If an employer has hired a domestic helper (maid) who is currently residing in Indonesia via Pinkcollar's Full Placement Service or Direct Hire service, the worker will need to undergo multiple pre-deployment and international visa processing requirements to legally enter Malaysia. The steps undertaken are required to fulfil both the Malaysian and Indonesian governments’ requirements; a number of these steps are interdependent on one another.

The worker undergoes her passport application Labour Department ID registration and a comprehensive medical examination at a Malaysian Ministry of Health-accredited clinic in Indonesia. Upon being declared as “Fit to Work”, the worker undergoes biometric registration.

The timeline can take anywhere between 1-3 weeks depending on the worker’s location (very rural, semi-rural or in urban areas where clinics are readily available) and the worker’s medical results; some workers may require additional testing or may need to wait out a menstrual cycle, temporary cold/infection before returning for final clearance.

The employer is required to compile personal documents requested by the Malaysian government authorities to kickstart the domestic helper application process.

Pinkcollar performs a rigorous document check for our clients to ensure document completeness based on the employer’s hiring profile, especially for unique cases where employers may not have the standard supporting documents. Once document compilation is complete, Pinkcollar prepares the full visa application bundle for the employer’s signing and applies for the employer's various approvals to hire a Indonesian domestic helper with the relevant Malaysian government authorities.

Pinkcollar will submit the employer’s hiring application to the Malaysian Labour Department (JTK) online via their ePPax system. Every employer hiring a foreign domestic helper in Malaysia is required to apply and obtain a JTK approval certificate before they can submit their domestic helper's visa application with Immigration.

If all hiring details and documents were inputted correctly based on JTK's latest guidelines, the JTK hiring approval will be received within 14 calendar days.

Pinkcollar will then submit the employer’s hiring details and employer documents to Malaysian Immigration via their online SMO system. Occasionally, the employer account registration process on SMO may require troubleshooting over-the-counter with Immigration. Pinkcollar’s dispatch team makes weekly visits to the various Immigration units to troubleshoot and complete SMO account registrations on behalf of our employers.

Pinkcollar registers the employer's and helper's details on the Indonesian Embassy's online Sipermit.id system, which generates a standard Indonesian employment contract for the placement. We then arrange for the worker and employer to sign the employment contract, and submit it online for Embassy approval.

After the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia approves the Employment Contract, a calling visa application is automatically sent to the Malaysian Immigration via the Sipermit.id's integration with Malaysian Immigration's MyIMMs system. The calling visa approval lead times are highly dependent on the Immigration unit and may also be subject to seasonal fluctuations. Pinkcollar’s dispatch team makes weekly visits to the various Immigration units to check on and follow up on visa approvals.

Calling visa submission and approval times for Malaysian employers

Once the worker’s calling visa is approved, our Indonesian agency will apply for the worker’s Single Entry Visa (SEV) at Malaysian-accredited visa issuance centres in Indonesia. The worker will also be enrolled into the Indonesian government's final orientation program which is completed right before departure.

Upon arrival, the worker is required to undergo another medical examination run by FOMEMA on behalf of the Ministry of Health. The worker’s medical results will be released in 3-5 working days after the examination, and upon passing the examination, Pinkcollar will apply for the worker’s Multi Entry Visa (MEV) at the relevant Immigration units. This visa permits the worker to legally exit and re-enter the country any number of times as long as the visa is valid.

The MEV must be renewed every year by employers, and can be done by Malaysian employers themselves without the assistance of an agency.