Visiting
Malaysia's immigration department lists Australia among the countries whose citizens need no visa for any purpose of entry. Smartraveller says Australian passport holders can, in most circumstances, get a 90-day tourism visa on arrival. You must complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card before you arrive. We found no official statement that remote work is allowed on a visit.
- Smartraveller says to arrange a visa before travelling for business, volunteer work, study or research. Confirm with Malaysian immigration before a work trip.
- MDEC, the agency that runs the nomad pass, says a tourist pass cannot be converted to it.
Sources: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Smartraveller, Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia). Checked 15 October 2026.
Staying a year or longer
The DE Rantau Nomad Pass is a Professional Visit Pass for 3 to 12 months, renewable once for 12 more, so 24 months at most. For tech and digital roles, plan for income of more than US$25,000 a year. Other listed roles, including founders, consultants, finance, sales and legal work, need more than US$61,000 a year. Remote employees must work for a company not registered in Malaysia, and contracts must have started at least three months before you apply.
- The pass covers Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan only, not Sabah or Sarawak.
- MM2H, for longer stays, asks for a fixed deposit in a Malaysian bank: Silver, more than US$160,000; Gold, more than US$510,000; Platinum, more than US$1.1 million. It also asks for at least 90 days a year in Malaysia and the purchase of a home. Silver and Gold do not allow career work.
- An Employment Pass needs an employer in Malaysia and a basic salary of more than RM 5,100 a month from 1 June 2026. After three years on it, the Residence Pass-Talent has a higher salary test, more than RM 16,000.
Sources: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Ministry of Tourism, Immigration Department of Malaysia, Talent Corporation Malaysia (TalentCorp). Checked 15 October 2026.
Documents, fees and timing
Employees need a signed contract showing remote work, job title, salary and the foreign employer's details, plus three months of payslips and bank statements with matching deposits. Freelancers need signed client contracts, three months of invoices, proof of payment and three months of statements. Everything must be in English or a certified translation, as PDFs. MDEC says applications take six to eight weeks.
- An employer letter is strongly recommended. Your passport needs more than 14 months of validity.
- Fees are RM 1,080 per applicant and RM 540 per dependant, non-refundable, plus an immigration fee of RM 360 a year.
- If MDEC acts as your sponsor, Australian citizens pay a refundable bond of RM 1,500.
More detail
The approval letter lasts six months. After you enter Malaysia with a passport stamp, not the e-gate, you must complete endorsement within one month and stay until the pass is issued. The e-pass arrives about a week after endorsement.
To collect the pass you also need health insurance covering Malaysia and a tax registration slip from the tax authority (LHDN). Since 1 August 2026, rejections cannot be appealed.
Sources: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). Checked 15 October 2026.
Tax
A year away does not by itself end Australian tax residence. The ATO says you are generally resident if you go overseas temporarily and do not set up a permanent home in another country. Malaysia taxes employment exercised there even when you are paid from abroad, and you are resident there after 182 days. Australia and Malaysia have a tax treaty, but no social security agreement.
- LHDN says 60 days or less in a year can be exempt. MDEC says remote workers become taxable from 61 days.
- Residents pay rates from 0% to 30%. The latest published table covers 2023 to 2025, with 25% on chargeable income from RM 100,001 to RM 400,000. Non-residents pay a flat 30% on Malaysian income.
- If you stop being an Australian tax resident, assets other than taxable Australian property are treated as sold at market value, unless you choose to disregard this.
More detail
The 1980 agreement has been amended three times and modified by the Multilateral Instrument. If both countries treat you as resident, it looks at your permanent home, then your habitual abode, then where your personal and economic relations are closer. Australia credits Malaysian tax paid under the agreement. How it fits MDEC's 61-day note needs an adviser.
A foreign income exemption for Malaysian residents applies under conditions to the end of 2026. We found no official source confirming it beyond 2026, so that is unknown.
Malaysia is not on Australia's list of 32 social security agreement countries. Malaysia's social security body, SOCSO, charges the employer 1.25% for employment injury cover for foreign workers. If you get the Age Pension, after 26 weeks away the rate depends on your years of Australian residence.
Sources: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN / HASiL), Australian Treasury, Australian Taxation Office, Federal Register of Legislation (Australian Government), Department of Social Services, Services Australia, Social Security Organisation (PERKESO / SOCSO), Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). Checked 15 October 2026.
Setting up
The nomad pass requires health insurance covering Malaysia for the whole pass. Medicare does not cover you overseas, and Malaysia is not on Australia's list of reciprocal health care agreements. Smartraveller says government hospitals need payment up front, and most private hospitals want a deposit or confirmation of insurance. We found no official source for private insurance prices, so that cost is unknown.
- Foreign individuals register for a tax number online through e-Daftar, with a copy of a valid passport.
- MDEC says most banks do not accept the pass for opening an account. Plan to rely on Australian accounts or cards at first.
- While you stay an Australian tax resident, interest from a Malaysian account is overseas income for your Australian return.
- MDEC strongly advises against significant expenses, such as a tenancy deposit, before your pass is approved and endorsed.
Sources: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Smartraveller, Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN / HASiL), Services Australia, Victorian Department of Health, Australian Taxation Office. Checked 15 October 2026.
Living in Kuala Lumpur
Smartraveller says major cities have private hospitals with international-standard facilities, and public hospitals have a good range of services but slow access. Smoke haze often happens from June to October. Flooding and landslides are common in the wet season, usually October to February. We found no official source for rents, transport or other living costs, so they are unknown here.
- Most private hospitals want a cash deposit or confirmation of insurance before admitting you.
- If air quality matters to you, check air conditioning, filtration and the building's flood history.
Sources: Smartraveller. Checked 15 October 2026.
Other places we looked at
The research also looked at George Town and Johor Bahru, for contrast. UNESCO lists George Town with Melaka as World Heritage, for a multicultural townscape built over 500 years of trade between East and West. Penang is in Peninsular Malaysia, which the nomad pass covers. We found no official source for rents in either place, so they are unknown here.
- Johor Bahru: the MM2H SEZ/SFZ category is tied to buying a home in Forest City, Johor.
Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Ministry of Tourism. Checked 15 October 2026.
Australia
Malaysia