Announced, not yet in force
The measures, one by one
| Measure | What was reported | Who it affects | Reported by |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Single Permit application fee | Rises from €600 to €800, according to reports. The current €600 first-application fee has applied since 1 August 2025. | New applications from 2027. | Newsbook (26 Oct 2026) · Identità |
| Annual “infrastructure contribution” | €400 a year, reported as payable on new applications and on renewals. Under-18s are reported as exempt. | Third-country nationals applying or renewing. | Newsbook (26 Oct 2026) |
| Free public transport | Reported to continue for Maltese residents, EU citizens and long-term residents. Other third-country nationals would pay, reportedly about €33 a month. One outlet links the cut-off to five years of residence rather than to long-term status. | Third-country nationals without long-term residence. | Newsbook (26 Oct 2026) · MaltaToday (26 Oct 2026) |
| Free childcare | Reported as restricted for new entrants to the scheme from 2027. Families already in the scheme are reported to keep access. | Third-country national families joining from 2027. | Lovin Malta (26 Oct 2026) |
| Non-EU driving licences | Reported €83 monthly administrative charge (€996 a year) on category B and B1 licences, from January 2027. Reported exemptions include long-term residents and their spouses, and people whose permit is for a driving job. | Non-EU licence holders without an exemption. | Lovin Malta (26 Oct 2026) |
| €1,000 one-off “Super Bonus” | Reported as tax-free for workers earning more than €12,000 a year, paid by April 2027, for Maltese and EU workers and long-term residents. | Third-country nationals without long-term residence are reported as excluded. | Forvis Mazars Malta · Newsbook (26 Oct 2026) |
Single report One outlet also reported the renewal fee rising from €150 to €400 a year. Other coverage describes the €400 as the new yearly contribution instead, so this may be the same measure. Wait for Identità's fee schedule.
Why long-term residence matters more now
Budget coverage In the coverage, long-term residence status is the main dividing line. It is the reported exemption for transport, the licence charge and the €1,000 bonus. If you have lived in Malta legally for close to five years, it is worth checking whether you can apply now rather than later.
S.L. 217.05 · Identità No change to the long-term residence rules themselves was reported. You still need:
- five years of legal and continuous residence in Malta before you apply;
- stable resources, suitable accommodation, sickness insurance and a valid travel document;
- a course of at least 100 hours, attended in the 12 months before you apply and passed with at least 75%. The I Belong 100-hour Cultural Orientation course counts towards this;
- Maltese at MQF Level 2, passed with at least 65%.
Expect queues, and plan around the entry certificate
What to do this week
- Count your years of legal residence from your residence permits, and note any long absences.
- Check which entry certificate you hold for the 100-hour course: Stage 1 or the New Course.
- Start Maltese MQF Level 2 now. It has no 12-month window, so you can take it before the 100-hour course.
- Revise with the free I Belong study notes and the practice test.
- Keep payslips, your rental contract and insurance in one file for the long-term residence application.
Other Budget 2027 measures
Forvis Mazars · Malta Independent For everyone working in Malta, coverage reports a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of €6.41 a week and a national minimum wage increase of €10.41 a week including COLA. It also reports higher tax thresholds for parents with children and energy subsidies kept at about €400 million. Check your payslip from January 2027.
We will update this page
When Identità, Transport Malta or the Ministry for Finance publish the implementing rules, we will replace reported figures with official ones and show the date. Corrections: corrections policy.
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