Norman,
APFT management are *FUNNY* to put it mildly.
I could have done 'residence permit' independently about two years ago.
I met up the HR manager lady in KL APFT's HQ. I enquired about the FI(A) and when mentioning I'm FI(H) there was interest. So I attended. I showed my credentials briefly to the pilot colleague and HR manager during brief chat, then emailed the scans etc.
Not heard back.
In Malaysia it's about DCAM's willingness to do anything and even that after certain company's effort to get some admin stuff through. Or telling helicopter pilot to fly 30hrs twin fixed wing for conversion on first contact.
Real thing, not me. I never heard back from official email when I asked DCAM anything.
As an example, I had enough time/dual given as per the DCAM's form for aeroplane FI conversion - they don't have heli specific form, really. Maybe bit less according to another document I fished out online from ages ago. Either way, I gave said HR's manager contact to my two job-less FAA rated friends (one EASA CPL holder at the time as well, other theory credit) helicopter instructors with 400-600hrs as instructor, mostly Robinsons and sufficient R44 time.
One never heard back from S.I., the other got email with forms and scans to supply, all of that was dully provided, then not heard anything back.
Sometime after they actually put the ad on JH website (FAA/USA) and stated the hours I met and I got in touch again mentioning seeing the ad. No response. While there may be preference for EASA rated FIs, it's not that important for paperwork/validation processing obviously.
So, you have company that supposedly needs instructor/s (actually does) but then doesn't go ahead hiring people meeting criteria, or even properly communicating. Then posting advert even.
One thing to note, licence validation with DCAM is 'restricted' to instructing most likely, company specific work visa (no biggie to sort with job offer), at least aeroplane instructors. Local FI courses are NO-GO for non-nationals, as DCAM in their protective/discriminative fashion would not approve one's course start, no kidding.