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UNDERSTANDING THE TRENDS, FACTORS AND IMPACTS OF PROFESSIONAL MIGRATION UNDERSTANDING THE TRENDS, FACTORS AND IMPACTS OF PROFESSIONAL MIGRATIONAMONG MALAYSIANAMONG MALAYSIAN PROFESSIONALSPROFESSIONALS AMONG MALAYSIANAMONG MALAYSIAN PROFESSIONALSPROFESSIONALS SKILLEDSKILLED MIGRATIONMIGRATION SKILLEDSKILLED MIGRATIONMIGRATION
SKILLED MIGRATION AMONG MALAYSIAN PROFESSIONALS Name: Fatin Wahdah Binti Rosmin Matric Number: BB25110054 Course Code: BH30703 IHRE Institution: Universiti Malaysia Sabah Academic Session: 2026/2027 Understanding the Trends, Factors and Impacts of Professional Migration
01 Introduction 02 What is Skilled Migration? 03 Skilled Migration in Malaysia 04 Current Migration Trends 05 Factors Influencing Skilled Migration 06 Impact on Malaysia 07 Challenges Faced by Migrating Professionals 08 Recommendations 09 ConclusionTABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION Migration is the movement of people from one country or place to another. People may migrate for employment, education, family reasons, better income, or improved living conditions. One important type of migration is skilled migration. It refers to the movement of people who have professional qualifications, specialised knowledge, education, or skills to another country for work or other opportunities. In Malaysia, skilled migration is an important issue because Malaysian professionals may work or study overseas and develop international experience. Malaysia's Department of Statistics has begun publishing international migration statistics that include information on Malaysian citizens abroad and Malaysian students abroad (Department of Statistics Malaysia [DOSM], 2025). 0 1
S K I L L E D M I G R A T I O N R E F E R S T O T H E M O V E M E N T O F W O R K E R S W H O H A V E P R O F E S S I O N A L Q U A L I F I C A T I O N S , S P E C I A L I S E D K N O W L E D G E , E D U C A T I O N , O R S K I L L S F R O M O N E C O U N T R Y T O A N O T H E R . W H A T I S S K I L L E D M I G R A T I O N ? F O R E X A M P L E : A M A L A Y S I A N E N G I N E E R R E C E I V E S A J O B O F F E R F R O M A C O M P A N Y I N S I N G A P O R E A N D M O V E S T H E R E T O W O R K . T H I S C A N B E C O N S I D E R E D S K I L L E D M I G R A T I O N B E C A U S E T H E P E R S O N M O V E S I N T E R N A T I O N A L L Y T O U S E T H E I R P R O F E S S I O N A L S K I L L S . D O C T O R S E N G I N E E R S I T S P E C I A L I S T S A C C O U N T A N T S R E S E A R C H E R S A C A D E M I C S B U S I N E S S P R O F E S S I O N A L S O T H E R S P E C I A L I S E D W O R K E R S I N T E R N A T I O N A L L A B O U R M I G R A T I O N I S A N I M P O R T A N T I S S U E I N A S E A N , A N D T H E I N T E R N A T I O N A L L A B O U R O R G A N I Z A T I O N M A I N T A I N S A R E G I O N A L D A T A B A S E T O I M P R O V E I N F O R M A T I O N A B O U T L A B O U R M I G R A T I O N I N A S E A N C O U N T R I E S , I N C L U D I N G M A L A Y S I A ( I N T E R N A T I O N A L L A B O U R O R G A N I Z A T I O N [ I L O ] , 2 0 2 6 ) . 0 2
M A L AYS I A I S C O N N E C T E D T O T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L L A B O U R M A R K E T. M A L AYS I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L S C A N S E E K E M P LOY M E N T O P P O R T U N I T I E S O V E R S E A S , W H I L E M A L AYS I A A L S O AT T R A C T S S K I L L E D W O R K E R S F R O M O T H E R C O U N T R I E S . I N I T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L M I G R AT I O N S TAT I S T I C S , M A L AYS I A , 2 0 2 5 , D O S M I N C LU D E D S TAT I S T I C S O N C I T I Z E N S A B R O A D A N D M A L AYS I A N S T U D E N T S A B R O A D A S S U P P L E M E N TA RY I N D I C AT O R S O F I N T E R N AT I O N A L M I G R AT I O N ( D O S M , 2 0 2 5 ) .T H I S S H O W S T H AT I N T E R N AT I O N A L M I G R AT I O N I S B E C O M I N G A N A R E A O F S TAT I S T I C A L M E A S U R E M E N T I N M A L AYS I A . H O W E V E R , I T I S I M P O R TA N T T O U N D E R S TA N D T H AT I N T E R N AT I O N A L M I G R AT I O N S TAT I S T I C S C O V E R D I F F E R E N T G R O U P S . T H E R E F O R E , S TAT I S T I C S A B O U T M I G R A N T S I N M A L AYS I A S H O U L D N O T A U T O M AT I C A L LY B E T R E AT E D A S S TAT I S T I C S A B O U T M A L AYS I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L S L E AV I N G T H E C O U N T RY. S K I L L E D M I G R A T I O N I N M A L A Y S I A 0 3
