Latest news with #XpatsGateway
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
BOOSTING GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS
IN A significant stride towards integrated workforce recruitment, Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd (TalentCorp), a strategic think tank under the Human Resources Ministry (Kesuma), has rolled out a centralised digital ecosystem to streamline expatriate talent hiring procedures. The new system integrates the MYFutureJobs platform and Foreign Workers Integrated Management System (ePPAx) into Xpats Gateway, simplifying the approval process for employers and strengthening Malaysia's digital governance. This strategic move aims to streamline the process of connecting global talent with local opportunities, promising greater efficiency for businesses and clearer pathways for international professionals looking to navigate the Malaysian job market. It creates a more cohesive and structured ecosystem for talent acquisition, making it simpler for local businesses to tap into a global pool of skilled individuals. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said that this move reflects the country's commitment to improving regulatory coherence. The improved system marks the operationalisation of an automatically synchronised and end-to-end digital expatriate approval ecosystem. 'By streamlining the process, we are re-engineering and advancing government service delivery, raising productivity and reinforcing Malaysia as a competitive, investment-ready economy,' he said during a media briefing held at Sofitel Kuala Lumpur in Bukit Damansara on July 7. 'Integrating these platforms creates seamless, automated connectivity, making it a one-stop channel for businesses and employers.' He added that key regulatory requirements have been merged into the new Xpats Gateway system – Section 60K of the Employment Act 1955, regulated by the Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department (JTKSM), and the MYFutureJobs acknowledgement letter, administered by the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso). Coordinating through digitalisation Launched two years ago by TalentCorp, Xpats Gateway is a single-window online platform for expatriate application procedures, connecting 26 regulatory bodies and approving agencies. The integration of MYFutureJobs and ePPAx within the system went live on July 1. Previously, employers had to navigate their applications on three separate platforms – MYFutureJobs, ePPAx and Xpats Gateway – with varying approvals that took months to complete. Now, the newly integrated system offers key improvements, such as: > Eliminating redundancies: Companies can streamline processes, reducing repetitive data entry by 70%. > Shortening approval timelines: JTKSM and MYFutureJobs applications can be submitted concurrently, with processing times reduced to 10 working days each. > Enabling greater transparency and fraud prevention: Employers can track application status in real time, and all data and documents are sourced directly from official systems, reducing the risk of fraudulent submissions. Since its launch on July 1, Sim said that approximately 100 local organisations have used the new integrated system, with some already receiving first-stage approvals. He added that the system is expected to reduce turnaround times for application approvals to within 20 days. Sim also highlighted that there is on-arrival support for expatriates at the Expatriate Satellite Centres (ESC) in KLIA 1 and 2, facilitating employers and foreign talent to begin the employment process as soon as they land. 'Previously, employers had to take expatriates to their temporary accommodations until they received their expatriate Employment Pass (EP), before commencing work – which could take up to a month,' said Sim. 'Now, with the ESCs, the moment an expatriate lands in Malaysia, they will receive their EP and can start work immediately, if needed. This saves employers and hirers nearly RM500mil in annual expatriate support. 'That's what we're trying to do, increase the efficiency of service and reduce costs, so that companies can conduct their business effectively.' The Ministry's deputy secretary-general (policy and international) Dr Mohd Shaharin Umar said this system will improve public sector efficiency and aid the country in identifying and filling skill gaps. 'This integration is part of the government's initiative to provide a more holistic hiring ecosystem. It is the first step in our long-term plan,' he said. 'Having a centralised data repository will make it easier for us to address any skill mismatches and fill gaps, while also improving local employability prospects through reskilling and upskilling initiatives.' With approximately 100,000 expatriate applications annually, Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban added that the integration will shorten processing times for expatriate EP approval, facilitating a growing and more progressive economy. 'This collaboration is an example of a whole-of-government approach to strengthening investor confidence, upholding national security and delivering more trustworthy and transparent public services,' said Zakaria. 'Based on recent statistics, there has been an increase in expatriates, with over 138,000 currently in the country. 'This is an indication that we are headed towards a more successful economy, and that business opportunities are increasing, which is why the need for hiring expatriates has increased.' Enhancing global competitiveness The initiative also seeks to support the country's competitiveness as a global investment destination, benefitting employers, government agencies, citizens and expatriates. TalentCorp group chief executive officer Thomas Mathew said the move not only reduces redundancies but will also enhance Malaysia's global competitiveness. 'We live in a world which is very competitive and a region that is even more so. Moving forward, we will look at how we can further improve the process,' he said. 