Malta
Work Permits

Malta provides a number of different work permits to allow non-EU / third country nationals (meaning non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals) (TCNs) to live and work in Malta once the required residence and employment authorisations are obtained.

Non-EU nationals require a residence permit to be employed in Malta, and the first step is to secure an employment offer from an employer in Malta.

Identita – official department of the Maltese Government responsible for work and residency permits
Jobsplus – official labour board of the Maltese Government

Malta’s employment-related immigration framework includes several routes depending on the applicant’s nationality, role, salary level, employer, duration of work and professional qualifications.

For most third-country nationals, the principal route is the Single Permit, which combines the employment licence and residence permit into one application. The Single Permit is regulated by Subsidiary Legislation 217.17 and authorises third-country nationals to reside and work in Malta for a period of more than six months.

• Single Permit
• Key Employee Initiative (KEI)
• Specialist Employee Initiative (SEI)
• EU Blue Card
• Intra-Corporate Transferee permit (ICT)

The Single Permit is the standard route for many non-EU nationals taking up employment in Malta. It incorporates both residence and employment authorisation.

Single permit applications may be submitted:

where the applicant is still abroad
outside the Schengen area, or
legally staying in Malta or another Schengen state in accordance with Schengen visa waiver rules.

Single Permit applications are generally submitted by the employer through the Single Permit Online Portal, with the employer acting as the Maltese organisation entrusting the employment to the non-EU national.

A Single Permit holder should not:

• Work for an employer other than the approved employer
• Carry out work outside the approved employment activity
• Be assigned duties outside Malta
• Continue working after expiry without valid renewal or authorisation
• Start work before the required authorisation is issued

First-time Single Permit: €600
Single Permit renewal: €150 per year

Single permit holders must wait at least one year before applying for family members to join them. The single permit holder must show a minimum income plus 20% for each dependent they wish to join them – this is in addition to being able to afford suitable accommodation and in the case of children, suitable education arrangements.

KEI applicants must:

• an annual gross salary of at least €45,000
• must hold an employment offer in ISCO Groups 1, 2, or 3 (managers, professionals, technicians & associate professionals)
• certified qualifications, warrants or proof of work experience, and
• proof of one job advert for at least two weeks within the two months prior to application.

Approved KEI applicants receive a residence permit valid for 1 year initially, which may later be renewed for up to 3 years if the relevant renewal criteria are met.

• First-time application: €600
• Renewal: €150 per year, for the duration of the renewed permit, up to three years

KEI holders benefit from a more favourable family reunification approach. Unlike the Single Permit – the 12-month residence period before applying for family reunification is waived for KEI applicants, provided the applicant has at least an Approval in Principle and meets the applicable financial, insurance and schooling requirements.

Indicative family requirements are at least 20% over the KEI holder’s minimum salary for each dependent they wish to live with them. An estimate of minimums are:

• Minimum income of €50,000 per year for the applicant plus one dependent.
• Additional €6,000 per year for each extra dependent.
• Health insurance for each dependent covering at least €100,000.
• Private schooling arrangements for school-age children, where applicable.

SEI applicants must

• hold a job offer within ISCO Groups 1, 2 or 3 (managers, professionals, technicians & associate professionals)
• hold an MQF Level 6 qualification or
• lower qualification with three years’ relevant experience, and
• earn at least €30,000 gross per year from August 2025.

The SEI is processed within 15 working days according to Identità’s FAQ, and the first permit is issued for one year with renewal possible for up to three years depending on contract validity.

• First-time application: €600
• Renewal: €150 per year, for the duration of the renewed permit, up to three years

SEI holders benefit from a more favourable family reunification approach. Unlike the Single Permit – the 12-month residence period before applying for family reunification is waived for SEI applicants, provided the applicant has at least an Approval in Principle and meets the applicable financial, insurance and schooling requirements.

Indicative family requirements are at least 20% over the SEI holder’s minimum salary for each dependent they wish to live with them.

• Minimum income of €50,000 per year for the applicant plus one dependent.
• Additional €6,000 per year for each extra dependent.
• Health insurance for each dependent covering at least €100,000.
• Private schooling arrangements for school-age children, where applicable.

EU Blue Card applicants must

• have an employment contract or binding job offer,
• professional qualifications or qualifying professional experience, and
• a salary of at least 1.5 times Malta’s average gross annual salary.

