Part of our Nursing Councils of the World series. Last checked: October 2026.
Nursing in Malaysia is regulated by the Malaysia Nursing Board (Lembaga Jururawat Malaysia), working with the Nursing Division of the Ministry of Health under the Nurses Act 1950 and the Nurses Regulations 1985. Malaysian nurses hold an Annual Practising Certificate (APC). Foreign-trained nurses work on a separate Temporary Practising Certificate (TPC), which has strict conditions.
Who can work in Malaysia as a foreign-trained nurse
Under the Ministry of Health’s published criteria for foreign-trained nurses, a clinical nurse must:
- Be aged 27 to 55.
- Be a Registered Nurse with a post-basic qualification (a specialty course such as critical care, renal, perioperative or oncology nursing), certified by the training institution.
- Have at least three years of clinical experience.
- Be fluent in spoken and written English.
- Arrange for verification of registration, a letter of good standing, and verification of training and transcripts to be sent directly from the home council and school to the Malaysia Nursing Board.
- Be approved by the Selection Committee for Recruitment of Foreign Trained Nurses, and pass the Board’s online examination.
Nurse educators must be aged 27 to 60, have five years of clinical experience and hold a teaching permit from the Ministry of Higher Education.
The rules that limit foreign nurses
- Employer-only applications. Only an employer with an approved foreign nurse quota can apply for your TPC. Individuals cannot apply.
- The 60:40 quota. Foreign nurses can make up at most 40% of a facility’s nurses. Quotas are approved for private facilities registered with CKAPS and last three years.
- Five-year cap. Total service may not exceed five years. You must then leave Malaysia for at least three months before any return.
- No obstetric practice, no clinical instructor role, and the most senior nursing post must be held by a Malaysian.
TPC fees and processing
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Processing fee | RM50 |
| TPC card | RM70 |
| Total | RM120 (about USD 28) |
| Processing time (new) | 8–12 weeks |
| Validity | One year from approval, matched to your work permit |
| Renewal | Apply two months before expiry (4–8 weeks to process) |
Working without a valid TPC exposes both you and your employer to legal penalties. Foreign nationals do not receive an APC. The TPC is their licence.
For Malaysian nurses: APC, CPD and documents for going abroad
- APC fees are RM10 for nurses and RM5 for community and assistant nurses. Renewal opens in March and closes on 30 September. A late fee of RM10 applies after that date. Your employer submits the application with a verified CPD logbook (CPD-LB) and your previous APC.
- CPD points are required for every APC renewal.
- Retention of Name (if you are not practising): RM25 a year, due by 30 September, or your name is removed.
- Going abroad? A Verification of Registration (VOR) and a Verification of Training Transcript (VOT) cost RM30 each and take 6–8 weeks. Regulators such as the NMC, Ahpra and DataFlow request them.
Discipline
The Malaysia Nursing Board can inquire into complaints of misconduct or negligence. It can reprimand a nurse, suspend registration or remove a name from the register. For foreign nurses, it can also cancel the TPC, which ends the right to work and the work permit. Practising without a valid APC or TPC is an offence for both the nurse and the employer.
Contact: TPC and foreign-trained nurse enquiries: nursing.info@moh.gov.my, +603-8883 2782 / 2791 / 3912.
Also in Asia: Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines.
Sources: Ministry of Health Malaysia, Nursing Division FAQ; MOH, Employment Criteria for Foreign Trained Nurses in Malaysia (2018, published April 2019); MOH, TPC and International Affairs Unit. The criteria document dates from 2018, so confirm current rules with the Nursing Division.