SOCSO
From 1 July 2024, foreign employees contribute to SOCSO in the same way as Malaysian employees (Employment Injury Scheme and Invalidity Scheme for employees aged below 60, and Employment Injury Scheme only for employees aged 60 and above).
EPF
Foreign employees are not required to contribute, but may choose to do so. This is also independent of tax residency. Please refer to this article to find out more about EPF contribution rates.
EIS
Foreign employees do not contribute to the Employment Insurance Scheme.
HRDF
No HRDF contributions are due for foreign employees and they are not included in the employee count to determine the applicable contribution rate.
Income Tax (PCB)
For income tax purposes, the rate of tax will depend on the employee’s residence status.
Tax residence is based on time spent in Malaysia and not nationality – a Malaysian who lives and works overseas can be considered a non-resident.
The current tax structure is as follows:
Exemption
- If the time spent in Malaysia is as follows:
- 60 days or less in a single year; or
- a continuous period (not exceeding 60 days) that overlaps two years; or
- a continuous period (not exceeding 60 days) which overlaps two years along with a period or periods which together with that continuous period do not exceed 60 days;
Then, any income, fees, commissions or bonuses received will not be taxed in Malaysia.
This does not apply to:
- Non-resident directors of Malaysian companies
- Public entertainers
Rates
- If you are considered a non-resident, you will be taxed at a flat rate of 30% and you will not be entitled to any of the tax reliefs enjoyed by residents, though you can claim the same tax exemptions on certain allowances, perquisites and benefits-in-kind as residents.
- If you are considered a resident, you will be taxed at a graduated rate of 0% to 30% depending on your income. You will be able to claim several tax reliefs (personal and family deductions, rebates, etc) which will reduce your taxable income.
PCB should be deducted for both residents and non-residents provided their income exceeds the minimum threshold for PCB.
Here is the link to the full list of the income tax rates imposed by LHDN.
Please refer to this article to find out who qualifies as a resident.
