Work permit restrictions for young professionals

Yes, and you can get a work permit under 27 for non ICT as I have said lots of times - assuming Vagabond you are not a troll (you sound like one as you are trying to start an argument)

But getting a work permit this way is hard, takes extra paperwork and a higher fee and is very strict. My ex flat mate is 23 but she never posted on forums asking for help. She is very intelligent, hard working and a go getter. If you meet her you know she is exceptional, and she was educated in the west (which helps a little but not much these days - but she had to fight for that so shows guts). She networked to find a job here from Indonesia where she was an expat (she is Vietnamese). Actually work permits for skilled people are now EASIER and the ten year talent pass is a great idea that people are really getting easily if they meet the criteria.

She actually asked me, after attending an expat event, why there are so many young 'losers' from the west looking for jobs so passively in KL. Well exactly lots of "no skills, no value added, no go, no drive, no guts, no experience" types expecting Malaysia to employ them simply because they are western or have a business studies degree (so what? MBAs from overseas in London now clean toilets as only jobs available). If they had any sense they would get a job but alas that is the curse of the western youth. In Vietnam people still equate:

EFFORT+HARD WORK=SUCCESS

I don't blame the youth of today from the west, it is the fault of parents and educators that installed this attitude that they are always wonderful, never fail and pampered as little princes/princesses. Sorry times have changed and bound to get worse in UK/USA/Europe.

And I am being very positive about Malaysia. Malaysia is almost a first world country now, with well educated hard working people who don't need 'losers' from the west who can't jobs there to manage them. They do need still some specific skills in areas where there are shortages. And like all countries they want to export more and having some foreigners around is useful. But Malaysia looks after Malaysians first (quite rightly) and simple having a western education or white skin doesn't qualify you to be a manager here. That went out with the British empire!

I certainly understand that in Malaysia I am only here because I add value to Malaysia. I am a guest here and expect nothing, I have to give a lot to justify being allowed to stay here.

BTW lots of students in KL, tourists and those visiting for business reasons but not employed here. Lots of student tourists as well in vacation times. Older expats don't hang around much in the heat. "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun"

Dubai is a different story. Locals don't work all work done by expats. Like Romans who swanned around as slaves did the work. Getting work there is as easy as falling of a log.

I would like to say many positive things about Malaysia. What would you like me to say? Alternatively I could just tell the truth as I see it, but then will you get angry with me?

Ileenavan wrote:

VagabondNas wrote:

Hello everyone,

Before starting, Nemodot since I know you will be reading this please try to be a more positive lad about Malaysia and use better English. I've read enough of your comments in the Malaysia Forums and honesty I felt like I was reading the posts of a meth-head. Are you being paid to scare people off from ever visiting Malaysia? Because if you were it would make more sense than doing it for free! If you have anything (non-meth like & positive!) related to say please be my guest. I understand that the people you are advising are quite far off and your identity is anonymous but some basic manners should apply. Make us feel welcomed mate! .

I think what Nemodot were trying to say was to notice ahead of those who wanted to come there, to have some considerations. Not to made those people affraid to come & felt not welcome.
Besides giving illustrations based on facts, another things are making them rethink about the consecuences of being failed & become garbage of society if they still insists to come.

Actually I am trying to save them (unskilled.inexperienced) the waste of time and savings to come to Malaysia. Skilled professionals can get work permits easy these days. And these types will get jobs from overseas relatively easily. I could get ten job offers in a month in Malaysia if I wanted. I can quit my job with confidence as I am highly skilled. Expats have to earn their keep, not "live off" Malaysia.

Turning up looking for work is always a bad idea unless you are a trailing spouse and are highly skilled.

For manual workers - you MUST be employed overseas and brought in by the company. Never come looking for work it is illegal.

And I have seen the "wrong" skilled waste their savings despite being over 27, European/Western and experienced. It has to be an in demand skill!

Thanks for your insights Nemodot.

From what I understand, it is possible to work in a non-IT sector if you are under 27 and highly skilled, though it is very difficult, expensive and you should have a skill/skills and experience which are in demand.

With regards to Free Zones/Economic Free Zones, do they exist in Malaysia?

In the UAE, locals work and they are extremely well paid. Yes you do have many who are being given the opportunity but do not want to take it because they are already well off (just as in getting welfare), but I say confidently that most, if not all my Emirati friends from high school are having good jobs in reputable companies with career progression. Many of them are working for other companies even though they have family businesses and are well-off. Unfortunately the spoiled bad apples driving around in Lamborghinis are usually given more publicity.

