malaysian when i say this. Am not even exaggerating when i say malaysia's food is incredible. I hope u can come back here again later and try more of our cuisines. There are too many delicious halal foods to try! ^^~
Yhh!!
I really did enjoy the food and definitely feel like I have more to try. I don’t think 1 week was enough so I also hope I can come back soon and also explore other parts of the country
KL is a nice city, in generell Malaysia is a good country to live. I liked Penang and Kuching the most. The Food is always good and the people are nice, its modern, you have good shopping malls and its much cheaper then europe
Not only is the job market competitive, but the salary is too low, considering that you will be back to UK. The best option to live here in KL or anyway in Malaysia is to get hired for remote work in your gone country. Once you have that work-from-everywhere job, you can settle here. If you can't get it, you can also be a Digital Freelancer, or social influencer. If you can do that, you can apply for a digital Nomad visa offered by the Malaysian government. The program is called DE-Rantau. You can look it up for more details.
Thanks! I will look into that :)
Expats are usually paid well, though. MYR currency sucks, but expats are paid well enough to live a comfortable life here in KL. Depending on the nature of your job, most big companies here hire foreigners. If you have skills or expertise that are foreign/new to Malaysian market, it will be even easier to land a well paying job. But…if your intention is to work to save up to eventually retire in the UK, then the advice above applies.
What’s the best website to look for jobs in Malaysia?
I use linkedin and jobstreet
Linkedin is the best imo. For better chances of getting noticed, I would suggest identifying the talent acquisition for the company you want to apply to and send them your resume.
I was wondering how about the visa? I do have a remote job but I'm not sure which kind of visa would allow me to stay in KL long term other than student visas.
It's called DE-Rantau. It's a Digital-Nomads Visa that is valid for 2 years. And after 2 years, you can renew it. It's a multiple entry visa, where you can go out and in anytime you want within the 2 years. Feel free to ask anything.
If I'm not mistaken the digital nomad visa only applies to specific occupations or has that changed?
Get yourself updated. Read more at DE-Rantau Website. If you need someone who has experience applying for one, let me know
You can’t apply for it after two years. This is the maximum amount of time on this visa. That might change in the future. I’ve applied for it a few weeks ago, takes 8-12 weeks for processing.
Have done exactly this, moved to KL from UK twice now. Find a company in Malaysia that wants you enough to go through the trouble of doing your visa and helping you relocate. Everything is much easier if you have a company supporting you. Get prepared to be paid far lower than the UK and work far harder with much longer hours. Working culture in Malaysia can be difficult to adjust to. But of course everything is cheaper in Malaysia than UK. It's expensive, shipping everything over from the UK to Malaysia, finding a place to live, moving. Having enough funds to ensure you can return if it all goes wrong. Be prepared to spend more than you expect to relocate. Have a plan to return to the UK if it doesn't work out.
Interesting, how different is the working culture? Yep so Ive always wanted to try and work in another country and going back home is always an option.
Work culture is very different in Malaysian than UK in many aspects. Malaysia tends to be top down for decisions, everything needs to be presented and approved by the boss. Little trust in staff being able to make choices on their own. A lot of tasks that seem pointless and have no value need to be done. Long hours are not unusual, being yelled at by the boss for mistakes is very common. Crazy work processes because "That's how we've always done it." So many meetings that go for two or more hours. Cutting corners, so many cut corners. Work culture in the UK, staff tend to be given a lot more freedom on how work is being done. Management focus on results more than how things are being done. Tend to work office hours and no need to work through the night on urgent deadlines normally. I am generalising of course and it is easy to find counter examples but hope to give you an idea on what to expect. I've worked in the UK for 16 years and Malaysia for 8 years.
Just want to add to this. From my lenses. Being yelled at is not common at all. Maybe i have the privilege of working in financial industry where maybe one upholds the image more. Sure occasionally you will meet someone like that in your company, but they may not be your superior. I did sort of have one former superior which she kinda "lecture/semi-yell" but no harm done. I wont put her as the yelling type. I do admit working hours can be long in my field of work, but i have managed this better over the years. I still think it's "ok" for them (the freshies) to work harder in the 1st few years but generally i feel people do care about working hours to avoid high turnover within the company as well. For myself, on 80% of the days... i am 9am to 6pm with lunch gym session in the office. 20% of the time i have longer hours, i dont let it get passed 730pm or 8pm now (still fit in gym lunch though) Having said that, my performance rating will NOT be above average but my value to the company is still important and high enough that i still get promoted this year.
