Hiring in Johor: the local picture
Johor is Malaysia’s southern gateway; its capital, Johor Bahru, sits across the causeway from Singapore. The Department of Statistics (DOSM) records a population of about 4.2 million for Johor.
Which process applies here
For Johor: Peninsular Malaysia uses the federal route: the Immigration Department issues the permit and the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) licenses the agencies. The Employment Act 1955 applies here.
Johor borders Singapore. If anyone in your household commutes across the border, build those early starts into the role before you compare candidates — the hiring route is the standard federal one.
Costs and checks that apply here
In Johor the statutory costs are the ones set nationally: the permit and visa fees — which Immigration's own guidance bundles with the annual foreign-worker levy at approval and at each PLKS extension — the FOMEMA medical and PERKESO cover. Use the first-year cost guide for the current figures rather than an agency estimate.
There is no official cap on the service fee an agency charges a household in Johor, so compare written, itemised quotes and verify the licence on the JTKSM register before paying — a licence confirms legitimacy, not price.
What to do next
Write a short household brief for Johor — who needs support, the main duties, timing and budget — then use it in every agency conversation.
Ask any agency serving Johor for its legal name and licence number, and verify both before paying anything.