Do you get paid during work-based learning in Malaysia?

Sometimes. Malaysia’s official government portal says private-sector industrial training has “no mandatory rate”, so whether you are paid depends on the scheme and the placement. At Mont Royale International College, eligible Diploma in Hotel Management students in designated work-based learning (WBL) arrangements may receive monthly training allowances from RM1,500. WBL benefits apply only to eligible students under designated arrangements. Employment is subject to employer assessment and vacancies.

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Figures on this page were checked against the official pages of MyGOV, TalentCorp, HRD Corp and MQA on 21 October 2026.

Is a training allowance compulsory in Malaysia?

Not for every placement. MyGOV, the Malaysian government’s official portal, says facilities and allowances for industrial training “depend on the policies of the organisation or company”, and that for placements in private companies “there is no mandatory rate, but some programmes support companies in providing allowances to industrial training students”. Whether a student is paid is therefore decided scheme by scheme.

Malaysia’s higher education quality agency treats an allowance as good practice rather than a requirement. Section 5.4.4 of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency’s Guidelines to Good Practices: Work-Based Learning (2016), headed “Students’ Welfare”, states:

“The HEP/industry is encouraged to provide allowances and/or other forms of benefits for the purpose of subsidising the students’ daily expenses during their duration of WBL.”

The same MQA guideline recognises that work-based learners “may be undertaking paid or unpaid work in various forms”. The official figures in the next section are each set for the scheme they name. An internship can be one form of WBL, as the guide to whether work-based learning is the same as an internship explains.

How much are diploma interns paid in Malaysia?

Malaysia’s official bodies publish scheme rates and minimums, not one going rate. MyGOV lists a practical training allowance at government agencies of RM5 an hour, 8 hours a day, for up to 90 working days, subject to available allocation. Under TalentCorp’s MySIP, a participating company pays at least RM500 a month to a diploma intern and at least RM600 to a degree intern.

TalentCorp, a Ministry of Human Resources agency, says a company that runs a MySIP internship is eligible for a double tax deduction, claimed from the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) based on its interns’ allowances. MySIP covers Malaysian full-time students, so its minimums do not apply to every placement or every student.

HRD Corp’s Industrial Training Scheme supports employers registered with HRD Corp who take trainees. Its Employer’s Circular No. 3/2024 changed the monthly allowance it supports from “RM500 per month/per trainee” to “As paid by the employer”, for new grants submitted from 1 November 2024. HRD Corp’s scheme page and MyGOV still show the earlier RM500 figure.

Employers who want to offer structured WBL training places can start with the college’s Industry and WBL Partnerships.

Where do diploma students find a paid internship in Malaysia?

Start with your institution, then use portals such as MyNext. MyGOV describes industrial training (latihan industri in Malay) as “the placement of students in an organization to undertake supervised practical training in a chosen industry” before they are awarded a certificate, diploma or bachelor’s degree, usually for 3 to 6 months depending on the institution and programme.

MyGOV also tells students to consult their institution about placement. For a MySIP internship, TalentCorp’s steps for students are:

1. Visit www.mynext.my and choose mynext Talent.
2. Sign up and complete the About Me section in the mynext portal.
3. Complete the Profiling Suite assessment in the mynext portal.
4. Apply for internships in the mynext portal.

TalentCorp also lists MySIP companies on its website for students who apply to them directly. On a Mont Royale programme with a designated WBL arrangement, the placement comes through the programme: in the college’s words, “Eligible students participate in organised practical training with participating employers under the applicable programme arrangements.” WBL participation and benefits are subject to eligibility, available placements, confirmed agreements and programme requirements. Employment is not automatically guaranteed.

What can Hotel Management students at Mont Royale receive during WBL?

The Diploma in Hotel Management is Mont Royale International College’s featured work-based learning programme. Eligible students in designated WBL arrangements may take part in structured training with participating hospitality employers, and the college says they may receive monthly training allowances from RM1,500 and other benefits, subject to their programme and industry placement agreements.

Depending on the applicable arrangement, the college says benefits may include:

• Industry-based practical training
• Monthly allowance from RM1,500 under the designated scheme
• Accommodation during the workplace training period
• Duty meals
• Workplace supervision
• Opportunities for continued employment consideration after graduation

WBL benefits apply only to eligible students under designated arrangements. Employment is subject to employer assessment and vacancies.

The college’s figure belongs to its designated hospitality scheme and is separate from the MySIP and government rates above. The programme’s areas of study and career options are on the Diploma in Hotel Management page.

Ask About WBLExplore Hotel Management

What decides whether you are paid on a WBL placement?

Your programme and your placement agreement decide it. Asked whether WBL students can receive monthly allowances, Mont Royale answers: “Eligible students under designated arrangements may receive monthly allowances and other benefits. Specific details depend on the relevant programme and placement agreements.” An allowance is therefore attached to a designated arrangement, not to WBL in general.

WBL participation and benefits are subject to eligibility, available placements, confirmed agreements and programme requirements. Employment is not automatically guaranteed.

Each condition in that caution is something to confirm before you enrol:

• Eligibility: whether you meet the conditions for the designated arrangement on your programme.
• Available placements: whether a participating employer has a training place for you when your industry phase begins.
• Confirmed agreements: the placement agreement sets the specific allowance and benefits, so the figure that applies to you is the one in your agreement.
• Programme requirements: what your programme asks of you before and during the industry phase.

