# Malaysia (Somali diaspora)

> About 2,945 Somalis were registered with UNHCR in Malaysia in 2026. Refugees, students, schools, the law on work and ties home.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/diaspora/malaysia/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## How many Somalis live in Malaysia?

UNHCR's Malaysia office listed about 2,945 Somalis among the refugees and asylum seekers it had registered at the end of February 2026 ([UNHCR Malaysia, Figures at a glance](https://unhcr.org/my/what-we-do/figures-glance-malaysia)). The total was some 215,600, most of them from Myanmar ([UNHCR Malaysia](https://unhcr.org/my/what-we-do/figures-glance-malaysia)). Earlier editions of the same page gave 3,010 Somalis in May 2023 and 2,860 in May 2024 ([UNHCR Malaysia](https://unhcr.org/my/what-we-do/figures-glance-malaysia)).

UNHCR's global data give a similar picture. At the end of 2025 it counted 2,172 Somali refugees and 742 Somali asylum seekers in Malaysia ([UNHCR Refugee Data Finder API, Malaysia, 1990 to 2025](https://api.unhcr.org/population/v1/population/?limit=200&yearFrom=1990&yearTo=2025&coo=SOM&coa=MLS)).

Malaysia's government gave its own figure in Parliament. In September 2024, about 1,918 of 191,832 registered refugees and asylum seekers, or 1%, were from Somalia ([The Star, 18 December 2024, citing a written parliamentary answer](https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/12/18/191832-refugees-asylum-seekers-in-malaysia-as-of-september)).

These counts leave out Somali students and workers who hold visas. A community leader estimated in 2019 that more than 3,000 Somalis had sought refuge in Malaysia ([Free Malaysia Today, 14 August 2019](https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/08/14/somali-refugee-leader-hopes-for-brighter-days-ahead)).

## How did Somalis come to Malaysia?

Malaysia became a destination late. UNHCR counted fewer than 100 Somali refugees there each year until 2007 ([UNHCR API](https://api.unhcr.org/population/v1/population/?limit=200&yearFrom=1990&yearTo=2025&coo=SOM&coa=MLS)). The number rose to 647 in 2009 and passed 2,000 in 2021 ([UNHCR API](https://api.unhcr.org/population/v1/population/?limit=200&yearFrom=1990&yearTo=2025&coo=SOM&coa=MLS)).

Students came too. A 2011 report counted about 1,500 Somali students in Malaysia, mostly at public universities ([Hiiraan Online, 21 February 2011](https://hiiraan.com/news2_rss/2011/Feb/malaysia_most_somali_students_are_driven_to_get_an_education.aspx)). For the wider routes, see [Migration routes](/en/diaspora/migration-routes/).

## What does Malaysian law allow refugees?

Malaysia is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol ([Malay Mail, 23 June 2026](https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/06/23/why-refugees-like-the-rohingya-and-other-asylum-seekers-find-themselves-in-a-legal-limbo-in-malaysia/224190)). Under Malaysian law, refugees are treated the same as undocumented migrants ([Al Jazeera, 7 February 2024](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/7/in-legal-no-mans-land-refugees-in-malaysia-struggle-to-eat-pay-rent)).

A UNHCR card gives some access to health care and serves as a document, but it gives no legal residence or right to work ([Malay Mail, 2026](https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/06/23/why-refugees-like-the-rohingya-and-other-asylum-seekers-find-themselves-in-a-legal-limbo-in-malaysia/224190)). The government says it does not deport people who hold valid UNHCR cards ([Malay Mail, 2026](https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/06/23/why-refugees-like-the-rohingya-and-other-asylum-seekers-find-themselves-in-a-legal-limbo-in-malaysia/224190)).

In June 2023 the Prime Minister signed a revised National Security Council directive on managing refugees, including a future government registration system ([The Star, 2024](https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/12/18/191832-refugees-asylum-seekers-in-malaysia-as-of-september)). See [Refugee papers and status](/en/diaspora/refugee-papers-and-status/) for how refugee papers differ by country.

## What work do Somalis in Malaysia do?

Without work rights, most refugees take informal jobs ([Malay Mail, 2026](https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/06/23/why-refugees-like-the-rohingya-and-other-asylum-seekers-find-themselves-in-a-legal-limbo-in-malaysia/224190)). Refugees in Malaysia mostly work in restaurants, shops, other services, farming and construction, often without contracts ([Al Jazeera, 2024](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/7/in-legal-no-mans-land-refugees-in-malaysia-struggle-to-eat-pay-rent)).

Many are paid less than the national minimum wage of 1,500 ringgit a month ([Al Jazeera, 2024](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/7/in-legal-no-mans-land-refugees-in-malaysia-struggle-to-eat-pay-rent)). Somali refugees told reporters in 2019 that finding jobs was one of their hardest problems ([Free Malaysia Today, 2019](https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/08/14/somali-refugee-leader-hopes-for-brighter-days-ahead)).

## Can Somali children go to school in Malaysia?

Many Somali refugee children study in community schools. A Somali refugee community school in Gombak, near Kuala Lumpur, taught about 100 children in 2019 ([Free Malaysia Today, 2019](https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/08/14/somali-refugee-leader-hopes-for-brighter-days-ahead)). Its leaders said nearly 200 more Somali children had no school place ([Free Malaysia Today, 2019](https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/08/14/somali-refugee-leader-hopes-for-brighter-days-ahead)).