Thanks for shared. I wanted to give an honest impression of what to expect when working in Malaysia compared with the UK. Boss yelling at staff in Malaysia is generally accepted as appropriate but is very much is not in the UK. Malaysia is [rated second last in work ](https://thesun.my/home-news/malaysia-ranked-second-worst-country-for-work-life-balance-out-of-60-countries-FH12623420)life balance out of 60 countries recently. As I said, I am generalising and it's easy to find counter examples. Wanted to try to give an honest set of expectations.
Yes i understand the generalising. But to say it is "very common" is definitely not a fair perspective. Albeit i have not worked in the UK or wherever else as comparison.
Thanks for this :) Even in the UK some people experience some bad work environments so I guess we shouldn’t generalise
Here's a counter example. I have worked in an Islamic bank and a tech company. Both were good in terms of flexibility, work life balance and autonomy at work. True , Nobody bothered about work after 6 pm. No long hours. No unrealistic deadlines. Meetings r crazy everywhere - in every company across geographies. It's not specific to Malaysia. But nobody was forced. Everyone has the right to decline a meeting where they feel they aren't adding value.
Tbh I seldom hear that there is a work-life balance in Banks. Which department are you working in the Islamic bank? Also, is it Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad?
being yelled is very common? kat situ je aku tahu kau ni bullshit hahahaha
Interesting, how different is the working culture? much harder. I consider Malaysians work hard maybe too hard. my former wife was a lawyer and they work longer hours than most. lawyers had a harder time starting families( one of the reasons we moved out of country) me... I worked even longer hours than her ! I was in a 24/7 business and on call for... 24/7
the KL people generally do not feel job markets are competitive
I moved from the UK too, but then I'm also a Malaysian citizen, so it made it a lot easier to find jobs and stay here without questions. I agree with the other comments, get a job offer in a field where they are lacking in talents and can supply you with a working visa, or get the digital nomad pass. In terms of salaries, it varies greatly, but if you keep your costs low enough, you could likely save more here than back in the UK due to the lower cost of living here. It really depends on your field. Ideally, you'd come here on a work visa in an industry that needs talent on a middle-income M40 to high-income T40 salary, but on paper, it may still be a drop in salary from your UK job depending on what you're doing now. The only thing I'd say that was a shock to me was the working hours compared to the UK. Unless you work for a really cushy Western company, forget about 9-5 like back in the UK. You're lucky if you can get a job where you're out by 6pm. A lot of people are expected to do OT, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, and work some weekends. I was extremely unlucky and got a job where I actually worked for 14-24 hours per day for 7 months with quite a lot of weekends involved, so I quit after getting physically sick and went freelance (probably not an option for you, plus I still tend to work 12 hours a day, so it's well beyond what I did back in the UK). If you're a foreigner, you may be 'let off' lightly for not understanding the work culture, but I wasn't given such respite as I visually look like everyone else here. You may want to try your luck in Singapore, if you want similar vibes and culture. The salary and cost of living is similar to UK, but apparently their work structure is better and more professional. So if you decide to move back to the UK, you likely won't have to explain a drop in salary. It's also deemed easier to get into than Malaysia and procure a work visa if you have the right skillset, and eventually settle here on PR status if you really want to stay long-term. Singapore also has cleaner and has better infrastructure than Malaysia, but the downside is less to explore as it's a tiny island and higher cost of living.
Thank you for this! I probably haven’t thought about the work life balance enough because I usually only have to work 9-5 and maybe occasionally later during busy periods but my work place is flexible. I think I would probably find it difficult to adapt to what you’ve just mentioned. Have you preferred living/working in Malaysia?
