Immigration
Employer-tied passes under the Immigration Act and labour quota
Immigration runs under the Immigration Act (Cap. 17), but the practical gate for work is the labour quota and Employment Pass system, which ties a foreign worker to a named employer and role. Changing employer requires a new approval. Permanent residence is available but discretionary and rarely granted; citizenship additionally requires a Malay language examination.
Governing law
- Immigration Act (Cap. 17) — Entry, passes and enforcement.
- Brunei Nationality Act (Cap. 15) — Citizenship, including the language requirement.
In practice
Employment Passes are employer-specific and require a prior labour licence allocation. Professional Visit Passes cover short-term technical work without a full pass. Permanent residence is discretionary; citizenship requires long residence and a language test. Overstaying and unauthorised work carry fines, imprisonment and caning under the Immigration Act. Penalties for unauthorised work are severe and include corporal punishment — pass compliance is not a formality here. Dependants' passes do not confer work rights; a dependant needs their own Employment Pass to work.