Malta · Work
Malta Specialist Employee
Income needed: €30k+ a year ≈ $34k
Specialist Employee Initiative (single permit)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Specialist Employee is a work route for Malta. Applicants need income of €30k+ a year ≈ $34k. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €30k+ a year ≈ $34k
- Government fees
- €600 ≈ $670
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €600 ≈ $670; income to show €30k+/yr ≈ $34k. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€600 ≈ $670
- EUR 600 (≈ $670)Applicable application fee.
Shown, not spent€30k+/yr ≈ $34k
- EUR 30,000 a year (≈ $33,500)Minimum annual gross salary.
RenewalRenewable
The single permit can be renewed.
Permanent residenceGeneral rule: 5 years of residence
Third-country nationals who have lived legally and continuously in Malta for 5 years or more can apply for long-term residence, with stable resources, accommodation and integration measures.
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 5 years of residence
Naturalisation needs residence in Malta throughout the 12 months before applying and at least 4 years in total in the 6 years before that, plus other conditions.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply online through the Expatriates Unit portal, from outside the Schengen area or while legally in Malta or another Schengen state.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Malta
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The applicant has a signed employment contract with a Maltese-registered company.
- The applicant holds an MQF Level 6 or higher qualification directly related to the post.
- Alternatively, a lower qualification directly related to the post plus at least 3 years' experience in a directly related position.
What you must show2
- Annual gross salary of at least EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500).
- The application fee is EUR 600 (≈ $670).
Documents2
- Proof of experience: signed past employment contracts, officially certified employment history or reference letters.
- Proof of one job advert run for at least two weeks within the two months before applying.
Steps1
- Book an appointment with the Expatriates Unit and apply for the single permit.
When you become tax resident
How Malta decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
Residence for the ordinary rates and the remittance basis follows residence and domicile in Malta under the Income Tax Act.
- Foreign-source income
Remittance basis (non-dom)
For a person who is not ordinarily resident or not domiciled in Malta, income arising outside Malta is taxed only on the amount received in Malta and capital gains arising outside Malta are not taxed; Maltese-source income is taxed normally.
- Special regime
Not ordinarily resident or not domiciled · Tax relief
All tax rules for Malta Tax records checked
Full official text
Fast-track single permit for third-country nationals with a signed contract with a Maltese-registered company who meet the Single Permit Regulations but not the Key Employee Initiative criteria. 1
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least EUR 30,000 a year (≈ $33,500) · Minimum annual gross salary. 1
- A fee of EUR 600 (≈ $670) · Applicable application fee. 1
Requirements
- The applicant has a signed employment contract with a Maltese-registered company. 1
- The applicant holds an MQF Level 6 or higher qualification directly related to the post. 1
- Alternatively, a lower qualification directly related to the post plus at least 3 years' experience in a directly related position. 1
- Annual gross salary of at least EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500). 1
- The application fee is EUR 600 (≈ $670). 1
- Proof of experience: signed past employment contracts, officially certified employment history or reference letters. 1
- Proof of one job advert run for at least two weeks within the two months before applying. 1
- Book an appointment with the Expatriates Unit and apply for the single permit. 1
Stay
- Single permit with renewals.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Work for the Maltese employer named in the single permit.
Official sources
- Specialist Employee Initiative - who is eligible · Identita (Expatriates Unit) · checked 2026-10-10
- Long-term residence (non-employment permits) · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-11
- Maltese Citizenship Act (Cap. 188) · Government of Malta (legislation.mt) · checked 2026-10-11
- Single Permit · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-11
Specialist Employee and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist Employee | Needs income of €30k+ a year ≈ $34k | – | – |
| Blue Card | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Key Employee | Needs income of €45k+ a year ≈ $50k | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Single Permit (work) | – | – | No |
| Blue Card Portugal | Needs income from €1,726 a month ≈ $1,930 | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Specialist Employee?
Income of at least EUR 30,000 a year (≈ $33,500). Minimum annual gross salary. A fee of EUR 600 (≈ $670). Applicable application fee.
How long can I stay on the Specialist Employee?
Single permit with renewals.
Can I work on the Specialist Employee?
Work for the Maltese employer named in the single permit.
Who can apply for the Specialist Employee?
Third-country nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Specialist Employee lead to permanent residence in Malta?
The general rule for permanent residence in Malta is 5 years of residence. The general rule for citizenship is 5 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for Specialist Employee holders in Malta?
Malta: not ordinarily resident or not domiciled - foreign-source income taxed only when received in Malta: For a person who is not ordinarily resident or not domiciled in Malta, income arising outside Malta is taxed only on the amount received in Malta and capital gains arising outside Malta are not taxed; Maltese-source income is taxed normally. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Malta: not ordinarily resident or not domiciled - foreign-source income taxed only when received in Malta
Tax relief
Details
- On: Income arising outside Malta and received in Malta (remittance basis)
- Who: Not ordinarily resident in Malta, or not domiciled in Malta
For a person who is not ordinarily resident or not domiciled in Malta, income arising outside Malta is taxed only on the amount received in Malta and capital gains arising outside Malta are not taxed; Maltese-source income is taxed normally.
Taxed on
Income arising outside Malta and received in Malta (remittance basis), plus all Maltese-source income and Maltese capital gains;.
Who it applies to
- Not ordinarily resident in Malta, or not domiciled in Malta (Income Tax Act proviso (i) and (ii)).
- Persons charged at 15 cents in the euro under article 56(11) are taxed only on Maltese-source income and capital gains and on foreign-source income received in Malta.
Exclusions
- Maltese-source income and Maltese capital gains are fully taxable.
- Foreign-source income that is received in Malta (including foreign-source income remitted) is taxed.
Tax residence
Status depends on ordinary residence and domicile as defined for Maltese tax law; visa status is not the test.
Visas
Independent of the immigration permit.
Other taxes
Social security contributions and VAT are separate; Nomad Residence Permit income rules are in a separate record.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in Malta
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Specialist Employee Initiative - who is eligible · Identita (Expatriates Unit) · checked 2026-10-10
- Long-term residence (non-employment permits) · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-11
- Maltese Citizenship Act (Cap. 188) · Government of Malta (legislation.mt) · checked 2026-10-11
- Single Permit · Identità, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.