Foreign worker quota & eligibility checker
Work out the maximum number of foreign workers you may hire for your local headcount, and whether your sector can apply for quota right now under the 2025–2026 rules. Then price it with the matching cost calculator.
Updated 2026-06-05
Your details
Quota rules and eligible-subsector lists change frequently. These figures were last verified on the date shown — always confirm the current position on the official KSM/ePPAx portal before you apply.
Your quota
Maximum foreign workers
30
You can still hire 30 more
To hire 10 foreign workers, you'd need 4 local employees.
Can you apply now?
Eligible to apply
- Manufacturing applications are limited to new investments approved by MIDA.
National policy caps foreign workers at 15% of the workforce today, targeting 10% by 2030 and 5% by 2035. This is a national-aggregate target, not a per-employer limit.
Now price it
See the full first-year and 3-year cost of hiring for this sector.
Quota FAQ
- What is the foreign worker dependency ratio?
- It's the ratio of local (Malaysian) employees to foreign workers your business may hire. Export-oriented manufacturing is 1:3 (one local permits three foreign), non-export is 1:1, and electrical & electronics and quarrying are 2:1 (two locals per foreign worker).
- Why is there no ratio for construction, plantation, agriculture or services?
- Those sectors don't have a single published headcount ratio — quota is approved case-by-case by the authorities based on your application, project, or subsector. Use the eligibility check above and confirm your allocation with KSM/ePPAx.
- Which sectors can apply for quota right now?
- Under the August 2025 reopening, agriculture, plantation and mining (all subsectors), construction (government projects only), manufacturing (MIDA-approved new investments) and a named list of services subsectors can apply, case-by-case. The exact services list and deadlines change — verify before applying.
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