How do I apply for a work permit in Malta. This is a very common question that a lot of people are asking themselves, especially if you are thinking about moving to Malta from another country in the European Union.

If you’re from outside the EU and planning on working here, however, your process will be slightly different. Before I answer the original question, let me tell you what type of residence permit you can apply for depending on your situation and nationality.

We will base our discussion today on – How Can I Apply For Work Permit In Malta. But, other resources which you can find on our website include some frequently asked questions such as: malta work permit online apply and malta work permit processing time

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How Can I Apply For Work Permit In Malta

How can I apply for work permit in Malta? This guide will show you how to apply for a work permit. First, find out more information about the visa application process and eligibility. If you want to work in Malta, you need to apply for a temporary residence permit.

The island nation of Malta is a popular destination for expatriates as well as international businesses. If your company is planning to expand operations to Malta, you’ll probably want to relocate a talented group of existing employees and hire some new team members abroad.

While working in Malta certainly comes with its advantages, you’ll need to ensure that any foreign employees you hire have the appropriate visas and permits to do so legally.

If you’re not sure how to get a work visa in Malta, you run the risk of operational delays and even fees if your company is noncompliant with the local laws and regulations.

Types of Work Visas in Malta

Malta offers a variety of visas for foreign nationals, including tourist visas, business visas, and visas for medical purposes. Foreign nationals who intend to travel to Malta to work have a few options when it comes to visas:

Short-Stay Visa, or C Visa: The short-stay visa is a type of Schengen visa, which means it allows foreign nationals to enter multiple countries within the Schengen area. This visa is available in three forms to accommodate single entries, double entries, and multiple entries. The C visa allows the holder to remain in Malta for up to three months regardless of how many entries are allowed.
National Long-Stay Visa, or D Visa: The D visa allows foreign nationals to stay in Malta for more than three months. This is the visa foreign employees will need to live and work in Malta for an extended period of time. Individuals who are traveling to Malta to study will need a D visa as well.

In addition to a long-stay visa, foreign employees will need a work permit. In Malta, this permit is known as an employment license.

Requirements to Obtain Malta Work Visas

Typical Maltese visa requirements include:

A duly completed visa application form
A cover letter stating the purpose of the applicant’s trip to Malta
A valid passport with at least two blank pages
Two passport photos
Proof that the applicant has travel medical insurance coverage for the entire Schengen area
An employment contract with a company based in Malta
Proof of accommodations for the duration of the applicant’s time in Malta
Evidence of sufficient financial means to cover the entire period of the applicant’s stay

Foreign nationals will also need an employment license to work in Malta. The requirements for a Maltese employment license include:

A completed application form
A copy of the applicant’s CV
A copy of the applicant’s visa if they are already in Malta
A cover letter from the applicant’s employer
One passport photo
References and testimonials of the applicant’s qualifications
A medical certificate of health
A vacancy report demonstrating that the company searched for qualified Maltese nationals to fill the position

Application Process

Foreign nationals who plan to travel to Malta should contact the Maltese embassy or consulate in their country of residence for a complete, up-to-date list of all of the visa requirements. After doing so, they should complete the visa application and submit it and the supporting documents to the consular officials.

It is the employer’s responsibility to apply for an employment license on behalf of any foreign workers, so they should begin this process in the meantime. The employer should submit the relevant documents to the Employment and Training Corporation in Malta and pay any applicable fees.

Upon approval of both applications, the employee may travel to Malta and begin working.

Other Important Considerations

Malta is a member of the European Union (EU). Therefore, citizens of other EU member states are free to travel to Malta without obtaining a visa. They are also exempt from the employment license requirement. However, EU nationals will need to register their stay with the Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs in Malta within three months of their arrival.

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At this moment, Globalization Partners does not offer support processing work visas or permits in this particular location.
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Expatriates Unit

The Expatriates Unit is involved in the legal migration process and caters for the processing and issuing of residence documentation. This involves the implementation of the provisions of national legislation with regards to the EU nationals’ freedom of movement and other regulations concerning third-country nationals residence documentation.

EU nationals exercising their Treaty Rights in Malta are issued with a residence document that reflects their immigration position in Malta. Whilst third-country nationals are issued with a residence permit which authorizes them to legally reside in Malta and gives them the mobility to freely travel without a visa

within the Schengen Area and cross its external border. In accordance with the Identity Card Act (Cap. 258), both residence document and residence permit shall serve the purpose of an identification document.

Right to Equal Treatment

All third-country nationals, who are legally residing and working in a Member State, shall enjoy a common set of rights on the basis of equal treatment with the nationals of the host Member States.

The right to equal treatment is not only granted to those third-country nationals who have been admitted to a Member State on the basis of employment but also to those who have been admitted for other purposes and have been given access to the labour market of that Member State.

Third-country nationals shall enjoy the right to equal treatment when it comes to:

Working conditions, including pay, dismissal and health and safety at the place of work;
Freedom of association, affiliation and membership of an organisation representing either workers, employers or any organisation whose members are engaged in a specific occupation;
Educational and vocational training;
Such equal treatment shall apply only to those third-country nationals who are in employment or were in employment and are registered unemployed in Malta;
- This shall not include:
  - Study and maintenance grants;
  - Loans and other grants;
Educational and vocational training shall be given to third-country nationals who have been admitted to Malta in accordance with Subsidiary Legislation 217.22.
Recognition of diplomas, certification and other professional qualifications in accordance with Maltese legislation;
Branches of social security (as defined in Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004);
Tax benefits (if the worker is deemed to be a resident for tax purpose in the Member State concerned);
Access and supply to goods and services made available to the public, excluding housing accommodation;
Advice services provided by employment offices;

The right to equal treatment shall not prejudice the right of the Member State to withdraw or to refuse to renew the residence permit issued.

EU Nationals

Third Country Nationals

Brexit

Applying for a Single Permit

The single permit authorizes third-country nationals to legally reside and take up employment in Malta for a defined period, which may be further renewed. In accordance to Subsidiary Legislation 217.17, third-country nationals may submit an application whilst they are either still-abroad or legally staying in Maltese territory.

Applications for a residence permit have to be endorsed by the employer and the permit would cease to apply if the applicant would no longer remain in the specified employment.

The single permit does not entitle holders to carry out:

Paid duties assigned by other third parties than the identified employer; and
Unauthorized work not related to the specific employment activity indicated in their application

Third-country nationals applying to reside in Malta for specific work.

The single permit is renewed annually and applicants are required to proceed within 90 days from the date of expiry. Renewal of applications may only be submitted while their current permit is still valid.

If the permit holder applies at a very late stage, the residence card would be collected at time of application and the applicant would be issued with an interim authorisation to reside and work in Malta. This document will allow the applicant to keep on working but is not a travel document. Applicants are advised not to make any travel arrangements before their residency permit is issued.

Key Employee Initiative

The Key Employee Initiative (KEI) provides a fast-tracked service
to highly-specialized Third-Country Nationals who are employed in
Malta. The scheme will facilitate the issuing of work/residence permits
to prospective key employees, which under normal circumstances should
not exceed 5 working days from the application’s submission date

Applications for a single permit under the KEI may be submitted while the applicant is physically in Malta or still abroad. The checklist for single permit applications submitted under the KEI may be downloaded from this website.