'One aspect we are looking at is integrating artificial intelligence (AI) processing in Xpats Gateway. AI can assess and process data and documents at a faster rate, making it easier to conduct business in the country, attract more foreign investments, create more high-skilled jobs for our youth and ultimately grow the economy.' Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) chief executive Sheikh Farouk Sheikh Mohamed echoed Mathew's statements, highlighting that the digitalised system will improve the ease of doing business for companies. 'We live in the era of AI, and we can't run away from it. With the current global economic standards and rising costs of business, we have to embrace digitalisation. 'Doing so will increase the productivity level of the economy and reduce the cost of furthering business opportunities,' he said. European Chamber of Commerce (Eurocham) Malaysia chief executive officer Karl Godderis added that strategic improvements like this enhance competition with other developing nations, positioning Malaysia as an ideal destination for expatriates. 'Malaysia is not the only country in the region vying for investor attention. You have to compete for it,' he said. 'In the last few years, the country has been successful in attracting more foreign direct investment thanks to the increase in knowledge transfer. 'Knowledge transfer requires the mobility of people, so this initiative – which enables a much faster and transparent transfer process to move people – is a smart move in promoting Malaysia as a global investment destination. 'We live in a time where time-effectiveness is paramount, and investors expect no less.' Meanwhile, Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) deputy director-general Dr Mohamad Norjayadi Tamam said Xpats Gateway is a key enabler of the Madani Economy framework, as it aligns with national goals to position Malaysia among the world's top 12 most competitive economies by 2033. 'Through this initiative, we have already seen sector-related improvements in terms of efficiency, which has increased business productivity as well,' he said. 'By having this centralised system, we provide a platform for everyone involved to identify how we can further improve. With continuous enhancements, we will be on course to achieve the aspiration of our Madani economy.' He added that this efficient and modern approach to workforce approvals has already made an impact on the country, as Malaysia rose 11 spots to the 23rd position in the 2025 IMD World Competitiveness Rankings, driven by improvements in business efficiency and digital readiness.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Expat job approvals within 20 days via new integrated platform
Human resources minister Steven Sim said 100 companies submitted applications and one company received approval within a week of the launch of Xpats Gateway. (TalentCorp pic) KUALA LUMPUR : A new integrated platform will reduce the time it takes to approve employment pass applications for expatriates from months previously to just 20 working days, says human resources minister Steven Sim. Sim said Xpats Gateway now integrates the processes involving the labour department's Integrated Foreign Workers Management System (ePPAx), MYFutureJobs, and the immigration department's expatriate services division. 'The fully integrated system now consolidates the previously fragmented processes under the labour department, the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso), and the immigration department's expatriate services division into a single end-to-end platform. 'Previously, employers had to submit documents across the three different portals and agencies, with the approval process taking four to six months,' he said at a media briefing today. Sim said employers will no longer have to upload documents and fill in forms on three different platforms, and that the platform was expected to reduce their administrative costs by up to 70%. He said that in the first week since the platform's launch, 100 companies had submitted employment applications through the system. 'One of them received the approval in seven days, well within the new 20-day benchmark. That is a lot of time and manpower saved. What used to be a 180-day wait has now been cut to a shorter period,' he said. Sim commended Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd (TalentCorp) for leading the platform's development and integration, saying the platform was made in-house. 'TalentCorp's delivery of this platform internally reflects the strength of talent within our public sector, while ensuring sensitive data remains secure and governed within Malaysia,' he said. Immigration director-general Zakaria Shaaban voiced support for the integrated platform, saying it would shorten processing time while ensuring transparent documentation in approving expat job passes. 'This collaboration between the home ministry (through the immigration department) and the human resources ministry is an example of a whole-of-government approach to strengthen investor confidence, uphold national security, and deliver more trustworthy and transparent public services,' he said.
Barnama
2 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
Xpats Gateway's Success Proves Effectiveness Of Bureaucratic Reforms
KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- The success of the Xpats Gateway platform in shortening the processing period of Employment Passes (EP) proves the effectiveness of the Bureaucratic Red-Tape reforms in improving the overall quality of government service delivery. Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC) director-general Datuk Zahid Ismail said the platform reflected the government's successful overall approach in translating policies into high impact actions. 'This is the best choice on how reform is coordinated well to provide direct benefits to the economy and the public,' he said in a statement today.