Higher education is a different story. In 2011 Universiti Utara Malaysia alone had 180 Somali students in business and IT degrees ([Hiiraan Online, 2011](https://hiiraan.com/news2_rss/2011/Feb/malaysia_most_somali_students_are_driven_to_get_an_education.aspx)). In July 2026 Hormuud University in Mogadishu sent its first students on a one-month exchange to Universiti Malaysia Perlis ([Dawan, 27 July 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somali-students-to-depart-for-malaysia-under-new-academic-exchange-programme)).

## Who speaks for Somalis in Malaysia?

- **Somalia's embassy:** the Somali Ambassador to Malaysia met a committee of Somali students in Kuala Lumpur with Somalia's Minister of Education in June ([Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs](https://web.mfa.gov.so/?p=7044)).
- **Community leaders:** Somali refugee leaders in Kuala Lumpur run education and youth activities for the community ([Free Malaysia Today, 2019](https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/08/14/somali-refugee-leader-hopes-for-brighter-days-ahead)).

## What do Somalis in Malaysia face now?

- **No legal status:** refugees without UNHCR cards risk arrest, detention and deportation under the Immigration Act ([Malay Mail, 2026](https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/06/23/why-refugees-like-the-rohingya-and-other-asylum-seekers-find-themselves-in-a-legal-limbo-in-malaysia/224190)).
- **Stalled resettlement:** resettlement of refugees from Malaysia to third countries has largely stalled ([Malay Mail, 2026](https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/06/23/why-refugees-like-the-rohingya-and-other-asylum-seekers-find-themselves-in-a-legal-limbo-in-malaysia/224190)).
- **Language:** Somali refugee leaders named language as one of the community's biggest struggles ([Free Malaysia Today, 2019](https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/08/14/somali-refugee-leader-hopes-for-brighter-days-ahead)).

## How are Somalis in Malaysia tied to home?

Somalia's government keeps close education ties with Malaysia, through student exchanges and ministerial visits ([Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs](https://web.mfa.gov.so/?p=7044)). Somalia's records show 9 migrants returning from Malaysia between 2020 and 2023 ([Somalia National Bureau of Statistics, Migration Statistics Report 2024](https://nbs.gov.so/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Migration-Statistics-Report-2024.pdf)). For the full picture, see [Life after leaving](/en/diaspora/life-after-leaving/).

## Related pages

- [Somali diaspora hub](/en/diaspora/)
- [Refugee papers and status](/en/diaspora/refugee-papers-and-status/)
- [Somali refugees by the numbers](/en/diaspora/somali-refugees-by-the-numbers/)
- [Australia (Somali diaspora)](/en/diaspora/australia/)
- [Türkiye (Somali diaspora)](/en/diaspora/turkiye/)

## Sources

1. UNHCR Malaysia. "Figures at a glance in Malaysia." Editions to February 2026. [unhcr.org](https://unhcr.org/my/what-we-do/figures-glance-malaysia). Checked 2026-11-12.
2. UNHCR. Refugee Data Finder API, Somalia to Malaysia, 1990 to 2025. [api.unhcr.org](https://api.unhcr.org/population/v1/population/?limit=200&yearFrom=1990&yearTo=2025&coo=SOM&coa=MLS). Checked 2026-11-12.
3. The Star (Bernama). "191,832 refugees, asylum seekers in Malaysia as of September." 18 December 2024. [thestar.com.my](https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/12/18/191832-refugees-asylum-seekers-in-malaysia-as-of-september). Checked 2026-11-12.
4. Free Malaysia Today. "Somali refugee leader hopes for brighter days ahead." 14 August 2019. [freemalaysiatoday.com](https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/08/14/somali-refugee-leader-hopes-for-brighter-days-ahead). Checked 2026-11-12.
5. [Hiiraan Online](/en/economy/somali-media-companies/). "Malaysia: Most Somali students are driven to get an education." 21 February 2011. [hiiraan.com](https://hiiraan.com/news2_rss/2011/Feb/malaysia_most_somali_students_are_driven_to_get_an_education.aspx). Checked 2026-11-12.
6. Malay Mail. "Why refugees like the Rohingya and other asylum seekers find themselves in a legal limbo in Malaysia." 23 June 2026. [malaymail.com](https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/06/23/why-refugees-like-the-rohingya-and-other-asylum-seekers-find-themselves-in-a-legal-limbo-in-malaysia/224190). Checked 2026-11-12.
7. Al Jazeera. "In legal no-man's land, refugees in Malaysia struggle to eat, pay rent." 7 February 2024. [aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/7/in-legal-no-mans-land-refugees-in-malaysia-struggle-to-eat-pay-rent). Checked 2026-11-12.
8. [Dawan](/en/society/somaliland-newspapers/) Africa. "Somali students to depart for Malaysia under new academic exchange programme." 27 July 2026. [dawan.africa](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somali-students-to-depart-for-malaysia-under-new-academic-exchange-programme). Checked 2026-11-12.
9. Federal Republic of Somalia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Delegation meets Somali students in Kuala Lumpur. [web.mfa.gov.so](https://web.mfa.gov.so/?p=7044). Checked 2026-11-12.
10. Somalia National Bureau of Statistics. "Migration Statistics Report," first edition. 2024. [nbs.gov.so](https://nbs.gov.so/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Migration-Statistics-Report-2024.pdf). Checked 2026-11-12.

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