The E-residence permit is your ticket to an easier life in Malta. It’s a biometric card which proves your right to live and get healthcare here. Application forms for the E-residence permit can be found here. There are a number of options, so read through the list carefully to see which applies to you. For most EU Nationals, it will be form ID 1A. You can also get an electoral form on the same website so that you can vote in European Elections – more on voting rights here.
You need to submit your application at the Department of Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs Office (DCEA), located at the Evans Building, St. Elmo Place, Valletta. The reception desk and customer care are open from 07.30 to 14.00 daily, but applications for the residence permit can only be submitted from 07.30 to 12.00.
Applications must be submitted in person because they will need to take your photo and biometrics. You will also need supporting documentation such as your passport, an original work contract together with a copy of both. It might also be helpful to take your marriage and birth certificates and utility bills from your previous address. If you are not from the EU or EEA, you will also need a copy of your work licence.
You can pick up the completed card from the same location within a few weeks. You will need to take with you the letter from the Department, the receipt of the application and your passport / previous ID card. It’s worth giving the Department a call to confirm these details so that you don’t waste time in a queue only to find you don’t have the necessary documents. Be aware that the queues can be quite long.
If you’d like to work in Malta you will also be legally obliged to acquire a single work permit.
If you’re from the EU, EEA (European Economic Area) and Switzerland, then get ready to embrace pastizzis, festa fireworks and beautiful beaches – you have the right to live and work in Malta. Click here for details on what paperwork you’ll need to do get an E-residence permit.
If you’re a Third Country National (TCN - i.e. the rest of the world), things are a little more complicated. You will need your employer to apply for a work permit for you. Click here to find out more.
Do I need to learn Maltese to get a job?For most skilled positions in the private sector, you don’t need to speak Maltese. It is a bonus if you can learn it when you get here though - this might take your Maltese colleagues by surprise but if you persevere you’ll gain a lot of cultural brownie points. For white collar jobs, the business language is generally English.
Will I find a job easily?If you work in IT (especially gaming), you’re golden. Legal, financial, pharmaceutical, medical and tourism experts are also likely to get their feet under the desk pretty quickly. Even outside of these sectors, the booming Maltese economy means there’s work available - it might just take a little longer to match your skills to a job, and at least initially, you might need to be less picky than normal. Here's a bit more about sectors in demand in Malta.