Looking for a job

Yes, once you are offered a job, the employer can process a work permit for you. The same rules apply as the Professional Passes i.e. minimum salary, etc. They used to just endorse the dependent pass, but have changed that process now. So the employer will take care of it on your behalf. You don't have to be outside the country while Stage I is being completed (this is an exception because you already hold a DP - applicants for a first work permit DO have to remain outside the country). As usual, the company has to qualify to hire foreigners (in terms of their paid-up capital and structure) and there is no difference at all in how work permits are handled

https://esd.imi.gov.my/portal/pdf/esdguidebook-v3.pdf

Thanks Gravitas for your reply!

Do I need to cancel my dependent pass ? or will it be cancelled automatically once my employment pass procedure gets initiated.

That will be part of the process handled by the employer. Naturally you don't want to cancel your DP until everything is signed off by immigration i.e. they approve your work permit... This is quite a new rule and I have not seen how the passport looks. Normally when a pass is superseded by another, the old one is stamped and a note written by hand in the passport, confirming date of cancellation.

Timewise, I am guessing up to 10 working days to get Stage I completed. If there is anything missing from the company's application or further paperwork needed, then immigration tend to get back within a couple of days to list  actions required.

Thanks Gravitas for your reply. This information is really valuable and helpful.

How much time approximately Stage 2 takes.

Well once Stage I is approved, you can start working in accordance with the suggested date that work would begin stated in your offer letter. On the first day of work your passport can be handed in to HR, so that the sticker can be organised. You can be working while the Stage II is completed. How long it takes depends on how quickly HR submit it and the volume of applications immigration is processing. But it is quite normal to work during the process. The decision has been taken to enable you to work.

The only proviso I would say, is for people who remain in Malaysia while Stage I is going on and immigration catch wind of it, when they see the actual passport for Stage II. That could become rather messy and the process would be restarted as the T&Cs were not adhered to (This is not concerning your case, but for anyone reading this thread)

The Stage I process is handled on-line these days, which has simplified matters. All the corporate information, organigram and your papers etc. are scanned and uploaded.