Webley noted that with the change, spouses would likely not have to go through the arduous process of finding employers who are willing to cancel their dependant pass before sponsoring a separate employment pass.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean that every single spouse is now going to be employed … but it is going to move a lot of barriers,” he said, calling for HR departments to be trained on handling the new policy.
STANDING OUT
For instance, a recruiter who has helped companies hire executives across Southeast Asia recounted how an expat had previously turned down a role in Malaysia because of employment restrictions on the trailing spouse.
With the latest change, the expat – who works for a German firm with regional operations in Kuala Lumpur – is considering Malaysia again, said Alex Berghofen, a managing partner at HR consultancy contagi.
“They have children and see Malaysia as offering more flexibility at this stage of their lives,” he told CNA.
Berghofen feels the move could make Malaysia “one of the most attractive destinations” in the region for dual-career expat couples.
Singapore already allows spouses of expats holding the Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass to work, he pointed out.
But to qualify for this pass through the employment category, expats must earn at least S$30,000 a month, “much higher” than Malaysia’s minimum salary requirement for its Category 1 employment pass, he said.
“If Malaysia makes its process simpler, that would give Singapore a run for its money,” Berghofen wrote about the move in a separate post on LinkedIn.
“And with more jobs moving to Malaysia, this could be a game changer.”
