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Trade agreements with Malaysia
The UK has joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a trade agreement including 12 countries (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and the UK), which entered into force between the UK and Malaysia on 15 December 2024. This means the UK and Malaysia have a free trade agreement for the first time.
CPTPP entry into force and ratification
As of 24 December 2024, CPTPP is in force between the UK and:
- Australia
- Brunei
- Chile
- Japan
- Malaysia
- New Zealand
- Peru
- Singapore
- Vietnam
This means that the UK can access CPTPP provisions with said countries.
The following countries have not yet ratified the terms of the UK’s accession:
Canada and Mexico.
This means that the UK cannot yet access CPTPP provisions with those countries.
This guidance will be updated following each of the remaining countries’ ratification of the terms of the UK’s accession to CPTPP and will include when CPTPP will enter in force between the UK and the relevant remaining country.
This guidance is an explanation of CPTPP Chapter 12: Temporary Entry for Business Persons. Key documents include Malaysia’s schedule of commitments for temporary entry for business persons in accordance with Article 12.4 of the CPTPP agreement.
This guidance outlines how the temporary entry provisions in CPTPP supports the movement of skilled UK business professionals to Malaysia to facilitate trade in goods and services, as well as investment. CPTPP is now in force with Malaysia, and UK professionals can now benefit from the agreement. Please note, when applying for temporary entry to Malaysia, you will not need to specify that you are entering under an FTA.
Please be aware that entry into Malaysia is subject to meeting the relevant immigration and employment requirements set out in Malaysian legislation. For more details, read the UK government guidance on living in Malaysia.
Temporary entry
Temporary entry provisions in FTAs help provide greater certainty and access for the temporary movement of professionals to:
- deliver services
- negotiate the sale of goods
- invest in businesses in person
The movement of skilled UK professionals supports economic growth, innovation, and collaboration between the UK and its international partners.
These commitments do not afford legal rights to business persons directly. They apply to British citizens only, and not to foreign nationals who reside in the UK. For example, they do not allow British citizens to enter a CPTPP country to look for employment, nor do they apply to measures regarding citizenship, nationality, residence or permanent employment.
FTA commitments on temporary entry do not necessarily lead to improvements in domestic legislation of CPTPP countries. However, they guarantee that CPTPP countries will treat covered business persons no less favourably than what is set out in the FTA. The domestic law of each CPTPP country remains the authoritative source of rights and obligations on temporary entry. Each CPTPP country must ensure that its domestic law conforms with its FTA commitments. If there is an inconsistency between the country’s FTA commitments and its domestic law (the latter is less favourable than the former), this needs to be brought to the attention of the UK government. See the contacts in the support section on this page.
Categories of business person
Under CPTPP, Malaysia provides access for the following categories of business persons. A summary of the main categories and length of stay permitted is below. Please read the full CPTPP definitions in Annex 12-A Malaysia Temporary Entry for Business Persons for each category to ensure you meet the criteria, including applicable sectors.
Please note that final visa names are set by the destination country and may vary from the FTA text. Prospective visa applicants should check the Malaysia visa portal for full visa details and other immigration requirements.
Find information for:
- Business Visitors
- Installers and Servicers
- Intra-Corporate Transferees
- Contractual Service Suppliers
- Independent Professionals
In addition, for Intra-Corporate Transferees, Malaysia may allow accompanying spouses and children the ability to enter Malaysia for the same length of time as the covered business person. Accompanying spouses may also apply for the right to work while residing in Malaysia, subject to meeting the relevant requirements and approval by the government of Malaysia.
Business Visitors
Business Visitors are UK business persons who are paid from a source outside of Malaysia, and who are not making direct sales or supplying services directly to the general public of Malaysia. They should be seeking to travel to Malaysia for a relatively short amount of time for business purposes.
Applicable business purposes comprise the following activities:
- negotiating for the sale of services
- the sale of goods or entering into a distribution or retailing agreement
- attending meetings or conferences or engaging in consultations with business associates
- a UK investor who is attempting to make or has made an investment in Malaysia
Business Visitors, including Investors, can stay in Malaysia for up to 90 days, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Example: Are you a representative of a service supplier, planning to travel to Malaysia to negotiate the sale of a service? UK Business Visitors have the certainty that they can stay in Malaysia for up to 90 days, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Installers and Servicers
Installers and Servicers are business persons who are employed or appointed by a business to install or service machinery or equipment that said business has supplied. The installation or servicing must be a condition of purchase of the machinery or equipment. The business person must not perform business activities other than installing or servicing the machinery or equipment and must receive payment from said business.
Installers and Servicers can stay in Malaysia for up to 6 months, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Example: Are you an employee of a business which requires you to travel to Malaysia to install a piece of machinery? UK Installers and Servicers can stay in Malaysia for up to 6 months in order to complete the installation of the machinery, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Intra-Corporate Transferees
Intra-Corporate Transferees are business persons employed by an enterprise of the UK, who are being transferred to a representative office, subsidiary, branch, or head office of their enterprise in Malaysia. They can be business persons across all economic sectors and sub-sectors with the exception of those supplying legal services, as well as customs agents, and real estate agents.
CPTPP captures various types of Intra-Corporate Transferees.