Yes, Dubai does have many opportunities right now for expats and the UAE is a tax-free country. However it's not as easy as it was before. It's become quite competitive with highly skilled & qualified professionals from all over the world. There are over 2 million Indian nationals in the UAE. Many of them are highly qualified professionals who dominate industries such as Retail & FMCG, IT, Finance & Accounting, Audit etc. This means that you need a proven competitive advantage if you want a salary higher than what they would pay someone else who asks for less. Yes you can land a job here but to get a well-paid position in a reputable company, experience does count. Of course with a bit of luck you can land a well-paid job if it is highly in demand and the company has no time to look for more candidates

I have also noticed from my recent visit that there were a few Arabs in KL. I only met a group of students but are there any expat Arabs? Which areas do they usually live/work in?

Hi there are 50,000 (official no. prob more) Iranians in KL. Many students. These are Arabic looking. But for them it is getting very hard to get work. Known a lot leave recently as no jobs.

As you observed even the "easy get a job " UAE is flooded with people looking for jobs as the western economies are only ticking over due to banana republic printing money schemes (called QE these days). Many Indians lost their jobs in California and UK. When I was back in UK in 2008 met my first unemployed Indian IT worker (I thought it would never happen). Then tens of thousands got sacked and they left, all looking for work around the world. It all adds up to over supply of skilled labour. MBAs and graduates in the west drift around looking for  a purpose in life - met loads last summer while traveling in Europe, Same old story. No jobs. One Girl I met who runs a Costa coffee in London had 500 (yes FIVE HUNDRED) applications for a single job on minimum wage. She threw away 400 without looking and went through 100.

Why don't you become an English Teacher with the British Council? You can travel around the world and if you get to the higher grades can get GBP40k-50k annual salary, especially as a country manager or regional manager. Seems like an easy way to earn a decent salary. If you reach the higher levels like my friend in China you can even get diplomatic status.

Funny you mentioned that Mike, I always wanted to be an English teacher since I was in school! Well, mainly because the coolest were the English teachers and the English language was pretty much all I really learned in school

I would be terrible and clueless when it comes to teaching though. I get really confused when it comes to grammar, spelling and pronunciation because throughout my years here I was educated in British, American & Canadian curricula! On top of that my accent can be closest described as Arabeezi Amreeki which is definitely not the standard British or American, haha

That being said I think it would be better to leave teaching English to the British (or native English speakers). However, I would be honored to teach anyone who asks for my version of 'jumbled-up new-age Dubai English'

Hahaha... that's interesting. I remember when I got this BACS Scholarship in London to study Mandarin in Taiwan at the MTC in the Taiwan National Normal University for a year, most of us also taught English for extra pocket money. I taught at the Taiwan Political University and a couple of celebrities and at some trading companies. But there was this Italian girl with coke bottle glasses, she could hardly speak English at all, but she still taught English and passed herself off as an American, and got away with it. But I guess the British Council have higher standards 

Places like Malaysia and Singapore probably would need a higher standard and the relevant certificates, but some other countries in the area might not be so fussy. I know that about 6-7 years or so ago, you could pick up a franchise for "English First" for about Rp100 million (that's about RM28k) in Indonesia and have your own English Teaching School but I would imagine the cost has gone up quite a bit since then.

Wow, she really pulled it off huh? Quite an interesting experience! Do you speak Mandarin? I took a basic course a few months ago and plan on continuing, I find it to be such an aesthetic language (especially written, it's art!).

All in all I still have a couple of weeks left to decide on my destination. To me Malaysia is an exciting place, KL is a bustling city and it's neighbors are also beautiful, peaceful countries so it's definitely on top of my list. However, I am yet to visit China & Hong Kong and cannot judge what is the best place for a person like myself to settle.

Yes I speak Mandarin, my spoken is fine but my written and reading has been lost a bit since I never use it anymore. I used to read and write both simplified and traditional characters when I was younger.

I lived in Hong Kong for 7 years too. It's the most dynamic and exciting place in Asia but it's more expensive to live there than Malaysia or Indonesia. Malaysia is like a sleepy village in comparison. In my opinion, in Malaysia you can make a lowish salary, but in Hong Kong there is the potential to earn a big salary and to start your own business as long as you have the brains and the drive. It's an incredible place. I had a couple of jobs there for about three years and then started my own buying office/export company.