STATEMENT BY TALENT CORPORATION MALAYSIA BERHAD (TALENTCORP) ON THE RETURNING EXPERT PROGRAMME FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
TalentCorp welcomes the direction by YAB Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, as conveyed by the Minister of Communications and Government Spokesperson, to review the application journey for Malaysians seeking to return and contribute their expertise to the country, including medical and healthcare professionals.
For healthcare professionals, the journey involves the Returning Expert Programme (REP), administered by TalentCorp, as well as the professional registration required to practise medicine in Malaysia, including, where applicable, registration with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) and National Specialist Register (NSR).
As healthcare is a regulated sector, healthcare REP applications undergo an additional technical assessment through the Joint Working Committee for Healthcare Talent (JWC-HT), which brings together TalentCorp, the Ministry of Health (MOH), MMC and relevant healthcare regulatory and professional bodies. A complete healthcare REP application would typically be processed within approximately 60 working days, subject to committee schedules. During this period, TalentCorp verifies the application and supporting documents to ensure the information is complete and accurate before it proceeds for assessment and decision.
Since 2011, TalentCorp has received 774 healthcare REP applications, of which 495 have been approved and 351 applicants have returned to Malaysia. As at July 2026, all healthcare REP applications received for processing by TalentCorp had been processed.
Where the required MMC or NSR registration is still pending, an otherwise eligible application can continue to progress and may receive conditional REP approval. Full approval and access to REP benefits are provided once the required MMC and NSR registration have been completed and submitted.
TalentCorp has been engaging with MOH to review the healthcare REP pathway and strengthen coordination, including an engagement with the Secretary-General of MOH on 22 June 2026 and a meeting with JWC-HT members scheduled for 21 August 2026.
In line with the Prime Minister’s direction, TalentCorp will continue working closely with KESUMA, MOH, MMC and the relevant regulatory and professional bodies to improve the end-to-end journey. As part of this effort, TalentCorp also intends to formalise its collaboration with MOH through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen coordination and enable a faster and more efficient process for all parties.
TalentCorp remains committed to facilitating the return of Malaysian professionals who wish to bring their skills and experience home, while ensuring the necessary professional and regulatory standards are met.
Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp)
21 August 2026
