New Employment Pass Process Sarawak (2026)

Sarawak has introduced several new online platforms to digitise the employment pass and work permit application process. If you are hiring foreign workers or sponsoring professionals in Sarawak, here is what has changed and what you need to know. For agency-managed lodgement, see our Employment Pass service.

What Changed in 2026

The Sarawak government has progressively moved immigration and labour processes online through its GENESIS portal. Where applications were previously submitted in person or through paper-based processes, several key functions are now handled through dedicated online modules.

These changes affect both Employment Pass applications (for skilled professionals and expatriates) and general worker applications (for sectors like manufacturing, construction, and plantation). The goal is to improve processing speed, transparency, and compliance tracking.

Overview of the New Platforms

Here is a summary of the key platforms under the GENESIS ecosystem and what each one handles:

All of these platforms are accessed through the central GENESIS portal at genesis.sarawak.gov.my. Employers and authorised agents register once on GENESIS and then access the relevant module for their application type.

ALIANCE and EXPRT: Employment Pass Applications

ALIANCE is the ecosystem and single login; EXPRT is the module inside it where Employment Pass (EP) applications are actually lodged. If you are hiring a skilled professional, manager, or expatriate to work in Sarawak, you register your company in ALIANCE once, then submit the EP application through EXPRT.

What the EXPRT module handles:

• New EP applications — submit the full application package online, including company documents and candidate details
• Document uploads — supporting documents (SSM forms, tenancy agreements, candidate qualifications) are uploaded digitally
• Status tracking — employers and agents can track the progress of each application through the portal
• EP renewals — renewal applications are also processed through EXPRT
• Cancellations — EP cancellation requests when an employee leaves

For the full list of EP eligibility requirements, company criteria, and document checklists, see our Sarawak Employment Pass guide. The requirements themselves have not changed — what changed is how applications are submitted and tracked.

FWTA: Foreign Workers Transformation Approach

FWTA (Foreign Workers Transformation Approach) is the name of the reform itself — the Sarawak programme that moved foreign-worker recruitment, licensing, and permit processing online. It is not a separate portal you log into; it is the framework the other platforms sit under. When people say a company hires “under FWTA,” they mean it is going through this digitised system rather than the old paper-based one.

What that means in practice:

• One digital ecosystem — GENESIS, ALIANCE, SANSOLS, and the rest are all modules under the FWTA reform
• End-to-end compliance — approvals, medicals, licences, and permits are tracked through the system rather than in disconnected paper files
• Faster processing — the stated aim of the reform is to cut the old multi-month approval timeline

SANSOLS: General Worker Applications

SANSOLS (Sarawak Advanced Non-Sarawakian Online Labour System) is the portal for general foreign worker applications. If you are hiring workers for manufacturing, construction, plantation, agriculture, or services sectors, the process goes through SANSOLS.

SANSOLS handles:

• AP Quota applications — the Approval in Principle (AP) that authorises your company to hire foreign workers
• Labour Licence applications — individual worker permits under the Sarawak Labour Ordinance
• PLKS processing — the Visitor's Pass (Temporary Employment) work permit
• Quota management — tracking how many workers have been hired against your approved quota

For a detailed walkthrough of the AP Quota and work permit application process, see our work permit requirements and AP Quota guide.

EXPRT and HAVEN

Two additional modules you may encounter:

• EXPRT (Expatriate Platform for Recruitment & Talent) — the module for expatriates, covered above. Currently it handles Employment Pass applications, with the Professional Visit Pass announced as coming to the module
• HAVEN (Household and Assistance Vetting & Employment Network) — the module for hiring a foreign domestic helper (maid). If a household is bringing in a maid, the application goes through HAVEN

Most employers will interact with EXPRT and HAVEN through their employment agency rather than directly.

How the Platforms Fit Together

All of these platforms sit under the GENESIS ecosystem. Here is how they connect:

The key point for employers: you register once on GENESIS and then access whichever module is relevant to your application. Your employment agency can manage all of this on your behalf.

What Employers Need to Do Now

If you are hiring foreign workers or sponsoring an Employment Pass in Sarawak, here are the practical steps:

1. Register on the GENESIS portal — if your company has not already registered at genesis.sarawak.gov.my, do so. You will need your SSM registration details
2. Ensure your company documents are up to date — SSM registration, business licence, Forms 9/24/49, and tenancy agreement should all be current. Outdated documents will cause application rejections
3. Understand which module applies to your needs — EXPRT for Employment Passes, SANSOLS for general workers. The requirements for each are different
4. Work with a licensed employment agency — the new platforms are designed for use by registered agencies and employers. A licensed agency navigates these systems daily and can manage the entire process on your behalf

Employment Pass Application: Step by Step

The Employment Pass application process through EXPRT follows this workflow:

For EP eligibility requirements, company criteria, and a full document checklist, see our Sarawak Employment Pass guide.

General Worker Application: Step by Step

For general foreign workers (manufacturing, construction, plantation, agriculture, services), the application process goes through SANSOLS:

For detailed document checklists and sector-specific requirements, see our work permit requirements and AP Quota guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

• GENESIS Portal — Sarawak Immigration
• Sarawak Employment Pass (EP) Guide
• Work Permit Requirements & AP Quota Sarawak
• Why Sarawak Has Its Own Immigration System