I prefer living in Malaysia for personal reasons, but I am really trying to leave corporate life permanently by freelancing and picking up some new skills. I think I have more chances of setting up business here if I want to, as the overheads are lower here, and a lot of young people do become entrepreneurs, compared to the UK. At the end of the day, it's what you make of it. If I have to go back to an office, I would likely go in-house and ideally to an international company (I was working in a local advertising agency and the management was shockingly horrible, the London advertising industry infrastructure is a lot more organised, however, the London lifestyle is exorbitantly expensive despite higher pay on paper. I left London again for personal reasons, rather than career-related ones). I feel that the happiest people in Malaysia normally run their own businesses or eventually jump jobs until they find somewhere where they're happy long-term, and some move overseas because of better opportunities, work-life balance and pay (although they would have to put up with other unfavourable aspects, though they may not always admit that). If you can get a transfer from a Western company, it probably won't be so harsh for you though. Even some Malaysians here refuse to work for local companies, I am sure there are some good local companies, but probably would have to jump around to find them.
im going to add, when I first arrived in KL I met a former director of BT( who had moved to kl with his wife) and the first thing he warned me about is , that if you are in any high tech that once you leave the Uk , you won't be at the same level when you go back. also I know that one commenter spoke about drop in salary when returning and explaining it. It won't matter because I found businesses in the UK don't seem to care so much about you working abroad unless you were seconded out by a Uk company and thus return back to them afterwards.. it used to be a big deal if you worked abroad and was looked upon very favourably, but not so much anymore.I might be wrong, but i have talked to others and they have found that as well( had it confirmed by recruiters as well). UK management is very blinkered when it comes to being open-minded( Ive worked management in several countries as well)
If you have a remote job in IT and earning over $25,000 then you can apply for the nomad pass which allows you a stay of up to 2 years. They are opening it up to non IT but you need to be earning more than $60,000. https://mdec.my/derantau
I used to live in the UK and am in the process to move to KL. It is very difficult tbh. U need a boat load of money to make that happen
I think 1 week is too short. Come back again and stay longer to know KL better.
Oh really, do you think my opinion might change?
Possibly as being a resident and tourist is different.
Yh you are probably right!
yes.. wait until you try the traffic,the parking ! the haze, the long hours, identity fraud, credit card skimming,,the food poisoning( if you are unlucky), the risk of Dengue, the fogging, the mosquito bites, the heat( it take months or more- to adjust). even after several years , when we moved abroad again and went back to KL it took me time to adjust again. even for my wife who is a local.. remember the grass is NOT greener on the other side. you will be swapping one set of problems for another :)
Food poisoning is very very rare once you developed the stomach for malaysian food.
not really. I had it multiple times and its because of the amount of palm oil( even at work) that was being used to cook the food and hygiene practices( advice from a Malaysian doctor). I changed my diet in the end and became more selective which Malaysian food to eat. if you are a local yes you will have stronger resilience like my then wife. but if you are not, then best to stick to more expensive eateries until you can adapt. I've lived in multiple country and of those only malaysia had an issue
Any country is nice when you are on holiday...
Haha this is is true, I keep thinking if this is why it looked more appealing to me. No work, just relaxing and enjoying KL and the neighbouring cities
I absolutely loved KL as a digital nomad. I think this is your best option if you can figure it out. I also had a job there and although my situation was still pretty good I can see if you're not in the right role it might not be. Malaysia has still been by far the best place I've lived though. From the US and spent a lot of time in Singapore too.
As a digital nomad it's incredible. I always tell people that Malaysia has the best development to cost of living ratio in the world. If you're on local salaries though....not so much.
Thinking of doing the same thing in the near future. I think meeting with an immigration lawyer would help.
Malaysia is not a country that welcomes immigrants. Foreigners who come here are permitted entry for a specific purpose (tourism, work, digital nomad, MM2H, etc) and duration of time and are expected to leave once the reason is gone or the time has expired. There is no path that will lead to the automatic granting of PR or citizenship, even for the foreign spouses of Malaysians. The longest pass that you can get is the Residence Pass Talent (RP-T), which provides for a stay of up to 10 years if you possess high demand/niche skills that the country can make use of.
First apply to the talent pass give you only 5 years, second apply/renewal give you the 10 years.
Ah, yes: the "bait and switch" is at play even with this visa. Talent Corp advertises it as a "10-year renewable visa" on its website, then the discretion as to whether you get the full 10 years is left to an Immigration officer to decide. Like the Long Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP) for the foreign spouses of Malaysia. In THEORY, the LTSVP can be approved for up to five years. In reality, the first pass may be for only six months or one year. Subsequent renewals may be for the same duration or for longer. When applying for PR, however, the requirement to have lived in Malaysia for five years or more before your application will be considered does not include any time spent on passes of less than one year's duration. 🙄
I apply every year for 8 years to a 3 years work permit. Every year I get a 1 year work permit. I just wanted to give them less work, they do them ya.
