Malta
Republic of Malta · Capital: Valletta
A sunny, English-speaking EU island with a remittance-based non-dom tax regime, strong gaming and financial-services sectors and several residence-by-investment routes.
Migration statistics
Who is arriving
Top source countries and the make-up of recent arrivals into Malta.
Policy overview
3 visa routes into Malta
Eligibility, fees, processing times and whether each route leads to permanent residence.
Permanent Residence (MPRP)
InvestorMT-MPRP
EU permanent residence via property plus government payments: EUR 60,000 administration fee, a EUR 37,000 contribution and a EUR 2,000 donation (EUR 99,000 in total).
Eligibility
- Buy property of at least EUR 375,000 or rent at EUR 14,000 a year or more for 5 years
- Government payments of EUR 99,000
- Assets of EUR 500,000 (EUR 150,000 financial) or EUR 650,000 (EUR 75,000 financial)
Document checklist (10 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Nomad Residence Permit
TalentMT-NOMAD
Residence for remote workers and freelancers earning from outside Malta.
Eligibility
- Remote income ~€42k/yr
- Work for a non-Maltese employer/clients
- Health cover
Document checklist (8 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Key Employee Initiative
SkilledMT-KEI
Fast-track work permit for highly skilled managerial and technical staff.
Eligibility
- Job offer paying at least EUR 45,000 a year (since 1 August 2025)
- Senior or specialist role
- Qualifications
Document checklist (10 items)
Core
Professional
Background
Economic context
The numbers behind the move
Pay reflects the local market in Malta, what you'd typically earn there, not your current salary.
Skill shortages
Sectors actively recruiting from abroad
Where Malta needs foreign talent most, and what those roles pay.
iGaming
Europe's online-gaming capital, perennial demand for tech and compliance staff.
Financial services
Funds, insurance and fintech sustain finance hiring.
Tourism & hospitality
A huge tourism sector relies heavily on foreign workers.
Recent changes
What's changed lately
Recent policy changes that affect migrants, newest first.
No policy changes recorded in the last 90 days. The intelligence agent is monitoring.
Quality of life
What living there feels like
Sliema / St Julian's
Business & nightlife hubThe commercial, gaming and nightlife heart where most expats and firms are based.
- Cost index
- 78
- 1-bed rent
- $1,600
- Quality
- 80
Valletta
UNESCO capitalThe historic, walkable capital, increasingly residential and cultural.
- Cost index
- 74
- 1-bed rent
- $1,400
- Quality
- 82
Gozo
Quiet sister islandMalta's tranquil sister island, cheaper and popular for a slower lifestyle.
- Cost index
- 60
- 1-bed rent
- $950
- Quality
- 84
Living essentials
The practical day-to-day of settling in Malta.
Strong free public healthcare plus affordable private care; English-speaking.
Free public, church and international schools; English-language university.
Moderate but rising; rents up with population growth.
Good fibre across a small island.
Sunny Mediterranean, hot summers, mild winters.
Safety & climate
The reception you can expect
How welcoming the public and political mood is, how safe it is, and how geopolitically stable the country is right now.
Anti-migrant sentiment
trendHeavy reliance on foreign workers; some friction over rapid population growth.
Higher = more hostile public/political climate.
Geopolitical stability
A composite of governance, security and regional-risk signals. Higher means a more predictable environment for settling long term.
Higher = more stable.
Safety
Safe overall; petty theft in tourist and nightlife areas.
Higher = safer (crime index 30/100).
Where to live
Which Malta city fits you?
Cities matched to who you are, career, family, retirement, study or remote work. We flag the ones to consider and the ones to approach with care.
Sliema / St Julian's
Seafront and busy
The commercial, gaming and nightlife heart where most expats and firms are based.
Gozo
Rural and calm
Malta's tranquil sister island, cheaper and popular for a slower lifestyle.
Valletta
Baroque fortress city
The historic, walkable capital, increasingly residential and cultural.
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