MDEC expands DE Rantau programme for digital nomads to have better opportunities in Malaysia

The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) recently announced major updates to the DE Rantau programme, which is an initiative that was designed to make Malaysia a top destination for digital nomads.

In case you’ve not heard of it before, the DE Rantau programme is a digital nomad visa that allows foreign location independent workers in the digital sphere (IT, Software Dev, Cyber Security, etc.) to stay in Malaysia for up to 12 months. Though, there are certain requirements for applicants in place, such as having a minimum income requirement and a base criteria for applicants who work within the digital field.

But now, they’ll be expanding their programme to become more inclusive of international talents. So here’s some of the changes they’ve made…

Professionals who are not in IT/digital fields can now apply for DE Rantau!

Great news! MDEC has now expanded their programme to include professionals beyond IT and digital fields. Which means that founders, CEOs, COOs, tax accountants, legal counsels, technical writers, business development managers, public relations professionals, and other related positions, whether digital freelancers or remote workers, are now also eligible to apply for DE Rantau as well. However, the minimum income requirement for these non-IT/digital talents is set at USD60,000 per year or USD5,000 per month.

Additionally, parents of the main applicant can now be dependents. Prior to this, dependents were only specified to be a spouse and children under the age of 18. But now, you can also bring your parents along with you when you pursue your ideal digital nomad life!

But that’s not all – the programme has also continued to grow its network of partners, which now includes a diverse range of local and international collaborators such as co-working space providers, insurance platforms, healthcare providers, accommodation platforms, travel and leisure providers, cashless solution providers, and transportation services. All to assist digital nomads during their stay here in Malaysia.

Some of these notable partners include WORQ, Common Ground, Komune Co-working, Universal Space Offices, Jetpack Langkawi, SafetyWing, KPJ Healthcare, MHTC, OYO, Tripcarte, AxaiPay, EdxaPay, SenangPay, EasyBook, Good Foodie Media, and HERTZ.

They will also host more community initiatives for digital nomads in Malaysia

In the near future, DE Rantau is set to host several community initiatives aimed at engaging and enriching the digital nomad community in Malaysia. This includes the Scale Summit at Langkawi later this month, which is a digital nomad community engagement event by JetPack Langkawi. Next, DE Rantau at Terengganu will be held in Q3 2024, along with DE Rantau Fest 2024, which is scheduled for Q4 2024.

For more information on the programme, and how to apply for the DE Rantau Nomad Pass, you can check out their website at www.mdec.my/derantau.