Settle and find a job in Kuching

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HadrienA Member

Member since 20 November 2017

HadrienAMember02 February 2018 03:25:43

Hello to all,

I'm a french 28 old man, I' m currently living in Cambodia, but I would like to settle in Kuching this year, I already visited the city several time and really felt in love with Sarawak and its wonderful people.
I currently work as a business and marketing developer for fair trade handicrafts ngos/scosial enterprises and have a substantial background in fashion management & marketing in an eminent french fashion house .

I start to look at the job opportunity there through various websites, but looks very limited, I guess most of the offers are located in the peninsula... Maybe I don't know all the useful tools for seeking job as expat in Borneo . If you have some advice, that would be awesome. Merci Beaucoup!

Hadrien.

Chris ViP

Member since 08 June 2015

ChrisViP02 February 2018 07:01:10

1858

Hi Hadrien and welcome to Expat.com

While waiting for other members feedback, I suggest you to read the articles in the work section of the Living in Malaysia guide to gather more information.

Best of luck

Chris
Expat.com

cinnamonape VIP Member

Member since 04 February 2018

cinnamonapeVIP Member27 February 2018 02:55:03

715

Dear Hadrien,

I am a Sarawak My Second Home Visa holder. You are doing some very interesting things which might be useful for Sarawakiens to go into partnership with you. and that might be the direction you might want to take.

I should point out that it is quite difficult to obtain a position working for someone else in Sarawak. Even Peninsular Malaysians must obtain a work permit, and certainly most foreigners do...the exception being spouses of Sarawak natives or those with specialized and unique backgrounds. But you'd have to find a sponsor, and they would have to justify your work permit based on your unique background.

There are a number of contemporary fashion designers that might be interested in your skills
Tom Abang Saufi (real titled name Date' Dayang Fatimah Abang Saufi) could be best characterized as Sarawak-influenced Malay or Islamic chic. SHE (yes "Tom" is a she) uses batik. She mainly works out of KL but does have a shop in Merdeka Plaza in Kuching. habsahsaufi@gmial.com

Raymond and Aaron Von Jolly use Malay batik to transform contemporary design. They've been called the "Fashion Princes of Malaysian Contemporary Batik" again HQ in L vonjolly@yahoo.com www.shavalvonjolly.com

Edric Ong is still local. He focuses on the use of natural fibers and dyes, including rattan buttons. He has a specialized silk called Put-Kumbu and has received awards and grants from a variety of NGO's and galleries afar afield as Seattle, NY, Zurich and London. edricong@gmail.com www.edricong.com

Jamilah Shukri is the creator of the Anggun Collection which promotes Sarawakian design motifs. Her designs have been displayed in Japan and Australia. jamilah.anggun@gmail.com www.angguncollection.com.my

Jacqueline Fong incorporates the traditional Malay brocade embroidery "singlet" into her designs. jacquelinefong@gmail.com www.tanoticrafts.com

Dr. June Ago Siok Kheng promotes traditional singlet weaving and other textiles at the Unimas (University Malaysia Sarawak in Kota Samarahan. jong@faca.unimas.my or junenski@gmail.com

Winnie Wong is a specialist in hand-painted silk batik utilizing various stylized forms of the hornbill in baju or kebab, scarves, and neckties. winniehii@gmail.com

Perhaps sending your CV and inquiring of them might give you a lead.

When you turn 50, provided you have enough external income to support yourself you can join the Sarawak My Second Home program - you can't work domestically on that visa (though you can invest and manage- or work on-line).

Good luck.

Jerry

HadrienA Member

Member since 20 November 2017

HadrienAMember27 February 2018 10:09:28

Wow, i was not expecting that much, a thousand thanks for all these precious informations, you seem to know quite a lot about the sector, are you working in related fields? In any case, I will contact them and see! Merci beaucoup!
Hadrien.

cinnamonape VIP Member

Member since 04 February 2018

cinnamonapeVIP Member27 February 2018 12:24:25

715

No I'm definitely NOT in the creative fashion field. I'm a bit of a schlump...actually. My profession takes me into ditches and caves filled with bat guano...so almost 180• from the fashion/modeling cosmos.

