|
Work Permits
EU/EEA citizens
Following Malta's accession to the European Union, Malta also adheres to the principles of free movement of persons throughout the EU. An EU/EEA citizen is generally granted the right to work freely in any Member State of the EU without the requirement to apply for a work permit. Nevertheless, in line with Malta's accession negations with the EU, concession for a transitory period was granted to Malta, as a result of which an application for a work permit would still be required where a citizen of the EU/EEA wishes to take up employment in Malta. The application for a work permit, in this case, is a mere formality and is generally approved and issued by the Malta authorities.
An application for a work permit by a citizen of the EU/EEA is generally issued within 10 working days. A work permit is generally issued for periods of 1 year (maximum 3 years) and is renewable thereafter.
Non-EU citizens
Work permits may also be issued to non-EU citizens subject to the following conditions being met:
- The applicant must be in possession of a job offer from an employer in Malta;
- The applicant must possess a specialist skill or qualification which is lacking in Malta;
- A significant demand must exist in a particular sector e.g. construction workers, qualified nurses, tourist guides with particular language skills.
Upon a request from a potential employer, and on satisfying the above criteria, a work permit may be approved and issued by the Malta authorities.
An application for a work permit by a non-EU citizen may take up to 3 months to be processed. A work permit is generally issued for periods of 1 year (maximum 3 years) and is renewable thereafter.
General information
A residence permit is issued following the approval of a work permit and upon the filing, by the applicant in person, of a residence permit application and relevant supporting documentation.
An individual holding a work permit is taxed on income arising or remitted to Malta at the normal progressive income tax rates (current maximum rate is 35%) applicable to every Maltese resident person on his or her chargeable income.
|
