How do I apply for my foreign domestic helper (maid)’s check out memo in Malaysia?
Published on 11 Dec 2023, last updated on 2 Feb 2024
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If your domestic helper’s employment is ending (end of contract or premature termination), you will be required to complete a checkout memo at Immigration to remove her employment record from your sponsorship.
You must apply for your helper’s checkout memo before she exits Malaysia. Failure to do so will result in your helper being blacklisted in Immigration records. In addition to that, her employment will still be attached to your sponsorship and if/when you hire a new helper, you will need to make a compound payment of between RM250 - RM750 (depending on your helper’s nationality) to clear her employment from your sponsorship
Applying for a domestic helper’s checkout memo online
As an employer of a domestic helper, you can apply for your helper’s checkout memo (COM) through Malaysian Immigration’s ePLKS@JIM online platform. This only applies to Malaysian employers of domestic helpers. Expatriate employers are required to apply for the COM over-the-counter with the Putrajaya Immigration Office.
Steps to apply for a domestic helper’s checkout memo on Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia’s ePLKS system
Here’s how to do it:
- If you do not already have an ePLKS User ID and Password, click “Pendaftaran” on the top header to begin your registration process
- Be sure to click ‘Permohonon Baru (Pembantu Rumah)’ instead of ‘Permohonan Baru (Pelbagai Sektor)’ to begin your registration
- You will be prompted to key in your IC number*. Please do so without including any dashes.
- Once successfully entering the system with your User ID and Password, click ‘ECOM’ at the top header
- Enter your helper’s passport number and choose her nationality
- Follow the instructions to upload your domestic helper’s flight itinerary
- Submit your application
- Your helper’s e-Check out Memo should be emailed to you within 5 business days
*If your name does not appear on the system after keying in your IC number, you will need to visit the Malaysian Immigration office over-the-counter to update or align your records with their backend system.
Tips in applying for your helper’s checkout memo
- Your helper’s flight date must be before her current work permit expires. Otherwise, you will need to apply for a Special Pass for your helper before applying for her e-COM
- Start the process within 1 month of your helper’s intended return travel date to provide sufficient time in case any complications arise.
- The e-COM is only allowed for checkout memo procedures relating to helpers returning home legally at the end of their employment. If your helper illegally terminates/abconds (“runaway”), you cannot apply for an e-COM to remove her employment records from your sponsorship. Instead, you will need to visit Malaysian Immigration in-person to pay a compound fee before her name is cleared from your sponsorship. This applies to instances where a helper runs away while in Malaysia, or leaves the country with a valid work permit but does not return to complete her contract.