Blue Card applications must be submitted online through the Single Permit platform, and the first residence permit is generally valid for 2 years unless the employment contract is shorter.

• First-time application: €600
• Renewal: €150 per year for the duration of the permit, up to three years

For first-time Blue Cards, permits are generally issued for 2 years, unless the employment contract is shorter, in which case validity is normally the contract period plus three months, capped at two years. For renewals, applicants may opt for a 3-years Blue Card permit if all supporting documents, including the travel document, cover that period.

Family members maybe applied for once the Blue Card sponsor has at least received an Approval in Principle for the Malta residence permit application. In practice, applications usually require evidence of the family relationship, valid passports, accommodation, health insurance and proof that the sponsor can maintain the family in Malta.

Managers and specialists may hold an ICT permit for up to 3 years, while trainee employees may hold one for up to 1 year.

• Applicant profile: The applicant must be a non-EU national employed by an undertaking outside of the EU and transferred to a host entity in Malta within the same undertaking or corporate group
• Permitted roles: The route is available to managers, specialists and trainee employees, each of which must fall within the definitions used under Malta’s ICT framework
• Corporate link: The Malta host entity and the sending entity outside the EU must be part of the same undertaking or group of undertakings, and documentary evidence of that relationship is required
• Temporary transfer: The transfer must be temporary and made for occupational or training purposes, with the individual expected to transfer back to an entity outside the EU at the end of the assignment

• Managers and specialists: The applicant must generally have been employed within the same undertaking or group for an uninterrupted period of 3 to 12 months before the transfer.
• Trainees: A trainee employee must generally have been employed within the same undertaking or group for an uninterrupted period of 3 to 6 months before the transfer.

• Filing location: The application is submitted to Identità when Malta is the first EU Member State of stay or where Malta will be the longest overall place of stay during the transfer.
• Timing: The application is submitted while the applicant is residing outside Malta.

Typical documentation includes proof of the corporate group relationship, evidence of employment within the group, an employment contract or assignment letter, proof of qualifications or professional experience, a valid travel document, health insurance, Malta accommodation evidence and, for trainees, a training agreement.

The assignment letter or contract should state the duration and location of the transfer, the role in Malta, remuneration and employment terms, and evidence that the transferee can return to an entity outside the EU after the assignment.

• Initial validity: The permit is valid for at least one year or for the duration of the transfer, whichever is shorter.
• Maximum duration: Managers and specialists may hold an ICT permit for up to 3 years, while trainee employees may hold it for up to 1 year.
• Renewal: Renewals must be submitted before expiry, typically within the required pre-expiry period, and only while the existing permit remains valid.
• Cooling-off period: Identità may require up to 6 months between the end of the maximum ICT period and a new ICT application for the same third-country national.

The ICT permit fee is €300 for a new application and €200 per year for renewal, up to the applicable maximum duration.

ICT permit holders may be eligible for family reunification for a spouse, minor children and dependent adult children, subject to the applicable residence and documentation requirements.

The ICT route is not a general local hire work permit, so the applicant should remain within the intragroup transfer structure and the role, host entity and assignment terms submitted with the application. Employers should prepare clear group-structure evidence, a detailed assignment letter, proof of the transferee’s prior employment and qualifications, and compliant accommodation and insurance documents before filing.

• First-time application: €300
• Renewal: €200 per year

ICT holders may apply for their family members to join them in Malta. The general rules that the ICT holder must have sufficient income to look after their dependents, namely an amount of at least 20% of their salary for each family member, as well as:

• Suitable accommodation for the size of the family
• Health insurance for each dependent covering at least €100,000.
• Private schooling arrangements for school-age children, where applicable.

Third-country nationals working in Malta for less than six months may require a separate employment licence issued by Jobsplus. This route is typically relevant for temporary, project-based or seasonal assignments

Jobsplus is involved in the labour market review process for applications submitted through Identità, and employers must generally conduct a candidate search within the Maltese and EU labour market before employing a third-country national.

Identify whether the applicant should apply under the Single Permit, KEI, SEI, EU Blue Card, ICT or another route.

Employers may need to advertise the role and demonstrate that the relevant recruitment requirements have been satisfied.

Prepare the employment contract, position description, passport documentation, CV, qualification evidence, health insurance, accommodation documents and other supporting material.

