KDN-Approved Source Countries

All 15 approved foreign worker source countries

Malaysia currently approves foreign worker recruitment from 15 source countries. Each carries its own sector eligibility and gender restrictions set by KDN — getting this wrong is one of the most common causes of a rejected quota application.

Full Country Breakdown

Sector & gender eligibility by source country

CountryMaleFemaleAllowed Sectors / Restrictions
Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, KazakhstanAll approved sectors
PhilippinesAll approved sectors (male only)
IndiaServices (restaurant cooks only), Construction (high-tension only), Agriculture, Plantation
IndonesiaMale — not permitted in Manufacturing. Female — all sectors permitted.

Eligibility rules are set by KDN and subject to periodic policy revision. We verify current eligibility for your sector before any quota application is submitted.

Featured Country Guides

Deep-dive guides for our top 3 source countries

Indonesia

Recruitment process, BP2MI coordination, and sector eligibility.

View guide →

Nepal

DoFE Nepal process, popular sectors, and documentation requirements.

View guide →

Bangladesh

G2G-Plus mechanism, BMET coordination, and sector allocation.

View guide →

Not sure which country fits your sector?

We'll match the right source country to your industry and role requirements.