# Moving soon, help needed



## smith303 (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi everyone, 

I am moving to Malaysia in about 2/3 weeks to an area called Batang Padang. 

I have had a look on google maps but this area looks like its just a forest, does anybody have an idea what this area is like?? 

I am also looking to meet people to socialise with so if anybody would like to meet up with a bubbly, happy, full of life girl, please contact me. 

Also, I will be looking for a job once i get there, I am a beauty therapist by trade, how easy would it be to get a job in this area??? I have also done administration/office work for 15 years so would this be a better option for me?? 
And how easy is it to get a part time job instead of a full time job?? 

Any information would be greatly appreciated and i'm sure i will have lots more questions for you helpful lot 

Thank you


----------



## Nemo. (Feb 13, 2011)

smith303 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am moving to Malaysia in about 2/3 weeks to an area called Batang Padang.
> 
> ...


Hi I used to live in rawang and kl in Malaysia and the rules now as I understand it haven't changed. To get a work permit you need to earn at least 2,500 RM per month. A beauty therapist outside of kl certainly won't and it isn't want the immigration authorities consider to be an expat job hence your chance of getting a wp are almost nil. Why are you there? I'm guessing marriage to a local? You can get spouse visas via a local company if your spouse sets one up and you work for a company he sets up. But clients would be hard to find in the outback and setting all that up requires cash and some "coffee money" good luck


----------



## kishore5382 (Mar 1, 2011)

*Moving to KL, tips needed.*

i plan to move soon to KL & my work location would be petronas towers. I am looking for decent condo accommodation which is fully furnished and is closer to a LRT train station. I am OK with travelling upto 40 minutes one way if that will work out cheaper on living expenses. 

1. What are the target locations i should keep in mind while looking for accommodation?
2. Since it is slightly away from the city, should i have to compromise on other facilities like internet, proximity to a shopping centre for groceries, provisions etc.,?
3. Are there round the clock LRT services in Kuala Lumpur in case i get delayed at work?
4. How much would it cost approximately for someone moving in from an international location to rent a condo & start from scratch keeping in mind i can travel upto 40 minutes.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much in advance.

Cheers!


----------



## Durian Lover (Mar 27, 2011)

smith303 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am moving to Malaysia in about 2/3 weeks to an area called Batang Padang.
> 
> ...


Hi! I was previously in a somewhat similar situation. My wife (who is a Malaysian citizen) and I moved from Australia to Penang. Sadly, most local companies simply cannot afford to hire expats because of the significantly higher wages expats can command. 

However, if your married to a local, you can get yourself an extended Social Visa. First, renew your tourist Visa at the Immigration Office and they will give you a 6-month Social Visa instead of the usual 90-day Visa. You will then need to go for an "interview" with the Police. Its not really an interview, they just call it that  Its more like, "Here's a piece of paper. Write all your personal details down and we'll tell Immigration what a nice person you are". After that, you will be called back into the Immigration Office where you will be issued with a 5-year Social Visa. The Malaysian Immigration Dept. is subject to a lot of scrutiny by the authorities, so there is absolutely no bribery or corruption like there used to be. I found all the Immigration staff really helpful in explaining all of the various immigration options. Consequently, there really isn't a need to be hiring an Immigration Agent, so long as you've got someone around how speaks the language,

As for working, once your on the long-term Social Visa, you can find any employer (I think), and apply for a job at a local wage level. Sometimes they might agree of pay you a slightly above average wage, but nothing as amazing as some expats working for foreign companies. You will then need to get an "Offer Letter" from the employer which you can take to Immigration. Rather than applying for a Working Visa, ask for a Working Pass. The conditions of a Working Pass are very different. Firstly, unlike a Working Visa, you can quit your job and apply for another job while remaining in the country. With a Working Visa, you must leave the country for 3-months before returning. A Working Pass, I believe, also allows you to work in lower paying jobs and in jobs which are not normally open to foreigners.

Also, bear in mind that as a foreigner you'll be paying a much higher tax rate than locals. There is a way around this though. My advice is, stay in the country without working for 6-months. After 152 days in country, your tax rate switches to the local level. Use that first 6-months to network and establish local connections. In Malaysia, "who you know" is everything. A PhD. is totally worthless without the right connections and a well connected high school drop out can climb the career ladder in leaps and bounds, if you know the right people. If your a beauty therapist, I might suggest doing a little volunteer work around some hospitals or volunteering to spruke cosmetics for one of the cosmetic companies. Build up your local portfolio. Also, as I've found, it REALLY helps to speak a bit of the local language!

Keep me updated on your progress and I'll try and share with you any helpful experiences I might have had.

Regards,

Charles (Durian Lover)


----------