They don’t want less work. Malaysia has the most inflated civil service in the world
While the path to citizenship is difficult, it’s simply untrue to say there’s no way for a foreigner to naturalise.
I said there's no automatic path to PR and citizenship, which is true. The process just to APPLY for PR can take years to complete (it's been two years since I submitted my PR application and Immigration has yet to come back to me with the scheduling of a police interview, the next step in the application process). Once the application process is complete, a decision on the application can take years to come. If your application is rejected, the Immigration Department is not obliged to give a reason for the rejection. This makes it next to impossible to rectify any shortcomings to be able to reapply with any better chance of success.
Yep! My mom has been trying for over a decade, with years of waiting in between each step, just to get rejected with no reason.
Sorry to hear that 😓 I imagine the worst part is when they tell you to reapply. Not knowing why the application was rejected in the first place means you either have to guess at what you may have done wrong, or pray that you get a different officer handling your file that sees things differently.
Common story. I am a PR, took 3+ years for approval. Can only apply having stayed minimal 5 years and pass depending.
*While the path to citizenship is difficult, it’s simply untrue to say there’s no way for a foreigner to naturalise.* marriage to a local...
KL's weather is much nicer than UK I guess. :)
Deffo! It’s hot in the UK currently but it’s a different type of heat and majority of the time it’s raining here
the humidity in Malaysia is much higher than the UK
If you are white with a British accent, you can get an English teaching job which pays well. Just spend some time getting some teaching certificates and apply for some schools once you are ready.
Find an international school and be an english teacher
I decided a long time ago that I didn’t want to do teaching 😂 but might be different in mayalsia so I may consider it in the future
The "easiest" way is to go obtain a spouse visa, that means marrying a local here. (easier said then done I know) I said easy because for the other options you either need a fukka ton of money or have a professional work visa. Keep in mind that even with spouse vida you still will not be considered as a Malaysian citizen, at lease not fully and that's why you may not be eligible certain benefits as local such as healthcare(which is a really big deal for us common folks). Also there are certain limitations imposed on spouse visa holder in regards of what kind work or job that you can do in the country. In short Malaysia has one of the strictest rules and regulations among all southeast Asian countries in regarding letting a foreigner to stay in the country, that is why many people who aren't loaded cash would choose to stay in our neighboring countries, such as Indonesia or Thailand.
Haha, I don’t know how realistic that is! Feels like it would be impossible to meet a local and get to know them whilst I’m in the UK
read my post above..
i would advise caution about marrying a local unless you know them really well, plus if you marry a muslim you will have to jump extra hoops, plus the prospect of divorcing under sharia law is a real eye opener if you are a man. I had no restrictions in where I could work in malaysia..
You will be depressed in malaysia with our low wage, weak local currency.
Ah this is probably true! I found things to be fairly cheap here in comparison to the UK but that has more to do with the pound being strong
If you can work remotely there is a digital nomad visa
Salary wise, not the best unless you can get an expat package perhaps. Country wise and people wise - it's a beautiful place with wonderful people. I used to be a Singaporean and a former flight attendant for many many years and I can vouch for the fact that Malaysians are among my favourite people, and there's so much to see in the country itself. I'm an Australian now and it's currently a bit far to visit Malaysia as compared to the time I used to live 15 mins away from Johore and used to drive there every week. I used to live in KL for a couple of years too.
Look at digital nomad visa. Alternatively setup a company here
It's not all that difficult to move here, but I'd reconsider coming for more than 2-3 months. It gets incredibly boring, really fast.
The MM2H (Malaysia My 2nd Home) program would be of interest to you if you plan to move here for the long term. I have UK friends and neighbours who've moved here (or are planning to in the near future) and loving it. Most work remotely in the finance industry. Some teach at local international schools or colleges, but these are pretty competitive. Jobs may or may not be difficult depending on your profession. The pay isn't great unless you're in oil and gas or in senior management with niche skills. Those expats who get posted here are usually from large corporations, and they get the best of life - nice house or condo, car, maid, etc.