International migration is influenced by employment opportunities, education, economic conditions, and demand for particular skills. Malaysia's first International Migration Statistics, Malaysia, 2025 publication includes information on citizens abroad and Malaysian students abroad, showing that Malaysian international mobility is being measured alongside other migration indicators (DOSM, 2025). At the regional level, the ILO's International Labour Migration Statistics Database in ASEAN provides data for Malaysia and other ASEAN countries to support research and policymaking on labour migration (ILO, 2026).MIGRATION TRENDSIMPORTANT TRENDS 🌏 INTERNATIONAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES 🎓 OVERSEAS EDUCATION 💼 DEMAND FOR SKILLED WORKERS 💻 DIGITAL AND REMOTE EMPLOYMENT INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY OF PROFESSIONALS 0 4
Malaysians live and work in different countries around the world. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) data reported by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, there were approximately 1.86 million Malaysians living overseas in 2020. The main destination countries included Singapore, Bangladesh, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Brunei Darussalam (DOSM, 2022) FACTOR Among these destinations, Singapore was the largest destination, accounting for approximately 60% of the Malaysian diaspora in 2020, followed by Australia (10%), the United Kingdom (4%), the United States (4%) and Brunei Darussalam (3%) (DOSM, 2022) LMajor Destinations 🇸🇬 Singapore — 60% 🇦🇺 Australia — 10% 🇬🇧 United Kingdom — 4% 🇺🇸 United States — 4% 🇧🇳 Brunei Darussalam — 3% Chapter One DESTINATIONS Where Do Malaysian Professionals Go? 0 5
FACTOR 1: SALARY Salary and income can influence where Malaysian professionals choose to work. Some professionals may compare employment opportunities between Malaysia and other countries. They may look at salary, benefits, living costs and career development before making a decision. The World Bank has identified differences in earnings, benefits, cost of living and career opportunities as factors related to skilled migration from Malaysia. 0 6
FACTOR 2: CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Career development can also influence skilled migration. Professionals may look for: Better promotion opportunities Specialised positions Professional training International companies Opportunities to gain international experience Opportunities to work with global teams International labour migration data are useful for understanding the relationship between workers and international employment opportunities (ILO, 2026).
FACTOR 3: WORKING ENVIRONMENT The working environment can influence an employee's decision about where to build a career. Professionals may consider: Work-life balance Working hours Workplace culture Management Employee benefits Professional development In Malaysia, TalentCorp has initiatives focused on talent development and work- life sustainability, showing that workplace conditions are part of the country's broader talent strategy (TalentCorp, 2026).
FACTOR 4: QUALITY OF LIFE Professionals may also consider their overall quality of life when deciding whether to migrate. Factors can include: 🏠 Housing 🏥 Healthcare 🎓 Education 🚆 Transportation 👨👩👧 Family opportunities 🌳 Environment Therefore, migration decisions can involve both economic and non-economic factors.
FACTOR 5: EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCSome Malaysians move overseas initially for education. After completing their studies, they may receive employment opportunities and decide to remain overseas. The process can be: Malaysian Student ⬇ Studies Overseas ⬇ Graduates ⬇ Receives Job Opportunity ⬇ Works Overseas International experience can allow professionals to gain new knowledge, skills and professional networks. DOSM's international migration publication specifically includes statistics on Malaysian students abroad, showing the connection between international mobility and education (DOSM, 2025).