The allowance figure in Mont Royale’s content is for the Diploma in Hotel Management. If you are considering Cabin Crew Management, Law Enforcement, Business Management, Multimedia Design, Accounting, Computer Science or Technology Management, ask the admissions team whether a designated WBL arrangement applies and what it includes. The eight diplomas are set side by side on the diploma comparison page and listed on the programmes page.

What support besides money can WBL include?

Support during work-based learning can come in kind as well as in cash. Mont Royale says “Selected programmes may include accommodation, meals or other support during the applicable industry phase.” WBL participation and benefits are subject to eligibility, available placements, confirmed agreements and programme requirements. Employment is not automatically guaranteed. On the Diploma in Hotel Management, the benefits that may apply under the designated arrangement include accommodation during the workplace training period, duty meals and workplace supervision.

MQA’s own sample agreement shows what in-kind support can look like. In the sample hospitality WBL agreement printed in MQA’s guideline (Appendix 5(a), a memorandum of agreement between a university and a host it calls the “Patron”), the “Allowance and Benefits” clause reads: “Patron will provide duty meals and uniform.” The guideline also says institutions and industry “should ensure that students are covered by current and adequate Public Liability Insurance.”

When comparing work-based learning offers, count accommodation, meals and insurance alongside the cash allowance, because each covers a cost a student would otherwise meet during the industry phase.

Does paid work-based learning lead to a job?

It can lead to being considered for one, but it is not a job offer. Mont Royale’s answer to “Will I receive employment after WBL?” is: “WBL may create opportunities to be considered for employment. Actual recruitment remains subject to employer vacancies, performance and selection decisions.” For Hotel Management, the college adds that suitable graduates may be considered for continued employment where participating employers have vacancies.

A WBL training allowance covers the training period; MQA describes allowances as support for students’ daily expenses “during their duration of WBL”. What follows graduation depends on the employer. In the college’s words, “Practical workplace experience can help students develop professional confidence and provide employers with opportunities to assess their capabilities.” Employment is not automatically guaranteed.

What should you ask before choosing a diploma with paid WBL?

Ask the college to show you how the allowance works on your specific programme before you enrol: whether a designated scheme exists, what the placement agreement states, when the allowance is paid and what support comes with it. These six questions cover the points that MyGOV, TalentCorp, MQA and Mont Royale’s own conditions leave to each arrangement:

1. Is the allowance stated in writing in my placement agreement before the placement starts?
2. How much is the monthly allowance, and who pays it?
3. Is the allowance paid for every month of the industry phase?
4. Do accommodation, duty meals, a uniform or insurance come with the placement?
5. When does the industry phase start, and how long does it last?
6. What happens if no placement is available when my industry phase begins?

International applicants should ask how WBL applies to them: MySIP is for Malaysian students, and Mont Royale notes that “Admissions and Student Pass processing remain subject to applicable regulatory approvals.” The college’s Work-Based Learning page sets out its five stages. To ask about a specific programme, message the admissions team on WhatsApp at +60 12-457 7209 or follow the admissions steps.

Enquire About WBL

Frequently asked questions

Do Malaysian companies have to pay interns?

There is no mandatory rate for private companies, according to MyGOV, which says facilities and allowances depend on the policies of the organisation or company. Schemes such as TalentCorp’s MySIP set minimum allowances for the companies that join them.

What is the MySIP minimum allowance for a diploma intern?

TalentCorp says a MySIP company pays a minimum of RM500 a month for interns pursuing a diploma, and RM600 a month for a bachelor’s or master’s degree, for an internship of at least 10 weeks offered to a Malaysian citizen.

How long is industrial training in Malaysia?

MyGOV says the duration of industrial training varies by institution and programme, and is usually between 3 and 6 months.

Do hotel and hospitality trainees get paid in Malaysia?

It depends on the employer and the scheme. On Mont Royale’s Diploma in Hotel Management, eligible students in designated WBL arrangements may receive monthly training allowances from RM1,500. WBL benefits apply only to eligible students under designated arrangements. Employment is subject to employer assessment and vacancies.

Does every Mont Royale diploma include a WBL allowance?

The allowance figure the college publishes is for the Diploma in Hotel Management. For any other diploma, ask the admissions team whether a designated WBL arrangement applies. WBL participation and benefits are subject to eligibility, available placements, confirmed agreements and programme requirements. Employment is not automatically guaranteed.

Will I get a job after paid work-based learning?

WBL may create opportunities to be considered for employment. Actual recruitment remains subject to employer vacancies, performance and selection decisions. WBL participation and benefits are subject to eligibility, available placements, confirmed agreements and programme requirements. Employment is not automatically guaranteed.

Sources

1. MyGOV, Official Malaysia Government Website, Facilities and Allowances for Industrial Training (page updated 13 March 2026) and Industrial Training (Malay version: Latihan Industri).
2. Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp), National Structured Internship Programme (MySIP): company requirements, the student FAQ and the double tax deduction.
3. HRD Corp, Employer’s Circular No. 3/2024, Enhancement of Terms and Conditions for the Allowable Cost Matrix (21 October 2024), with its FAQ (ACM version 4, 20 April 2026), section 5 on the Industrial Training Scheme; and the Industrial Training Scheme (ITS) page.
4. Malaysian Qualifications Agency, Guidelines to Good Practices: Work-Based Learning (2016; the PDF on MQA’s site is dated 23 January 2019): paid or unpaid work (section 1.1), Students’ Welfare (section 5.4.4) and the sample hospitality agreement (Appendix 5(a)).
5. Mont Royale International College, the college’s web content (October 2026): Work-Based Learning, Diploma in Hotel Management and its frequently asked questions.