Do I need a work permit to work in Malta as a non-EU citizen?

Yes. Third-country nationals (non-EU/EEA/Swiss) need a Single Permit — a combined work and residence authorisation — before starting work in Malta. The application is submitted by your employer to Identità Malta; you cannot file it yourself.

How long does it take to get a work permit for Malta?

Identità Malta and Jobsplus state that a Single Permit application may take up to four months to process. Since 1 March 2026, first-time applicants must also complete a mandatory pre-departure course before the permit is issued.

Can I work in Malta while my permit application is being processed?

No. It is illegal to start work before your Single Permit or the relevant approval has been issued. Do not make irreversible decisions, like quitting your current job, based only on an expected approval date.

What if I want to change employer or my permit is about to expire?

Since 1 August 2025, a third-country national whose employment is terminated is granted 30 days to remain in Malta and seek new work, extendable by a further 30 days — 60 in total — on proof of sufficient financial means. The change of employer application is submitted by your NEW employer, not by you; Identità may consider an application filed within 60 days of your termination date. Renewals should be started well before your permit expires.

Third-country nationals

Work in Malta

The permit, the courses, the renewals, and your rights once you are here. Every number on these pages carries the official source it came from — and where the official source is unclear, we say so instead of inventing certainty.

Where are you?

Before you payIs your job offer real?Before you pay an agent anything. Your employer must advertise the vacancy on Jobsplus and EURES first — you can check that yourself, free.
Start here2026 Worker Requirements TrackerUnsure which of the Single Permit, pre-departure course, Skills Pass, renewal or employer-change rules apply to you? Start here.
Most commonSingle PermitThe combined work and residence permit. Filed by your employer, confirmed by you — never the other way round.
Stuck?What your portal status meansAll 14 statuses, quoted from Identità's own guide, with who has to act next — and when the honest answer is nobody.
RequiredPre-Departure CourseMandatory for first-time applicants since 1 March 2026. Two modules, assessments, and a live interview.
Sector-specificSkills Pass — tourism & hospitalityAn extra, sector-specific requirement on top of the pre-departure course. Phase 1 is the easy one.
Changing jobsChange of employerYour job ended: 30 days to stay and look for work, extendable to 60. Your new employer files, not you.
RenewingPermit renewalRenewing before your permit expires, and whether you are legal while a renewal sits in the queue.
TransitioningStudent to work permitAlready in Malta on a student permit? Switching to a Single Permit after you graduate.
Remote workNomad vs Single PermitRemote work from Malta and employment in Malta are different routes. Compare before choosing the wrong one.

Once you are working

By sector

By nationality

The process is the same whatever your passport. What changes is the consulate, the visa requirement, and the paperwork your own country wants before you leave.

Before you land

Since 1 October 2025 your wages must be paid into an account in your own name — while Maltese banks routinely refuse new arrivals who do not yet hold a residence card. That gap is real, and it catches people in their first month.

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