Are you a student or recent graduate who wishes to develop your expertise while experiencing a work environment and lifestyle different from those of your country of origin? If so, doing an internship in Malaysia may be of the greatest interest to you.
With a rapidly developing economy and multiple ground-breaking sectors, an internship in Malaysia is not only a bonus for your CV but will also help you at developing your network in Asia and to discover another culture.
Internship programs are common across the country, but there is a bigger competition for internships in Kuala Lumpur. Programs generally vary in duration and tend to offer compensation but in any case, be prepared to dig into your savings to relocate to Malaysia for at least three months.
Finding an internship in Malaysia
International companies, like Ernst and Young, KPMG, Nestlé, Dell, Intel, Shell and Unilever, among many, offer internship assignments in Malaysia. Internships are offered in different areas, such as customer development, finance, human resources, and marketing, so you can find an assignment that matches your interests and expectations.
The sectors most in demand for foreign interns include finance, services, banking, real estate, insurance, health, management assistance for the most qualified, international trade, as well as certain start-ups that are fond of young brains to help them develop their projects.
One of the easiest ways of finding an internship in Malaysia is to first identify the international company you would like to work for, then search for internship offers on the company's website and how to apply.
You can also seek help from your university, especially if it has a satellite campus in Malaysia, or by contacting an organization like AIESEC which offers interesting work placements for students.
Visas
Since the end of 2015, companies registered with the Expatriate Services Division can apply for a Social Visit Pass (SVP-I) for international students attending a recognized foreign university to carry out short-term internships in Peninsular Malaysia.
Nationals from many countries do not need a visa for a stay of less than 3 months in Malaysia. If you are from one of these countries and if the duration of your internship does not exceed three months, you will not need to start lengthy administrative procedures. However, an internship visa will be mandatory for longer stays.
The Malaysian company where you will do your internship will have to submit to the immigration services, a formal request to host a foreign intern. Hence, all required personal documents (identity card, passport, etc.) will need to be submitted to the company which, in turn, will take care of all the procedures on behalf of the trainee. Once the application is accepted, you will be free to work in Malaysia as an intern.
The maximum duration of the internship visa is 90 days, and participants from countries that require a visa must also obtain a Single-Entry Visa (SEV) before entering Malaysia. Passports must be valid for at least six months, although 12 months is recommended, and such visa holders must leave Malaysia at the end of their internship or when their visa expires, as renewal is not authorized.
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