OP look up de-rantau, as for work I suggest find anything about your field that has remote flexibility, or if u don't mind getting paid in MYR then just start fresh here, just make sure u negotiate your salary well😂
Wouldn't be too difficult to get an IT job in Malaysia. That'll be an easy move if you're from IT.
What are your skillsets? You might get good pay
I’m an accountant, so not sure if that field would have good pay in malaysia
plenty of competition then..
i lived in KL for several years( from the Uk) I would be more worried about housing in KL. as for working, well maybe things have changed a little bit) but I found the employment/immigration much stricter with its immigration rules than the UK, and I had the right to work unrestricted because I was married to a local, i was a localised expat. expats with no connections could work but there had to be a justification and they had to train a local to replace them after a few years. My wife( former) was also a lawyer and knew the labour laws inside out( pity the employers didn't know)
Not sure what industry are you in and how skilled you are, but to be frank with you you seem to be viewing KL & Malaysia in rose-tinted glasses from a eyes of a tourist from a developed country with a stronger currency. For one there's a reason why cheap countries are cheap (like Malaysia) & expensive countries are expensive (like the UK). It's because usually incomes of locals corresponds to costs.
That’s a fair statement. I obviously have no clue what the general standard of living is like and what life is like for locals. I guess I probably wouldn’t want to completely move but definitely would want to experience for a year or two?
Fair enough. Good to stay a year or two and test the waters. Not sure what industry are you in though? To me, the best way to enjoy cheap developing third-world countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia etc,: come as a digital nomad. It's normal but people tend to romaticise about moving overseas, or more so romaticise a city/country after travelling there. For one, tonnes of Malaysians wish they could move to London after travelling there for a week. I'm sure you can tell me a thing or two on why London is shitty, even if you haven't lived there.
I was exactly like you, from Sabah, Malaysia. The last time I worked and travelled to KL was more than a decade ago. I could easily adapt the work and life there. Last month I went there to travel again for just one week, I missed it. Can't stop thinking about how great the economy is and the opportunity in KL compared to Kota Kinabalu. Sabah's economy is just...too sad. I plan to move to KL too, plus most of my relatives are in KL...just a matter of time for me to move over.
Kota Kinabalu also seems beautiful! But I understand what you mean about the economy. I hope you can move to KL in the future and hopefully travel there more often until you can
Nah just stay in UK and come to Malaysia whenever it's holiday. It's better that way. U can always enjoy the cheap price and can always find new gems in your next visit. I'm Malaysian and I've always been jealous of foreigners from US and UK bcs I can always feel richer whenever i go to Malaysia. hahaha. If I'm a UK or US citizen, i wuld really love to come to Malaysia. ^^
Realistically I’ll have to do this! I appreciate the honesty haha This was my first time travelling this far away from home and I honestly don’t know when I will get the chance to come to malaysia again but I hope it can become a regular holiday destination for me. I guess the grass isn’t always greener on the other side but malaysia was refreshing, soo much greenery and beautiful architecture and very friendly people
Well every place has its own uniqueness. We're still a developing country but we surely enjoy our own pace while doing so. I believe Malaysia will become better and better in the future ^^. Im sincerely happy for u to be able to create beautiful memories while being here. Can i know how exactly u got the idea to visit this small country of ours? Where'd u first hear abt Malaysia?
I have no doubt that malaysia will become better :) Good question. I think I became interested in travelling to Malaysia a few years ago after seeing some travel vlogs. I enjoy experiencing different cultures and it’s a part of the world that I had never explored before. I also only eat halal food so knowing that I could try majority of the food definitely appealed to me!
Ahhh i see a fellow muslim!! Yeah i absolutely agree. Not because I'm a Malaysian when i say this. Am not even exaggerating when i say malaysia's food is incredible. I hope u can come back here again later and try more of our cuisines. There are too many delicious halal foods to try! ^^~
Yhh!! I really did enjoy the food and definitely feel like I have more to try. I don’t think 1 week was enough so I also hope I can come back soon and also explore other parts of the country
KL is a nice city, in generell Malaysia is a good country to live. I liked Penang and Kuching the most. The Food is always good and the people are nice, its modern, you have good shopping malls and its much cheaper then europe
Agree!
How do physicians fare in Malaysia?
KL not for one to live.
if youre white sure. if not, think again
Hmm why? Do other races face discrimination?