The first are senior managers who are business persons who:
- have proprietary information of the enterprise
- have a decision-making remit relating to the establishment, control and operation of the enterprise
- primarily direct the management of the enterprise
- receive only general supervision or direction from the board of directors or partners of the enterprise
The second are specialists, or experts, who have advanced knowledge and continued expertise of the business enterprise. They must have been employed by the business for at least 2 years immediately before the date of applying to temporarily enter Malaysia.
Intra-Corporate Transferees can stay in Malaysia for up to 2 years, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements, after which the stay may be extended every 2 years up to a combined total of 10 years for senior managers, or 5 years for specialists or experts.
Malaysia may allow the accompanying spouse and children of Intra-Corporate Transferees the ability to enter and stay in Malaysia, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements. Accompanying spouses may also apply for the right to work while residing in Malaysia, subject to meeting the relevant requirements and approval by the government of Malaysia.
Example: Are you a UK based business looking to transfer a senior manager to a branch office in Malaysia? Your employee can stay in Malaysia for up to 10 years alongside their spouse and children, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Contractual Service Suppliers
Contractual Service Suppliers are business persons who are employed by a UK enterprise to fulfil a service contract in Malaysia. The business person must be paid by their UK enterprise and must not be engaged in any other employment in Malaysia. See Annex 12-A Malaysia for the full list of business services sectors or professions that Contractual Service Suppliers can work in.
The Contractual Service Supplier must be:
- a specialist or expert who has advanced knowledge and continued expertise of their organisation’s products and services in the relevant services sector or subsector or
- a professional who has the necessary academic credentials, professional qualifications, experience or expertise, which is recognised by the relevant professional body in Malaysia, and who must also be registered with the relevant professional body in Malaysia, or
- an employee of a UK enterprise who temporarily enters Malaysia to supply a service under contract
Contractual Service Suppliers can stay in Malaysia for up to 12 months, or the duration of their contract, whichever is less, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Example: Are you an accountant at a UK accountancy firm with a contract to provide accountancy services in Malaysia? As a Contractual Services Supplier you will have the certainty that you can stay in Malaysia for either up to 12 months or the duration of the contract, whichever is less, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Independent Professionals
Independent Professionals are self-employed UK business persons who seek temporary entry to Malaysia to fulfil a service contract without needing a commercial presence in Malaysia. See Annex 12-A Malaysia for the full list of business services sectors or professions that Independent Professionals can work in.
The Independent Professional must be:
- a specialist or expert who has advanced knowledge and continued expertise of their organisation’s products and services in the relevant services sector or subsector or
- a professional who has the necessary academic credentials, professional qualifications, experience or expertise which is recognised by the relevant professional body in Malaysia, and who must also be registered with the relevant professional body in Malaysia
Independent Professionals can stay in Malaysia for up to 12 months, or the duration of their contract, whichever is less, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Example: Are you a self-employed engineer looking to carry out contractual work in Malaysia? You will qualify as an Independent Professionals and will be eligible to stay in Malaysia for up to 12 months or the duration of the contract, whichever is less, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Additional information for temporary business travel
As set out in CPTPP, Malaysia has committed to ensuring all relevant information related to visas and other relevant documentation for business persons is publicly available. Malaysia has also committed to ensuring that visa applications are processed quickly, with reasonable fees, and that applicants can receive updates on the status of their applications.
For more information, visit the Malaysian government webpage.
Department for Business and Trade support
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) helps businesses export, drives inward and outward investment, negotiates market access and trade agreements, and champions free trade. Helpful links, tools and services available from DBT and wider government include:
Export Support Service (ESS) team
Get support on how to do business abroad. You may also be eligible for 1-2-1 support from a local International Trade Adviser. Businesses in Wales can also access support from Business Wales.
Export Support Service – International Markets (ESS-IM)
DBT's overseas in-market export support service for SMEs with high-export potential. Our International Market Advisers provide tailored support and market introduction information to new and current UK exporters looking to enter or expand into new markets. The service may be accessed globally with International Markets teams in South Asia, China, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, North America and Latin America.
Sign up to access free training on how to grow your international sales.
Information on finance and insurance for UK exports.
Trade and investment factsheets
The latest statistics on trade and investment between the UK and individual overseas partners.
Overseas business risk profiles
Information for UK businesses on political, economic and security risks when trading overseas.
Advice and warnings about travel abroad, including entry requirements, safety and security, health risks and legal differences.
Check or report a trade barrier
If you encounter an issue when exporting to any country – report the issue and UK government officials will be able to assess the issue and consider the options we have open to addressing it as appropriate
Search for your specific product to find applicable tariffs for each market, explore rules of origin and step-by-step help on customs procedures
Check import duties and allows you to check the status of available tariff rate quotas
Useful resources
You can find more information about export opportunities, business culture and any existing trade barriers on our Malaysia market guide.
Prior to export, you must be aware of local regulations and import conditions in Malaysia that apply to your goods or services. This can include tax considerations, labour laws, intellectual property rules, labelling and packaging regulations, among others.
To seek further information related to local regulations, business culture, or to find a local lawyer, translator, importer or distributor, you can use the following contacts:
- DBT’s Export Support Service International Markets team
- get in touch with DBT at the local British Embassy
- get in touch with the British Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia
To see information on political, economic and security risks when trading with Malaysia, please see: