Immigration to Malaysia

Immigration to Malaysia is the process by which people migrate to Malaysia to reside in the country. The majority of these individuals become Malaysian citizens. After 1957, domestic immigration law and policy went through major changes, most notably with the Immigration Act 1959/63. Malaysian immigration policies are still evolving.

In Malaysia there are four categories of immigrants: family class (closely related persons of Malaysian residents living in Malaysia), economic immigrants (skilled workers and business people), other (people accepted as immigrants for humanitarian or compassionate reasons) and refugees (people who are escaping persecution, torture or cruel and unusual punishment).

Currently, Malaysia is known as a country with a broad immigration policy which is reflected in Malaysia's ethnic diversity. According to the 2010 census by Department of Statistics Malaysia, Malaysia has more than 50 ethnic groups with at least 30% of current Malaysians are first- or second-generation immigrant, and 20 percent of Malaysian residents in the 2000s were not born in Malaysian soil.

Sources of immigration

Malaysia receives its immigrant population from over 200 countries of origin.

Malaysian immigrant population by country of birth (2015)

Rank	Country of birth	Population	Portion of immigrants in Malaysia	Portion of Malaysian population	Notes

Rank	Country of birth	Population of naturalised Malaysian citizen^[1]^[2]
1	People's Republic of China	69,904
2	Republic of Indonesia	38,204
3	Republic of India	19,301
	Total	688,766

2015 immigration statistics

Number of immigrants granted permanent residence in Malaysia in 2015 by source country
Rank	Country	Number of immigrants admitted	Proportion of total	Notes

Permanent Residents admitted in 2015


Rank	Country	Number	Percentage

Illegal immigration in Malaysia

Main article: Illegal immigration in Malaysia

References

Ethnic groups in Malaysia by region

Malaysians

Nationwide

Peninsular
Malaysia

Malays

Orang Asli

Proto-Malay	Temuan Jakun Orang Kanaq Orang Kuala Orang Seletar Orang Laut Semelai

Semang	Batek Lanoh Jahai Kensiu Kintaq Mos

Senoi	Semai Mah Meri Cheq Wong Temiar Jah Hut Semaq Beri

Indian

Others

Sarawak

Malays	Bruneian Malay Kedayan Sarawakian Malay

Dayak	Bidayuh Bukitan Iban Selako

Orang Ulu	Kayan Kelabit Kenyah Lun Bawang Penan Punan Ukit

Others	Bisaya Melanau

Sabah

Malays	Bruneian Malay Kedayan Cocos Malays

Kadazan-Dusun	Dumpas Dusun Ida'an Kadazan Kwijau Lotud Mangka'ak Maragang Minokok Orang Sungai Rumanau Rungus Tambanuo

Others	Bajau Bisaya Illanun Lun Bawang Murut Suluk Tidong

Foreign ethnicities
/expatriates

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