Work permit in Malta

Third country citizens and citizens of Croatia need a work permit in order to work in Malta. EU and Swiss citizens do not require a work permit in order to work in the country.

Third country citizens must obtain a work permit issued by the Department of Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs, the same institution responsible for issuing the e-Residence cards. All work permits and e-Residence cards are applied for at the same time. The Employment and Training Corporation is involved in this procedure, as it examines all requests for work permits from a labor perspective of the market.

However, a work permit is not automatically granted and will only be offered if a citizen from the EEA or Switzerland can be identified for a certain position.

How to apply for a work permit in Malta

Non – EU citizens must submit a Single Permit application that must be endorsed by a employer or a prospective employer.

The required documents to obtain a work permit are the following:

• A Form C, filled and submitted to the ETC desk of the Department of Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs;
• Passport;
• Employment license, if this is the case;
• Proof of sickness insurance coverage for all risks, if a person is already residing in Malta;
• Workers in regulated professions will also need a document stating that the conditions are fulfilled to exercise their profession in the EU.

In addition to these documents, other documents may be required during the procedure, such as:

• Curriculum Vitae;
• Job title and description;
• References;
• A passport photo;
• A copy of the visa, for persons already residing in Malta;
• Copies of diplomas and qualification certificates;
• Covering letter, indicating the site of work;
• Evidence that the employer company has been attempting to recruit a Maltese or EU citizen for the position.

For an individual work permit application, it may ne necessary to provide the following documents:

• Valid police check or certificate;
• Refugee certificate, if the case;
• Proof of long term residence;
• Medical specialist evidence for overseas careers;
• Children’s birth certificates for nanny jobs;
• Power of attorney;
• Proof of relationship to a diplomat;
• Proof from a professional regulatory body abroad, for regulated professions;
• Health clearance from a professional.

Work permits for self – employed individuals

Citizens from a third country may be granted a work permit to be self – employed only in exceptional circumstances, such as:

• Highly skilled innovators with a business plan and a commitment to employ three EU or Swiss citizens within 18 months from the start- up;
• Capital investment in Malta of at least 100,000 euros;
• Sole representative of an overseas company that wishes to establish a branch in Malta;
• A person leading an approved project by a Malta company.

Long – term residents, asylum seekers, refugees and those seeking humanitarian protection will still need a work permit, but they are exempt from the above criteria.

EU citizens, EEA citizens and Swiss citizens do not need a work permit to work as self – employed; however, they must send a Declaration of Commerce Employment to the Employment and Trading Corporation.

Part – time jobs in Malta

Part –time work rules in Malta differ for EU and non – EU citizens. Third country employees may work only on a full –time basis, unless the remuneration for the employment is at least twice the minimum wage. Romanian and Bulgarian citizens may work part – time only if they have previously worked for 12 months in Malta on a full – time basis. There are no restrictions for EU citizens, long – term residents, persons under humanitarian protection or refugees.