The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Xpats Gateway integration streamlines expat approvals, strengthens Malaysia's business environment
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has completed a major step forward in expatriate talent management with the integration of MYFutureJobs and ePPAx hiring requirements into Xpats Gateway, simplifying the approval process for employers and strengthening the country's digital governance. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said the move reflects Malaysia's commitment to raising productivity, improving regulatory coherence and enhancing the ease of doing business. 'Xpats Gateway brings together the core departments and agencies under the Human Resources Ministry (Kesuma) to deliver a more efficient and business-friendly system,' said Sim. 'By streamlining processes across PERKESO, Peninsular Malaysia Labour department (JTKSM) and TalentCorp, we are advancing rekayasa (re-engineering) in government service delivery, raising productivity and reinforcing Malaysia's position as a competitive, investment-ready economy.' He commended TalentCorp for leading the platform's development and integration, noting that the work was delivered in-house. "TalentCorp's delivery of this platform internally reflects the strength of talent within our public sector, while ensuring sensitive data remains secure and governed within Malaysia,' he added. Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said that the department supports the integration of the ePPAx and MYFutureJobs requirements into the Xpats Gateway platform. This integration is expected to shorten processing times and enable transparent and integrity-driven documentation in the approval of Expatriate Employment Passes in Malaysia. 'This collaboration between the Home Affairs Ministry through the Immigration Department, and Kesuma is an example of a whole-of-government approach to strengthening investor confidence, upholding national security, and delivering more trustworthy and transparent public services,' he added. With this integration, employers can now meet mandatory Employment Act requirements as governed by JTKSM and obtain MYFutureJobs acknowledgment letters by PERKESO, all within Xpats Gateway. These initial steps are mandatory for all expatriate hires, regardless of sector. Launched in June 2023, Xpats Gateway was developed by TalentCorp as a single-window platform to streamline expatriate application procedures. It connects 26 regulatory and approving agencies across government. The integration of MYFutureJobs and ePPAx for mandatory regulations requirements, which went live on July 1, marks the operationalisation of Malaysia's end-to-end digital expatriate approval ecosystem. With this integration: > Redundancies are eliminated: ESD-registered companies can streamline their processes, reducing repetitive data entry by up to 70%. > Approval timelines are shortened: Processing time for JTKSM and MYFutureJobs approvals is reduced to 10 working days each. Applications can be submitted concurrently, improving overall efficiency. > Greater transparency and fraud prevention: The Client Charter now provides clearer timelines and employers can track application status in real time. All data and documents are sourced directly from official systems, reducing the risk of fraudulent submissions. The initiative was delivered in close collaboration with the Home Affairs Ministry, the Immigration Department, the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) and TalentCorp under Kesuma. For more information, visit .
Malaysian Reserve
07-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Xpats Gateway Integration Streamlines Expat Approvals, Strengthens Malaysia's Business Environment
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Malaysia has completed a major step forward in expatriate talent management with the integration of MYFutureJobs and ePPAx hiring requirements into Xpats Gateway, simplifying the approval process for employers and strengthening the country's digital governance. Announcing the development today, Minister of Human Resources YB Steven Sim Chee Keong said the move reflects Malaysia's commitment to raising productivity, improving regulatory coherence, and enhancing the ease of doing business. 'Xpats Gateway brings together the core departments and agencies under the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) to deliver a more efficient and business-friendly system,' said YB Steven Sim. 'By streamlining processes across PERKESO, JTKSM, and TalentCorp, we are advancing rekayasa in government service delivery, raising productivity, and reinforcing Malaysia's position as a competitive, investment-ready economy.' He also commended TalentCorp for leading the platform's development and integration, noting that the work was delivered in-house. 'TalentCorp's delivery of this platform internally reflects the strength of talent within our public sector, while ensuring sensitive data remains secure and governed within Malaysia,' he added. Director-General of the Immigration Department, YBhg. Dato' Zakaria bin Shaaban, stated that the Immigration Department of Malaysia supports the integration of the ePPAx and MYFutureJobs requirements into the Xpats Gateway platform. This integration is expected to shorten processing times and enable transparent and integrity-driven documentation in the approval of Expatriate Employment Passes in Malaysia. 'This collaboration between the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) through the Immigration Department, and KESUMA is an example of a whole-of-government approach to strengthening investor confidence, upholding national security, and delivering more trustworthy and transparent public services,' he added. Fulfilling Key Regulatory Requirements With this integration, employers can now meet mandatory Employment Act requirements as governed by JTKSM, and obtain MYFutureJobs acknowledgment letters by PERKESO, all within Xpats Gateway. These initial steps are mandatory for all expatriate hires, regardless of sector. Digitising And Coordinating Across Government Launched in June 2023, Xpats Gateway was developed by TalentCorp as a single-window platform to streamline expatriate application procedures. It connects 26 regulatory and approving agencies across government. The integration of MYFutureJobs and ePPAx for mandatory regulations requirements, which went live on 1 July 2025, marks the operationalisation of Malaysia's end-to-end digital expatriate approval ecosystem. With this integration: a. Redundancies are eliminated: ESD-registered companies can streamline their processes, reducing repetitive data entry by up to 70%. b. Approval timelines are shortened: Processing time for JTKSM and MYFutureJobs approvals is reduced to 10 working days each. Applications can be submitted concurrently, improving overall efficiency. c. Greater transparency and fraud prevention: The Client Charter now provides clearer timelines, and employers can track application status in real time. All data and documents are sourced directly from official systems (e.g. Companies Commission of Malaysia, JTKSM, PERKESO), reducing the risk of fraudulent submissions. The initiative was delivered in close collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN), the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM), the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC), and TalentCorp under KESUMA. Malaysia's streamlined approach to workforce approvals is already making an impact. The country rose 11 spots in the 2025 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, driven by improvements in business efficiency and digital readiness. Xpats Gateway is a key enabler of the MADANI Economy framework, which aims to position Malaysia among the world's top 12 most competitive economies by 2033. For more information, visit
