Lai Yen Yi graduated from the University of Auckland in 2008, majoring in accounting and finance. In 2010, she completed her Master of Professional Business Studies (accounting) at the Auckland University of Technology. She began her career in the private sector as an audit assistant at E.H.Teh & Co. (2009) and finance executive at Hwang DBS Investment Bank (2011). In 2012, she joined Seberang Perai City Council as the Assistant Director of the Treasury Department, managing the budget and account of the council. In 2017, she became Senior Assistant Director and has been managing the financial records and full set of accounts for the council.