Any non-EU foreigner planning to work in Malta must have an employment licence (formerly known as work permits) issued by the Employment and Training Corporation.  The licence is applied for by the employer meaning that you need to have an employer planning to hire you and you cannot apply and then seek a job.  Employers must first open the job to Maltese nationals and citizens of the EU and only if they fail to find a suitable candidate after posting the vacancy on appropriate portals for an adequate period of time can they open the search to foreign nationals and apply for an employment licence.  Most licences are for one year, although some three-year licences have been granted.

Malta has two options for residency available: ordinary residence and permanent residence.  Ordinary residence is required for non-EU citizens who intend to live in Malta for more than three months.  One option for ordinary residence is employment or self-employment, which requires approval of an employment licence.  The other is economic self-sufficiency where you must demonstrate a minimum capital of €14,000 or annual income of €4,800 (€23,300 or €5,648 for married couples).  Ordinary residence requires the applicant to physically live in Malta for a period of six months or more.  You can apply for permanent residence after five years.

The Malta Individual Investor Programme gives the opportunity to gain citizenship by investment and requires a combination of a contribution to the Malta government, an investment in stocks/bonds and a purchase or rental of property in Malta.  Overall an investment of around €800,000 is required plus a property purchase of €350,000 or a rental of €16,000 p.a.