Part-time job while studying?

Can I work part-time if I am a foreign student studying in Malaysia?

If you have ever thought of this question, then this article is for you!

All international students studying at public or private higher education institutions are allowed to work part-time for a maximum of 20 hours per week ONLY during semester breaks or holidays of more than 7 days at restaurants, petrol kiosks, mini markets and hotels as long as their student passes remain valid. Please note that prior approval from the Department of Immigration is required.

International students are NOT permitted to work as cashiers. In addition, in the hotel sector, international students are NOT allowed to work as singers, masseurs, musicians or GROs (Guest Relation Officers). International students are not allowed to engage in any job or activity deemed to be immoral.

Applications to work part time must be made through the educational institution at which the international students are enrolled. The international student needs to be present with the representative of the education institution at the Immigration Department of Malaysia in order to submit an application for part time work.

7 Comments
  1. Asif Mak 7 years ago

    I lost my passport while my VAL on old passport was already isssued , now i have submitted new passport to emgs on 20 december when i will get the new VAL

  2. Tousif Hossain 7 years ago

    It’s appriciatable

  3. chemseddine chouiter 7 years ago

    Is this available for both part-time and full-time studying ?

  4. Muad MZ 7 years ago

    Not sure how this requirement would work because it is going to be a huge burden for the University or other educational institutions to send someone to immigration each time with the student to apply for this. Imagine having 200 or more students during holiday season? Is this even feasible? In any modern country, the immigration should look at who are their customers. In this case it is the foreign students who spend thousands of ringgits in Malaysia that helps Malaysian economy as well as small businesses that they buy their daily meals and spend their living expenses on. So it is important to make sure everything is easy for them. This means the process from A to Z. Look at New Zealand or Australia as examples. They are at the moment 100% better than any Asian or Muslim country in their immigration policies, friendliness and customer care. This is unfortunate, but true.

    How do you make sure that everything is streamlined to make it easy for students? You need to come together and brainstorm the students journey from the beginning until he/she get their part time work approval. Once u know every step, see if u can break it down further. Once you have done this, go through each step again and see what are the hardships that the students will most likely face. If you are not a foreign student, please don’t think you are the customer. Ask foreign students using face to face surveys in addition to online “anonymous” surveys, to get your answers.

    Once you have done this thoroughly, you will know the pain and hardship faced by those who choose Malaysia over many other countries, then you will have a chance to address, tackle and solve each problem one at a time.

    Today’s modern world is all about making things easy for people. Especially those who are the ones spending their hard earned money in your business, community or country. Every business that wants to survive and move forward in the future understands this as a top priority. Developed countries have been doing this for many years, while few developing countries has made the effort to improve their customer service industry. Customer service is the front face and initiatial contact for any business. For a country, it is their immigration that is the first initial contact with any foreign person, student or family that wants to visit it. If the immigration as a whole does not make it a priority to revamp their customer service, it can never catch up with the developed countries. At this moment Malaysian Airport immigration as well as visa extension for foreigners in Malaysia do not have the best record. One just needs to search online or ask expats privately on this. Most Malaysians do not know the hardship of foreign expats including students in Malaysia since they do not ever have to face their own immigration officers in the same position as an expat would.

    We all look forward for Malaysia to become a successful modern and developed Muslim nation.

    • Namal Wijewardana 10 months ago

      True and still they don’t have any policies as we are fellow students who have been spending here with the tuitions fees and help the small and large business to grow with our money, what do we gain from this , nothing. I hear lots of comments from the foreign student that they even cannot afford to pay the rent or the tuition fees as they have no ways to have their own money as they cannot find any jobs and basically all the applications are rejected since you are not a local. If some one sees these comments please give some credits to the students who have spend thousands of dollars to come and study in this country

  5. […] International students in Malaysia are allowed to work part-time. Firstly, make sure you have a valid student pass. You will be needing approval from the Department of Immigration, Malaysia. You can work up to 20 hours during your school holidays that are more than 7 days. You will find more details here.  […]

  6. atik hasan 1 year ago

    I am student elite international college I want to do part time job

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