I have been to a couple of fashion presentations here in Kuching with some of the above designers and heard talks by them. Most of the information I cribbed from the "Guide To Sarawak-Essential Information for Business and Pleasure".

Best of luck in finding a way to stay here and do business/work. It's quite a task as I suggested due to the protective employment market. It's somewhat like how Europe was before the EU. And how the US is :-( with the Green Card program. You can stay 3 months at a time and "visa hop" with a few weeks out. And you could buy textiles and sell them outside (maybe back in Europe). Maybe acting as an agent would be the way to do this? Or perhaps you could provide access to certain textiles or fabrics that local artists want? They could order from you when you are outside and you could deliver to them. Barter?

I don't know enough about this to know...

mithilaraahman New member

Member since 24 April 2022

mithilaraahmanNew member24 April 2022 19:34:42

@cinnamonape hello, as you are under SMM2H visa. What is your experiences about Kuching, Sarawak ? Is it safe in all sector ? I have been there 7 years ago for 1 month, it was amazing. Pls share your experiences. And also want to know under processing of SMM2H visa, can I stay there ?

mithilaraahman New member

Member since 24 April 2022

mithilaraahmanNew member24 April 2022 19:35:44

@HadrienA hello, did you got job in Sarawak ?

cinnamonape VIP Member

Member since 04 February 2018

cinnamonapeVIP Member25 April 2022 03:20:59

715

@mithilaraahman Kuching is one of the safest cities in one of the safest states in Malaysia. People leave their fishing tackle out on the waterfront and come back an hour later to get the fish on the line. One time someone had their gear stolen and it made front page news in the Borneo Post. The main theft issues are cars. Some money-lender (gang) violence. Spousal abuse and child abuse is probably the biggest violent crime issue and it's small (or well hidden, as everywhere). Can't imagine how they'd have a detective TV show based here. It would resemble "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" stories by Alexander McCall Smith rather than "Hawaii Five-0". Main crimes seem to be scams, gambling, and girls getting caught in karaoke and massage places without work visas (and doing other things, it's assumed).

If one is doing business in Malaysia there is something called the Labuan Business Visa that requires a small amount of paid-up capital, some fees (which pays for a drop-box in Labuan (an island near Brunei and Sabah) and some "staff") Frankly I don't know how it works in detail but it allows one to live in Malaysia (with dependents) year-to-year and do certain types of work. Some prefer it to MM2H or Sarawak MM2H, though both of the latter allow "offshore" work, too.

cinnamonape VIP Member

Member since 04 February 2018

cinnamonapeVIP Member25 April 2022 04:16:53

715

Sarawak MM2H is very, very different from the Federal (or Peninsula) MM2H.

The latter cannot be used to live long-term in Sarawak or Sabah, although (oddly) one can live in the Peninsula (but not Sabah) on the Sarawak MM2H. Many people do.

After some "reforms" of last year the MM2H has become so expensive and difficult (with no improvements in benefits...it got worse)...that everyone is applying to Sarawak. MM2H (Federal) now requires one to meet ALL these requirements 1) US$375,000 in offshore liquid assets; 2) US$250,000 in a Fixed Deposit; 3) proof of US$10,000/month income/pension. There are now an application fee of $1200 + $150/dependent, plus a visa fee of $125/person annually. One is required to stay 90 days/annum in Malaysia. Only a 5 year renewable visa. Cannot work on the visa and the years stayed do not accrue toward the amount needed to obtain a PR. Supposedly it was put in place to attract a "higher quality" of applicant. The only people I think that will apply are corrupt foreign gov't officials and oligarchs. Maybe that's what the Malaysian government considers "high quality"?