ON MALAYSIAImpact of Skilled Migration on MalaysiaSkilled migration can create challenges for Malaysia when professionals leave and their skills are no longer available to local organisations. Possible challenges include: 1. Loss of Human Capital The country may lose workers with specialised knowledge. 2. Skills Shortages Some industries may have difficulty finding workers with particular skills. 3. Recruitment Costs Companies may need to spend money to recruit and train replacement workers. 4. Loss of Experience Experienced employees may take valuable knowledge with them when they leave. 5. Competition for Talent Malaysian organisations may need to compete internationally to attract skilled workers. Page 14 IMPACT 0 7
Skilled migration does not only have negative effects. Professionals working overseas can gain: 🌏 International experience 🎓 New knowledge 💼 Professional skills 🤝 International networks 💡 Exposure to new technologies The important issue is whether these skills and experiences can eventually contribute to Malaysia. TalentCorp's Returning Expert Programme (REP) is specifically designed to encourage Malaysian professionals living abroad to return and bring back their experience, skills, knowledge and international abilities (TalentCorp, 2026)POSITIVEIMPACT
Challenges Faced by Malaysian Professionals Cultural Differences Communication Cost of Living Family Adjustment Moving to another country can also create challenges Professionals may need to adapt to a different culture and workplace environment. Different languages and communication styles may create difficulties. Housing and daily expenses may be higher in some countries. Migration can affect family relationships and children's education. CHALLENGES FOR MIGRATING PROFESSIONALS Page 16
How Does Skilled Migration Affect Employers? When skilled employees leave an organisation, employers may face Recruitment Costs Training Costs Loss of Knowledge Workforce Planning Experienced employees leave the company. The company needs to find new employees. New employees need time to learn their jobs Experienced employees may take their knowledge and experience with them Employers need to plan how to retain and develop skilled workers. IMPACT ON EMPLOYERS Page 17 Employee Turnover This makes talent retention an important part of human resource management.
📜 Professional Certification Companies can support employees in obtaining professional certificates related to their careers. This can improve their qualifications and strengthen their professional skills. 🛠 Skills Development Employees can be given opportunities to learn new technical and soft skills. Developing these skills can help them adapt to changes in the workplace and improve their career opportunities.Possible Strategies 🎓 Training Programmes Companies can provide training to improve employees’ knowledge and skills. This can help them perform their current jobs better and prepare for future responsibilities. 🤝 Mentoring Experienced employees can guide and support less experienced workers. Mentoring can help employees learn from real workplace experiences and build confidence. 📈 Promotion Opportunities Providing clear opportunities for promotion can encourage employees to stay and develop their careers within the company. Employees can see a future path for career growth. Page 18 RECOMMENDATION Improve Career Development Employers can provide better opportunities for professionals to develop their careers. 0 8
One existing initiative is the Returning Expert Programme (REP). TalentCorp states that the programme is intended for Malaysian professionals abroad and provides incentives to encourage eligible professionals to return to Malaysia with their international experience and skills (TalentCorp, 2026). According to TalentCorp's current figures, the programme recorded 780 applications, 449 approvals and 279 Malaysians successfully returned in 2025 (TalentCorp, 2026). Page 19 RECOMMENDATION Encourage Professionals to Return Malaysia can encourage professionals who have gained experience overseas to return.
Skilled migration among Malaysian professionals is an important migration issue because it involves the movement of educated and experienced workers across international borders. Professionals may migrate because of factors such as salary, career opportunities, working environment, quality of life, education and international experience. Skilled migration can create challenges when Malaysia loses experienced workers. However, migration can also provide benefits because professionals can gain international knowledge, skills and networks. Malaysia already has initiatives such as the Returning Expert Programme, which aims to encourage Malaysian professionals abroad to return and contribute their international experience to the country (TalentCorp, 2026). Therefore, addressing skilled migration requires cooperation between the government, employers, universities and professionals.Department of Statistics Malaysia. (2025). International migration statistics, Malaysia, 2025. https://www.dosm.gov.my/portal-main/release- content/international-migration-statistics-malaysia-2025 International Labour Organization. (2026, March 5). International labour migration statistics database in ASEAN (ILMS). https://www.ilo.org/resource/other/international-labour-migration-statistics- database-asean-ilms Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad. (2026). National talent development. https://www.talentcorp.com.my/ Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad. (2026). Returning Expert Programme. https://www.talentcorp.com.my/our-initiatives/for-professionals/rep/ Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad. (2026). Grants & tax incentives. https://www.talentcorp.com.my/our-initiatives/grants-tax-incentivesREFERENCE Conclusion 0 9