The employer usually submits the application through the relevant Identità online portal.

The applicant confirms and validates the data submitted.

Identità, Jobsplus and other stakeholders review the application.

If approved, an Approval in Principle letter is issued. This does not normally authorise the applicant to start work.

Where applicable, the applicant completes visa steps and biometric capture.

Employment may begin only once the relevant authorisation to work has been issued.

Documents commonly required for Malta work permit applications include:

All documents should be consistent. The job title, role description, salary, employer details and employment dates should match across the application.

Identità requires health insurance with minimum coverage of €100,000 covering medical treatment, including outpatient and hospitalisation coverage in Malta and, if necessary, other European countries.

Identità also requires the passport to be valid for at least eight months from the date of application and the employment position to be consistent across the submitted documentation.

Employers play a central role in Malta work permit applications. They must ensure that the employment offer is genuine, that the role and salary meet the relevant route requirements, that the required vacancy advertising has been carried out, and that the applicant holds the required authorisation before employment starts.

Employers must also register employment through Jobsplus where required and report relevant changes such as termination of employment or changes affecting the permit conditions.

A Malta Single Permit is tied to the specific employer, role and employment activity approved in the application. A residence permit issued on the basis of employment remains valid only if the main criteria continue to be met, including the specific designation, employer and duration. If those criteria change or cease to apply, the holder must inform Identità’s Expatriates Unit and return the residence card immediately.

• Employer and role-specific authorisation: Employment-related residence permits are generally tied to the approved employer, job designation and duration, and the permit remains valid only while those criteria continue to apply.
• Malta-based employment: Employment must be located in Malta, and a Malta employment residence permit does not give the holder an automatic right to work in other EU Member States.
• Change notification: If the approved employer, designation or duration changes or ceases to apply, the permit holder must inform Identità’s Expatriates Unit and return the residence card immediately.
• No work before authorisation: Jobsplus states that it is illegal to employ a third-country national before the permit or approval is issued.

Because the permit is linked to the approved employer and role, changes may require a new or amended application. This includes:

• Change of employer
• Change of designation
• Change in employment conditions
• Termination of employment
• Expiry or non-renewal of the permit

The permit holder must notify Identità if the approved criteria change or cease to apply.

Acumum can assist employers and individuals with Malta work permit strategy, route selection, document preparation, employer compliance and coordination of employment related residence applications.

Our support may include:

• Assessing the most suitable Malta work permit route.
• Reviewing employment contracts, job descriptions and salary thresholds.
• Advising on KEI, SEI, EU Blue Card and Single Permit requirements.
• Coordinating documentation for Identità and Jobsplus processes.
• Supporting change of employer, renewal and family reunification planning.
• Advising on connected tax, residence and corporate structuring issues.

Do non-EU nationals need a work permit to work in Malta?
Yes. Non-EU nationals require a residence permit to be employed in Malta, and the first step is generally to have an employment offer from an employer in Malta.

What is the Malta Single Permit?
The Malta Single Permit is a temporary permit that authorises third-country nationals to reside and work in Malta for a defined period of more than six months, and it combines an employment licence with a residence permit.

Can an employee submit a Single Permit application directly?
Single Permit applications are generally submitted by the employer, while live-in carers may apply directly if the application is endorsed by the employer.

What is the Key Employee Initiative in Malta?
The Key Employee Initiative is a fast-track route for third-country nationals with a Malta job offer for a managerial or highly technical position requiring relevant qualifications or adequate experience.

What is the Specialist Employee Initiative in Malta?
The Specialist Employee Initiative is a route for highly qualified third-country nationals in specialist roles who may not meet the KEI criteria, with a minimum gross salary of €30,000 per year from August 2025.

What is the EU Blue Card in Malta?
The EU Blue Card is a work and residence permit for highly qualified non-EU workers with a qualifying employment contract or job offer and salary of at least 1.5 times Malta’s average gross annual salary.

Can a Malta work permit holder change employer?
A permit is tied to the approved employer, role and employment activity, so changes must be handled through the appropriate procedure and notified where required.

Can employment start after Approval in Principle?
No. Identità states that the Approval in Principle letter does not authorise employment until the biometrics process is finalised and the applicant is issued with the relevant Interim Receipt and Temporary Authorisation to Work.