Malaysia to ease work restrictions on expats' spouses, but will it make a difference?

For some expatriate families, a spouse's inability to find work can be a deal-breaker.

Aqil Haziq Mahmud 02 Nov 2026 06:00AM (Updated: 02 Nov 2026 11:23AM) Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST KUALA LUMPUR: Joshua Webley has seen some expatriate families’ carefully planned move to Malaysia crumble within months.

Webley, who is from the United Kingdom and has lived and worked in Kuala Lumpur for more than three years, helps expats relocate to Malaysia and navigate life in the country.

According to Webley, some expat families leave after just three months because a "trailing spouse" - the spouse of an expat with a job offer in Malaysia - could not find work in Malaysia despite having successful careers abroad.

“They can have every box ticked,” he told CNA, referring to how these families might have settled issues like moving their belongings and pets, and finding property and schools in Malaysia.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less “But as soon as it comes to the point where life actually settles down and they realise that they can't find jobs, they've been leaving.”

This is what Malaysia is trying to change in a bid to attract and retain talent.

In his budget speech in October, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that spouses of expatriates holding a Category 1 employment pass will be allowed to work in Malaysia from Jan 1, 2027, subject to conditions.

Expats must earn at least RM20,000 (US$4,900) a month to qualify for a Category 1 employment pass, the highest in Malaysia’s three-tier expat visa scheme.

Currently, expatriates' spouses who wish to work in Malaysia generally need an employer to sponsor a separate employment pass, requiring them to give up their dependant pass.

The new policy is expected to allow eligible spouses to work while retaining their dependant pass, although the government has yet to announce the full terms and conditions.

Anwar said the upcoming work provision for spouses is aimed at ensuring Malaysia “remains an attractive destination for top talent without requiring their spouses to sacrifice their careers”.