
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has taken a significant step forward in expatriate talent management through the integration of MYFutureJobs and ePPAx hiring requirements into Xpats Gateway, streamlining approval procedures for employers and strengthening the nation’s digital governance framework.
Present at the announcement were Steven Sim Chee Keong, Minister of KESUMA, alongside key officials including Sheikh Farouk, CEO of MEF; Thomas Mathew, GCEO of TalentCorp; Dr Mohd Shaharin, Deputy Secretary-General of KESUMA; Dato' Zakaria, Deputy Director-General of the Immigration Department; Dr Norjayadi, Director General of MPC; and Karl Godderis, CEO of EuroCham.
Minister of Human Resources, Steven Sim Chee Keong, highlighted that this development underscores Malaysia’s commitment to increasing productivity, enhancing regulatory coherence, and simplifying the business environment.
"Xpats Gateway consolidates the key departments and agencies under the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) to deliver a more efficient and business-friendly system," he explained.
"By streamlining processes across PERKESO, JTKSM, and TalentCorp, we are driving reform in government service delivery, boosting productivity, and reinforcing Malaysia’s reputation as a competitive, investment-ready economy."
He also praised TalentCorp for leading the platform’s development and integration, emphasising that the work was accomplished internally.
"TalentCorp’s in-house development reflects the strength of talent within our public sector, while ensuring that sensitive data remains secure and governed domestically," he added.
Dato' Zakaria Shaaban, Director-General of the Immigration Department, affirmed the Department’s support for integrating ePPAx and MYFutureJobs requirements into Xpats Gateway. This integration aims to reduce processing times and promote transparent, integrity-driven handling of expatriate employment passes.
"This collaboration between the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN), through the Immigration Department, and KESUMA exemplifies a whole-of-government approach to bolstering investor confidence, safeguarding national security, and providing trustworthy, transparent public services," he stated.
With this integration, employers can now fulfil mandatory requirements under the Employment Act, overseen by JTKSM, and obtain acknowledgment letters from MYFutureJobs via PERKESO—all within Xpats Gateway. These initial steps are obligatory for all expatriate hires, across all sectors.
Launched in June 2023, Xpats Gateway was developed by TalentCorp as a single-window platform to streamline expatriate application processes. It connects 26 regulatory and approval agencies across government. The integration of MYFutureJobs and ePPAx, which went live on 1 July 2025, marks the realisation of Malaysia’s comprehensive digital expatriate approval ecosystem.
This integration eliminates redundancies by allowing ESD-registered companies to reduce repetitive data entry by up to 70%. It also shortens approval timelines, with processing times for JTKSM and MYFutureJobs approvals now reduced to 10 working days each, and applications can be submitted concurrently to improve efficiency.
Additionally, the process enhances transparency and fraud prevention, the Client Charter now provides clearer timelines, and employers can track application statuses in real time. All data and documents are sourced directly from official systems such as the Companies Commission of Malaysia, JTKSM, and PERKESO, reducing the risk of fraudulent submissions.
This initiative was delivered through close collaboration between the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Immigration Department, Malaysia Productivity Corporation, and TalentCorp under KESUMA.
Malaysia’s streamlined approach to workforce approvals is already making an impact, as evidenced by the country’s rise of 11 places in the 2025 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, driven by improvements in business efficiency and digital readiness. Xpats Gateway is a vital component of the MADANI Economy framework, which aims to position Malaysia among the world’s top 12 most competitive economies by 2033.
Source: https://www.nabalunews.com/post/xpats-gateway-integration-improves-expatriate-approvals-strengthens-malaysia-s-business-climate