Compare the programmes
Malaysia's long-stay programmes are deposit-gated: you qualify by placing capital. The work and study passes are sponsor-gated: an employer or institution backs you and no deposit exists. They are compared separately below, because a fixed deposit and a salary floor are not the same kind of number.
Long-stay programmes
| Premium Visa Programme (PVIP) | MM2H Silver | MM2H Gold | MM2H Platinum | Sarawak MM2H (S-MM2H) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed deposit | RM1,000,000 | USD 150,000 | USD 500,000 | USD 1,000,000 | RM500,000 |
| Property purchase | Optional | From RM600,000 | From RM1,000,000 | From RM2,000,000 | Optional |
| Term | 20 years, renewable | 5 years, renewable | 15 years, renewable | 20 years, renewable | 10 years, renewable |
| Participation fee | RM200,000 | RM1,000 | RM3,000 | RM200,000 | — |
| Processing fee | — | RM5,000 principal | RM5,000 principal | RM5,000 principal | RM5,000 principal |
| Minimum age | None | 25 | 25 | 25 | 30 |
| Minimum stay | None | 90 days per year for ages 25–49, met between the main applicant and/or spouse and dependants. No minimum stay from age 50. | 90 days per year for ages 25–49, met between the main applicant and/or spouse and dependants. No minimum stay from age 50. | 90 days per year for ages 25–49, met between the main applicant and/or spouse and dependants. No minimum stay from age 50. | 30 cumulative days per year in Sarawak, main applicant only. |
Deposits are shown in the currency the programme is denominated in. MM2H is quoted in US dollars; PVIP and S-MM2H in ringgit — so the exchange rate you get is itself part of the cost.
Work and study passes
| DE Rantau Nomad Pass | Employment Pass | Student Pass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsor | Foreign-registered employer or foreign-based clients | A Malaysian employer, approved by the Expatriate Committee | The education institution, screened by EMGS |
| Income floor | USD 24,000 a year | RM5,000 a month | None stated |
| Maximum term | 1 year, renewable | 10 years, renewable | 1 year, renewable |
| Government fee | RM1,080 | — | RM60 |
| Dependants | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted |
The Employment Pass floor shown is Category III. Category II starts at RM10,000 a month and Category I at RM20,000. DE Rantau's figure is the tech threshold; non-tech professions need USD 60,000 a year.
What the table can't show you
A fixed deposit is not a cost. It stays your money. The participation and processing fees are the money that actually leaves. On MM2H Silver that difference is USD 150,000 committed against RM6,000 genuinely spent — and the compulsory RM600,000 property is a third category again.
Agent fees are not published. No government source states them, so they appear nowhere in this table. They are real, they vary widely, and you should get the figure in writing before committing to anything.
Only PVIP carries a full work right. MM2H and S-MM2H do not. If you intend to earn a living in Malaysia, that single row narrows the field faster than any of the money.
Written and reviewed by Jason Yap, Chairman of the PVIP Agent Association.
Last reviewed 23 July 2026.
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Every figure above is drawn from the official source cited on each programme's guide page. Last reviewed 23 July 2026.