All about the Work and Holiday Visa in Malaysia!

The Batu Caves, Petronas Twin Towers, Penang Island and Langkawi Sky Bridge... there's a lot that's famous about Malaysia! Discover amazing food, culture, beaches and wildlife on your working holiday.
Wherever you are in the process of working holiday preparation, pvtistes.net provides free information and resources to help with your planning and big move.
Working Holiday Visa travel insurance

We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005 (medical expenses, hospitalisation, repatriation…)

1 Eligibility requirements
Age limit

Between 18 and 30 years old

Read more

Valid passport

A valid passport for the entire duration of your working holiday

Read more

Sufficient funds

Enough to support yourself

Read more

First participation

This must be your first participation

Read more

Health insurance (recommended)

Should cover medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation

Read more

Qualifying citizenship

Must be a citizen of a partner country

Read more

Contents
2 FAQ

01. What is the Work and Holiday Visa?

A WHV is a bilateral accord signed between governments to promote youth mobility and cultural exchange. Participating countries allow young adults to spend a set period of time (usually one year) living and working abroad. Most of the accords are signed between countries in Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and East Asia. A WHV encourages cultural exchange alongside the chance to gain valuable work experience, though participants are not obligated to work.

02. Which nationalities are eligible?

Young adults from Australia can apply for the Malaysia Work and Holiday Visa.

04. What documents are required for the application?

  • Completed application form
  • Passport
  • Medical certificate proving good health, issued by qualified doctors in Australia
  • Letter from the Australian government to confirm you satisfy all the eligibility requirements
  • Proof of sufficient funds and return ticket or additional funds to purchase one
  • Proof of good character/no criminal record
  • 05. How long is the visa good for?

    The WHV allows holders to stay up to one year in Malaysia.

    06. Are there any other requirements I should be aware of?

    To be eligible for participation, you must hold tertiary qualifications, or have successfully completed at least two years of undergraduate studies at a university.

    07. Are there any work or study restrictions?

  • You cannot work for an employer for more than six months.
  • You cannot study/participate in a course for more than four months.
  • You cannot work for any firm or company which requires professional qualifications; in the entertainment industry; spas; service counters (front office); voluntary activity.
    • (Source)

      08. Do I need to buy health insurance?

      Though private health insurance is not required by Malaysian authorities for the WHV application, it is still strongly recommended. Otherwise, even small incidents can lead to significant out of pocket costs. You should choose an insurance that covers medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation.

      We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005. They have covered thousands of working holiday makers over the years.

      09. Can I bring my spouse and/or children?

      No, you cannot bring dependents on your WHV to Malaysia. Your spouse/partner must apply for their own WHV, if they are eligible.

      10. What is pvtistes.net and how can it help me?

      We are a team of current and former working holiday makers dedicated to providing free information and resources about the working holiday, to Malaysia and other destinations. Read our helpful articles, leave comments if you have questions, and check out our special deals.

      We don’t ask for any money, and neither should anyone else in your application process (besides the embassy/consulate and their official partners). Be very careful of online scams where someone might ask you for an exorbitant amount to help you get your visa. Working Holiday Visas are designed to be relatively easy to obtain yourself, so there is absolutely no need to pay any professional service to do it on your behalf.

      11. Where can I apply?

      You must submit your application and all supporting documents to the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra or Malaysian Consulate General in Perth.

      Contents
      3 Buying health insurance

      As mentioned earlier, all WHV-holders in Malaysia should consider purchasing insurance that covers medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation to avoid paying out of pocket for medical care.

      We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005. They have covered thousands of working holiday makers over the years.

      Learn more about Globe WHV
      Useful links
      Contents
      4 Opening a Malaysian Ringgit account

      Malaysia’s currency is the ringgit (RM, MYR). There are two main ways to open a foreign-currency account: via 1) a traditional bank or 2) an online neo-bank. Traditional banks usually require you to already be in the country. You would have to make and attend an appointment where a representative would ask you for some documents.

      If you want to have an RM debit card in hand before even arriving in Malaysia, you may want to consider the second option, an online neo-bank like Wise. It is an app that offers multi-currency financial services. Customers receive a physical debit card that can be used to withdraw cash at local ATMs. Your RM account would also have its own routing and account numbers, so you can set up autopay, direct deposits, or transfer money to recipients in Malaysia. These capabilities could be useful in exchanges with your employer or landlord. You can register from your home country or once you arrive in Malaysia. Learn more about Wise.

      There are advantages to both options. Wise registration is simple and quick, but traditional banks offer the possibility of issuing and depositing cheques, if that is something you need. So you could make a Wise account first and then a traditional account once you arrive in Malaysia.

      Learn more about Wise
      Contents
      5 Finding housing in Malaysia

      Once your application is approved, you’ll need to think about where to live, especially in the first few days and weeks. If you are planning on renting long term housing, we recommend you wait until you arrive in Malaysia before paying a deposit or signing anything. Never send money to anyone without seeing the place in person.

      For your first couple of weeks, you could consider Airbnb or hotels. But the most affordable option is going to be youth hostels. You can find some great ones on Hostelworld.

      Find a hostel on Hostelworld
      Useful links
      Contents
      6 Getting ready for departure

      After you get your visa, you will have plenty of things you need to take care of. Some of them are more urgent than others, so this list breaks down your to-dos, from the most urgent to the least. It may seem like a lot but don’t worry, take it one step at a time!

      Useful links
      Contents
      7 Read up on other important topics

      As you prepare for your working holiday in Malaysia, check out our library of free articles and guides. Everyone on the pvtistes.net team has done (or is currently on) a working holiday, so everything we write is from personal experience.

      Library of free articles and guides on the working holiday
      Useful links
      Contents
      8 Check out language courses and other deals

      This is the perfect chance to learn or brush up on a foreign language. Babbel is partnering with pvtistes.net to offer 20% off on language courses (learn more). Also check out our other deals for working holiday makers.

      Learn more about Babbel (-20%)
      Our special offers
      Take advantage of our special offers for flights, banking, money transfers, and language courses.
      Read more
      Contents
      Age limit

      All applicants must be between 18 and 30 years old (inclusive, i.e. until the day before their 31st birthday).

      Valid passport

      You must have a passport that is valid for the entire duration of your working holiday.

      Sufficient funds

      You must provide evidence of sufficient funds to cover your initial living expenses in Malaysia. The exact amount is not specified but must prove you can support yourself and afford to buy a ticket home at the end of your stay.

      See our chapter on budgeting for an idea of how much more savings you should have for a working holiday.

      First participation

      This must be your first participation. If you have already been granted a Malaysia Work and Holiday Visa before, then you cannot apply again.

      Health insurance (recommended)

      Though health insurance is not required for the Malaysia WHV, it is strongly recommended. You should buy health insurance that covers medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for the totality of your stay. Without health insurance, out of pocket costs for healthcare in Malaysia could be very high.

      Qualifying citizenship

      You must be a citizen of a partner country to apply. Malaysia currently has a bilateral accord with Australia.