Hiring in Perlis: the local picture
Perlis is the smallest state in Malaysia, tucked against the Thai border with Kangar as its capital. The Department of Statistics (DOSM) records a population of about 298,000 for Perlis.
Which process applies here
For Perlis: 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.
As Malaysia’s smallest state, Perlis has very few agencies actually based here — most households end up comparing a Kangar-area agency against one from Kedah or further south, which makes checking the exact licensed name and location against the JTKSM register even more worth doing.
Costs and checks that apply here
In Perlis 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 Perlis, 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 Perlis — who needs support, the main duties, timing and budget — then use it in every agency conversation.
Ask any agency serving Perlis for its legal name and licence number, and verify both before paying anything.