Teaching jobs in Malaysia for foreigners are mostly at international schools, and every foreign teacher needs two things: a teaching permit from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and an Employment Pass from the Immigration Department. The MOE asks non-Malaysian teachers at international schools for a bachelor’s degree plus a teaching qualification and 3 years of teaching experience, or 10 years of experience. Since 1 June 2026 the lowest Employment Pass category needs a basic salary of at least RM5,000 a month, so that is in practice the floor for a foreign teacher’s basic pay.
This guide covers the permit, the pass, pay and tax for teachers from any country, including India, Pakistan and the Philippines. We read the official documents of the Immigration Department, the MOE and the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) in October 2026. Some MOE documents are older than the 2026 pass rules, and where they disagree we follow the newer immigration rules. This is general information, not legal or tax advice, so check the official links and ask your school.
International school jobs in Malaysia: who is hiring
On Teacher Jobs World on 16 October 2026 there were 59 teaching jobs in Malaysia, including 11 in Kuala Lumpur. The groups with the most ads were International Schools Partnership, Taylor’s Education Group and Nord Anglia Education. Each job links to the school’s own careers page.
The MOE has allowed international schools to enrol Malaysian pupils without a quota since 1 July 2012, according to its guideline on setting up international schools (MOE guideline GP A3). We found no current official count of international schools, so we do not quote one.
The teaching permit (Permit Mengajar)
Malaysia’s Education Act 1996 says no one may teach in an educational institution unless they are registered as a teacher, with exceptions that include people who hold a permit to teach (section 103). The Registrar General issues these permits and can revoke them at any time (section 114) (Education Act 1996).
Requirements for foreign teachers
The MOE guideline for international schools says all teachers must hold a teaching permit, be certified fit by a medical practitioner in Malaysia and pass a security check by the Royal Malaysia Police. Non-citizen teachers must (MOE guideline GP A3):
- be at least 22 years old,
- hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and
- hold one of:
- an education degree, diploma or certificate plus 3 years of teaching experience,
- a coaching certificate plus 3 years of experience (for sports and co-curricular roles), or
- 10 years of teaching experience.
The guideline “encourages” schools to recruit qualified Malaysian teachers, but sets no numeric limit on foreign teachers.
If you are a new teacher, the 3-year rule matters: a recently qualified teacher may not meet it. A recognised teaching qualification is the first step; see PGCE, iPGCE and international teaching qualifications.
The MOE support letter
Before the school applies for your Employment Pass, it needs a support letter from the MOE’s Private Education Division. The MOE’s procedure says the age range for teachers at international and expatriate schools is 22 to 65, and the school files form BPS II(A) for a new application or BPS II(B) for an extension, with (MOE procedure):
- the school’s registration certificate,
- your passport,
- your signed contract and CV,
- certified copies of your academic and professional certificates, and
- for renewals, an income tax receipt from LHDN.
These MOE documents still show the old Employment Pass salary bands. Use the 2026 bands below.
Employment Pass salary bands from 1 June 2026
The Immigration Department’s Expatriate Services Division announced new Employment Pass (EP) rules that apply to new and renewal applications from 1 June 2026 (ESD announcement):
| Category | Basic monthly salary before | From 1 June 2026 | Maximum total length |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | RM10,000 and above | RM20,000 and above | Up to 10 years |
| II | RM5,000 to 9,999 | RM10,000 to 19,999 | Up to 10 years, with a succession plan |
| III | RM3,000 to 4,999 | RM5,000 to 9,999 | Up to 5 years, with a succession plan |
The official policy booklet adds (Revised Expatriate Salary Policy):
- the thresholds count basic monthly salary only, taxable in Malaysia. Allowances, incentives, bonuses and pay outside Malaysia do not count,
- each pass is issued for 1 to 60 months, and passes issued before the change stay valid until they expire,
- Category III holders can now bring dependants, and
- the succession plan for Categories II and III (training local staff to take over) becomes mandatory from 1 January 2027.
The Malaysian Investment Development Authority confirms the bands and notes a higher Category III floor of RM7,000 for some manufacturing sectors, which does not apply to schools (MIDA).
