Immigration to Malta for Skilled Persons

Attracting skilled workers in varied fields represents an important interest to all European countries, including Malta. The IT and the financial services sectors are quite prolific and prosperous in Malta, the authorities being interested in gaining and attracting experienced workers from around the world. If you want to immigrate to Malta as a skilled worker, we invite you to talk to our team of immigration lawyers in Malta and find out all the requirements. Our team can help you obtain the necessary visas for Malta and immigrate to Malta.

What is a skilled worker?

Specialized employees in fields like education, IT & communication, financial services, innovation, or engineering, to give a few examples, are welcomed in Malta. Their skills and experience can weigh much for different companies and areas, so hiring skilled workforce in Malta is for sure in the attention of the authorities, particularly for Malta Financial Services Authorities or MFSA which already imports professional workers. Dedicated highly skilled professional visa programs can be accessed by EU and non-EU workers who want to relocate to Malta for work purposes. The main idea is to boost the economy with the help of skilled persons who can work in Malta. Here is information about how you can relocate to Malta as a skilled worker, with respect to the applicable regulations imposed by the authorities:

•  first of all, the employer applies for the single permit; after approval, a national (D) visa is issued for entry where required;
•  the work permits for skilled employees can be occupation-specific, employer-specific or location-specific;
• work permits for skilled employees have a validity of one year, with the possibility of renewing them;
• the work permits are issued by Identità (Expatriates Unit) after labour-market vetting by Jobsplus (formerly the Employment and Training Corporation).

One should note that the Maltese employer will act as a sponsor to skilled workers and will have to apply for a specific work permit with the Employment and Training Corporation's successor Jobsplus (labour-market vetting) and Identità's Expatriates Unit. Here is a video with details on this topic:

Documents for work permits for skilled persons in Malta

A set of documents is required at the time the work permit application is made. Among these, we mention the following:

1.  The application form with the personal information of the employees.
2. A copy of the Curriculum Vitae.
3. Copies of the qualification certificates.
4.  Details about the job position.
5. A cover letter created by the employer.
6. A valid visa for Malta.
7. The travel documents.
8. A valid police certificate stating a clear criminal record.
9. Proof of accommodation in Malta.

Maltese employers will also have to provide a detailed vacancy report with information about the fact that the job position could not be filled by a national. Our immigration lawyers in Malta can work closely with the companies hiring foreign skilled persons, so if you want to proceed with the formalities, please feel free to get in touch with us right away. Our specialists can also help foreigners obtain a residence permit in Malta or even Malta citizenship. We are here to help you move to Malta.

How long does it take to obtain the work permit?

The processing time for a Maltese work permit for skilled persons is usually 2-4 months (about 5 working days only under the Key Employee Initiative). Meanwhile, foreigners will have to look for a place to stay if the company does not intervene in this sense. The residence permit is then the next document that needs to be obtained by foreign workers.

Those interested in a residence permit in Malta can contact our lawyers with experience in immigration. This document can be obtained both by EU citizens and by non-EU citizens who want to relocate to this country. Among the formalities, we mention health insurance, a valid passport, proof of personal finances, and domicile, among others. Discuss all legal aspects with our lawyers and discover the services offered.

Work conditions in Malta

The work contract or the employment contract is the starting point for foreigners in Malta, and proof of all the conditions referring to salary payment, the rights of employees, the length of the collaboration, duties, etc. The standard work contracts a definite or indefinite period, and it can be issued for full-time or part-time work, depending on the agreement between the employee and the skilled worker. In case of a probation period, this is normally for 6 months, but, in some cases, companies can impose shorter periods.

It is good to note that specific companies will only need skilled employees for a specific and determinate period of time, depending on the project. In any case, such information is established right from the beginning, mentioning that one of our immigration lawyers in Malta can review your work contract before you sign it, in order to make sure that all the rights and conditions are correctly stipulated. Here is information about employment in Malta:

•  2.7% was the unemployment rate in Q3 2025 in Malta (NSO);
• there are around 340,000 employed persons in Malta, including foreigners (NSO, Q2 2026);
• around 10,4% of employees in Malta are young persons;
•  around EUR 994 a month (EUR 229.44 a week) is the minimum wage in Malta in 2026.

Do you want to apply for citizenship in Malta? Our lawyers can advise you in this endeavor and the management of the necessary documents to be able to benefit from a simple and fast process. You have the opportunity to make investments or apply for citizenship if you prove that you are married to a Maltese citizen for at least 5 years. All formalities can be explained to you by our specialists, so do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in this status.

Skilled persons who want to work and move to Malta are invited to contact our team of immigration lawyers in Malta and ask for legal advice. Support for Malta citizenship can be offered.