(From left) Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital, Ma Sivanesan; Minister of Digital, YB Tuan Gobind Singh Deo; Chairman of MDEC, YB Tuan Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh; and CEO of MDEC, Ts. Mahadhir Aziz; taking a picture with the digital nomads under the DE Rantau programme during today’s event.
Kuala Lumpur, 7 June 2024 – The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) is thrilled to announce major updates to the DE Rantau programme, an initiative designed to make Malaysia a top destination for digital nomads. The DE Rantau Nomad Pass is now expanded to include professionals beyond IT and digital fields. 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 eligible to apply. 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.
As of 31 May 2024, the programme has received 3096 applications, with 1443 approved, including 189 renewals. These applicants come from 78 countries, with the top five being Russia, Pakistan, Britain, Japan, and Australia. The average annual income of these approved digital nomads is USD69000, with the majority possessing skills in Software Development, Digital Marketing, and AI/Machine Learning. A 2023 year-end survey revealed that 40% of approved applicants are in Malaysia with their families, impacting their spending on tourism, education, food, accommodation, and transportation.
The programme continues 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. 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.
Looking ahead, 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 @ Langkawi later this month, a digital nomad community engagement event by JetPack Langkawi. Additionally, DE Rantau @ Terengganu will be held in Q3 2024, and DE Rantau Fest 2024 is scheduled for Q4 2024, promising an exciting lineup of activities and engagements.
MDEC is committed to empower these initiatives, fostering a thriving digital nomad ecosystem in Malaysia, supporting the growth of local industries, and promoting Malaysia as a soft landing and prime destination for global digital talents.
For more information and to apply for the DE Rantau Nomad Pass, please visit www.mdec.my/derantau.