What this means for teachers
Our reading: if a school hires you on an Employment Pass, your basic salary must be at least RM5,000 a month from 1 June 2026. A package with a low basic salary and large housing allowance may no longer qualify, because allowances do not count. If you are renewing, check your basic pay against the new band. Spouses and children under 18 can come on a Dependant Pass.
International school teacher salary in Malaysia
We found no official survey of international school teacher salaries in Malaysia, so we do not quote an average. What we can say:
- The legal floor. For an Employment Pass, basic pay of at least RM5,000 a month (Category III). Senior teachers and leaders paid RM10,000 or more fall in Category II.
- Packages. International schools often add housing, flights, medical cover and tuition for teachers’ children. Schools such as St Joseph’s Institution International School describe induction and settling-in support on their careers pages (SJIIS), but most schools do not publish figures, so you see the package at the offer stage.
- Compare like with like. Ask whether the salary is basic or total, whether housing is provided or paid as an allowance, and whether pay is in ringgit or another currency. Our guide to international school salary and benefits has a checklist.
On this board, few ads in any country state a salary (3% of all live jobs in our October 2026 report), so expect to ask.
Tax for foreign teachers in Malaysia
The Inland Revenue Board’s Public Ruling No. 2/2026 on foreign nationals working in Malaysia explains (LHDN Public Ruling 2/2026):
- you are generally non-resident for a tax year if you are in Malaysia for less than 182 days in that year,
- non-residents pay a flat 30% on employment income, with no personal reliefs, and
- residents get personal reliefs and the progressive tax scale.
In your first and last years you may be in Malaysia for less than 182 days, so your tax status can change from year to year. Ask your school’s payroll team how they deduct tax in your first year, and keep your arrival and departure dates.
Malaysia also extended mandatory Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributions to non-Malaysian employees in 2025. We could not open the EPF’s own page to confirm the rates, so ask your school whether contributions apply to you and at what rate.
Teaching jobs in Malaysia for Indian, Pakistani and Filipino teachers
The MOE rules we read set no nationality rule. Every non-citizen teacher meets the same tests: age 22 to 65, a bachelor’s degree, a teaching qualification plus 3 years of experience (or 10 years of experience), a medical check, a police check and an Employment Pass with basic pay of at least RM5,000.
Some international schools ask for experience with a specific curriculum, such as the English National Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE or the IB. If you trained in a national system, curriculum experience and a recognised teaching qualification help your application.
Teach English in Malaysia
Most English teaching jobs open to foreigners are at international schools and private language centres. The MOE rules above apply to international schools. If a language centre offers you work, ask what pass it will get you and whether your basic pay meets the Employment Pass threshold. Do not work on a social visit pass. For certificates, see TEFL, CELTA and TESOL certificates explained.
Step by step
- Find a job at a registered school. Jobs on Teacher Jobs World link to the school’s own page.
- Check you meet the MOE rules: degree, teaching qualification and 3 years of experience, or 10 years of experience.
- Check the basic salary in the offer is at least RM5,000 a month.
- Send certified copies of your degree and teaching certificates for the MOE support letter.
- The school applies for the Employment Pass through the Expatriate Services Division.
- Complete the checks for your teaching permit: a medical check by a doctor in Malaysia and a police security check. Ask the school when each happens.
- Register for tax and keep track of your days in Malaysia.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners teach in Malaysia?
Yes, mainly at international schools. You need a teaching permit from the Ministry of Education and an Employment Pass. The MOE asks for a bachelor’s degree plus a teaching qualification and 3 years of experience, or 10 years of experience, and you must be 22 to 65.
What is the minimum salary for a foreign teacher in Malaysia?
There is no teacher-specific minimum, but from 1 June 2026 the lowest Employment Pass category (III) needs a basic salary of at least RM5,000 a month. Allowances do not count towards it.
Do international schools in Malaysia sponsor visas?
Yes. The school applies for your Employment Pass after getting a support letter from the Ministry of Education. It also applies for your teaching permit.
How much tax do foreign teachers pay in Malaysia?
If you are in Malaysia for less than 182 days in a tax year you are usually non-resident and pay a flat 30% with no reliefs. Residents pay the progressive rates and can claim reliefs.
Can I teach in Malaysia without experience?
At international schools it is hard. The MOE guideline asks for a teaching qualification plus 3 years of experience, or 10 years of experience, for non-citizen teachers.