Why PL(KS) and VP(TE) are the same thing
Immigration’s own dedicated pass page switches between both acronyms for the identical document within the same page — describing a renewal deadline as tied to “the PL(KS)” directly under a page titled “Visitor’s Pass (Temporary Employment).” PLKS is simply Immigration’s own abbreviation of the Malay name, Pas Lawatan (Kerja Sementara); VP(TE) is the English rendering of the same pass. Presenting them as two separate permits in a hiring sequence is a naming mix-up to clear up early, not an extra step.
The pass has its own colour coding on Immigration’s i-Kad system too: a foreign domestic helper’s card is specifically labelled “Foreign Maid — Chocolate,” distinct from the six general foreign-worker sectors (manufacturing, construction, plantation, agriculture, services, and services for island resorts) — none of which lists domestic helper placement. The FDH application runs as its own administrative lane with its own forms, not folded into the general sector process.
The required documents at the VDR stage
The application bundle Immigration lists includes the new-application form (PRA1) or replacement form (PRA2), Form IM 12 for the PLKS application itself, Form IM 38 for the visa, a Personal Bond stamped with an RM10 revenue stamp, an Employment Agreement in two sets of originals and copies (also revenue-stamped), a copy of her passport, and a medical report from her home country certified by a Ministry-of-Health-appointed clinic. A non-Muslim employer hiring a Muslim FDH additionally needs a declaration form specific to that pairing. Separately, and regardless of religion, both spouses’ income proof and IC copies are required, plus a marriage certificate on a first application.
The Personal Bond amount varies by her country of origin — Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia sit at RM250; the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and India at RM750; Laos and Vietnam at RM1,500. This is the same Personal Bond that is forfeited if she later absconds — covered in the dedicated guide on that specific process if it applies to your situation.
What happens between entry and the pass being issued
The 30-day Special Pass issued at entry exists specifically so the employer can report her presence to the Immigration office that approved the VDR — this is an administrative check-in step, not a separate work authorisation. The medical exam at a FOMEMA-registered clinic then determines whether the process continues at all: a failed exam means she’s sent home immediately rather than moving on to the pass-issuance step, covered in the dedicated guide on what happens if that exam is failed.
Once she’s certified healthy, the State Immigration Office or the Foreign Workers Division at Immigration Headquarters issues the PL(KS)/VP(TE) sticker — stated to happen within one month of her arrival date. From there, the pass needs renewing well before it expires, covered in the dedicated renewal guide. This sequence is confirmed for Peninsular Malaysia; Sabah runs its own separate licensing system and Sarawak its own HAVEN system, each with different steps — see the dedicated guides for those two states rather than assuming this process applies there.