Malaysia’s new expat salary rules dubbed ‘ridiculous’, stoking fears of talent drain

An effort to prod Malaysian employers into hiring more locals for white-collar jobs by doubling the minimum salary for foreign staff has caught expatriates cold and stirred anxiety among some firms over a reduced labour talent pool. From June, the salary threshold for expatriate Employment Pass (EP) holders will be substantially raised as the Ministry of Home Affairs tries to reduce reliance on foreign labour and open pathways to work for its own citizens who are plagued by low wages and...