Sarawak MM2H is much more for "salt-of-the-earth" retirees. For those OVER 50 years there are basically two options to qualify...1) via proof of income/pension (which is US$2400/mo for a couple;US$1700 for a single applicant) OR 2) via a Fixed Deposit (which is about US$72,000/couple or US$36K for a single). Unlike the MM2H these are options : OR...not AND. There is no "Overseas Assets Requirement. There is no application fee, and the annual visa fee is about $22. 5 Year visa renewable. Can't work on the visa, not a stage to getting a PR. One only has to spend 15 days in Sarawak a year.

One can spend the rest of the time outside the country OR in Peninsula Malaysia. One can, at present still live or buy property in the Peninsula under S-MM2H. You can also buy residential property in Sarawak, BUT this is NOT required for those over 50 (I'll talk about the 40-50 option in a second). If one does BUY LANDED property one has to pay more than a minimum amount. That floor is RM600K in Kuching, and RM500K elsewhere. One CANNOT buy native land or agricultural acreage without a house. One can rent anywhere as I understand the law.

Did I mention that you can only withdraw your Fixed Deposit for certain things - like buying property, a car, children local tuition, or local healthcare costs. You still have to keep a basic amount in the FD (I think RM90K for a single/RM180K for the couple...roughly US$20,000/$40,000) for the time you are on the program. When you leave you can withdraw the full sum with interest...or you can set up another account to collect the excess interest and use that for spending.

One does need either a Sarawakian Sponsor willing to act as a guarantor to pay for travel costs to deport you if you violate the rules/laws. Recently they started allowing Trained Authorised Agents (must be Sarawakian) to act in lieu of a sponsor.

Okay...typically it's harder for those under 50 years of age, but they have created some waivers for those 30-50 years of age. Besides fulfilling ONE of the TWO Financial Options above and the other SMM2H requirements they have to meet certain criteria.

The first (A) is if you have kids enrolled in a Sarawakian school. As long as they are locally enrolled (private or public school is okay) you are eligible for SMM2H. There is also a Guardian Visa, but that is only for one Parent...S-MM2H allows the whole family. Downside...if the child leaves school (through graduation, home-schooling, or abroad...including the Peninsula)...no more S-MM2H. Peninsula Malaysia also has a Guardian Visa, though (but again, only for one parent).

There is also B) a healthcare option for applicants who require a long-term treatment plan by a Sarawakian physician. The plan has to be approved by the Sarawak Ministry of Health. I don't know anyone doing this. But let's say you have diabetes and need to come in for quarterly testing and evaluation. Or you have skin cancer that requires a regular evaluation to assess if you are still in remission. Or you need regular dialysis, dietary supervision, testing. Again, you have to maintain this program throughout your stay on S-MM2H.

Again, for A or B you need to also fulfill one of the financial requisites and other requirements of SMM2H

Okay, what if you neither have health issues or children and are under 50? There is the 40-50 Property Purchase Waiver (C). If you are 40-50 and buy a residential property in SARAWAK of RM600,000 (~US$140,000 at current exchange rates) you can also qualify for SMM2H...provided you meet one of the above income requirements (and blah, blah, blah). Can't sell it until you leave the program or meet another one of the categories (e.g. turn 50, get sick, have kids go to school, etc.).

Here's the official guidebook and a link to the approved Agents.

https://mtcp.sarawak.gov.my/page-0-179- … Forms.html

There is also a Facebook chat group called Sarawak My Second Home Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/168068210798651

cinnamonape VIP Member

Member since 04 February 2018

cinnamonapeVIP Member30 May 2022 06:34:49

#10

715

Ultimately you can also try the Visa hopping option...Stay in Sarawak for 90 Days then travel abroad for awhile, then return. Again one cannot work on a Tourist Visa and you may be constrained as to getting a rental.Some may not mind if you give a deposit up front.

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