Security bond for foreign workers — rates by nationality
The security bond is a refundable banker's guarantee an employer posts per foreign worker, set by the worker's source country. Look up the rate for each nationality below, then estimate your total across your headcount.
Updated 2026-06-06
Security bond by source country
| Source country | Security bond |
|---|---|
| Cambodia | RM 250 |
| Indonesia | RM 250 |
| Thailand | RM 250 |
| Bangladesh | RM 500 |
| India | RM 750 |
| Myanmar | RM 750 |
| Nepal | RM 750 |
| Pakistan | RM 750 |
| Sri Lanka | RM 750 |
| Philippines | RM 1,000 |
| Vietnam | RM 1,500 |
| Other countries | RM 750 |
The bond is a refundable banker's guarantee — recovered when the worker is repatriated via a Check-Out Memo, not a sunk cost. Figures are the worker-PLKS regime from the ePPAx criteria table.
Countries not listed default to RM750 (an estimate in the common band) — confirm the exact figure on the ePPAx portal.
The security bond itself is fully refundable; FWIG premiums are not.
FWIG (Foreign Worker Insurance Guarantee) is the insurance alternative to a cash bond: ~1% of the bond a year, minimum RM50 per worker — so it's RM50/worker here, excluding 8% SST and stamp duty.
Not the same as the Professional Visit Pass bond
A different, higher personal-bond table applies to the Professional Visit Pass (expatriates), not to worker hiring. If you found different figures elsewhere, this is usually why — for example Indonesia is RM500 (vs RM250 for workers) and Thailand RM300 (vs RM250).
| Country | PVP personal bond |
|---|---|
| Indonesia | RM 500 |
| Thailand | RM 300 |
| Bangladesh, Philippines, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka | RM 750 |
| Vietnam | RM 1,500 |
The bond is one line in the total. Add levy, FOMEMA, EPF, SOCSO and more with the cost calculator.
Security bond FAQ
- Is the foreign worker security bond refundable?
- Yes. It's a banker's guarantee, refunded once the worker is repatriated and the Check-Out Memo is completed. It is not a fee.
- Why does the bond differ by country?
- Malaysia sets the bond by the worker's source country under the ePPAx worker-PLKS regime — from RM250 (Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia) up to RM1,500 (Vietnam).
- Can I use insurance instead of a cash bond?
- Yes — the Foreign Worker Insurance Guarantee (FWIG) is the insurance alternative, costing about 1% of the bond a year with a RM50 minimum per worker, instead of locking up the full bank guarantee.