Study and work visa in Malta

How to migrate to Malta? Find out all about visas, residency and licences to study and work here.. When we are analysing the possibility of migrating to another country, whether for study or work, questions always arise regarding visas, permits and other requirements that we must meet in order to complete the migration process without complications and in compliance with all the requirements of the country that welcomes us. Therefore, in this post, we will explain in detail everything you need to know to study and work in Malta if you come from Latin America and do not have European citizenship. How to migrate to Malta? Get your study and work visa in Malta. The first thing we want to tell you is that it is possible to study and work in Malta and we are going to tell you how we recommend you do it according to the current regulations, so that you do not have any inconvenience and you can count on the security of a legal contract and access to all the rights and benefits of workers in Malta. Also, remember that, if you come with Boom Malta, our premium consultancy includes full support in obtaining all the visas and permits you need. In addition, as we know that some people prefer videos to articles (and vice versa) and we want everyone to have access to this valuable information, we also leave here our video in which we explain step by step everything you need to know to plan your migration process to Malta smoothly.

Visa? Residency? License? What should I apply for?

We know that immigration terminology can sometimes be a bit complicated and we know that this type of information is very sought after by students, so here we clearly define each of the important terms to know: The visa is the immigration status granted to you by the country. You can be a tourist or a student, for example. It is given for a maximum of 1 year in the case of Malta. The visa is stamped in your passport and allows you to travel within the Schengen area without any restrictions. The residence is a long-term immigration status that is given for one year or more and is granted depending on what you come to the country to do, e.g. study or work. In Malta, it takes the form of a Resident Card or ID Card. This is the most stable form of migration, as a residency allows you to open a bank account or get a driving licence, among other important powers. An employment permit is not an immigration status, Rather, it is a permit that, associated with your immigration status, allows you to work legally on the island. For example, a student on a student visa can obtain a part-time work permit (20 hours per week). The licence is simply a letter stating your personal details, those of your employer and details of your employment position. Thanks to this licence you can access social security benefits, workers' rights and all the benefits of an orderly immigration process.  Don't worry, we've got you covered!

Getting to Malta

We know that you are coming to study and the best thing to do would be to get a student visa before coming to the island, as is done for most European countries. However, this will only be possible if you are Ecuadorian, Bolivian, Dominican or Cuban, since the rest of Latin American countries do not need a tourist visa to enter Schengen territory, and as Malta does not have consulates in Latin America, you will not be able to apply for one. So the first thing is to enter the Schengen area as a tourist.

But what is the Schengen area? The Schengen area is a group of 26 European countries, including Malta, as well as the main European countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain and many more, which allows free transit within the Schengen area. This means that when moving from one country to another within the Schengen area you will not have to pass immigration controls.

That is why many of the students arriving in Malta do so via large international airports such as Madrid, Paris or Amsterdam, for example. There you go through immigration and then take a Schengen flight to Malta, where you will not go through immigration again. It is not common to enter Schengen via Malta, as there are no direct flights from Latin America. However, it is always a possibility if you come from the United Kingdom or Turkey, for example, countries that are not part of the Schengen area and that do have direct flights to Malta.

Entering Malta as a tourist

So remember that you are entering as a tourist, so the requirements for tourists in Schengen apply: Remember that you can stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days without a visa, which are counted within the last 180 days. What does this mean? You cannot stay 90 days, leave for one day, or one week and then re-enter for another 90 days. The rule means that if you have already been in the Schengen area for 90 days, you must leave for 90 days before you can re-enter. It also means that if you have been 30 days and left for one day, you will only have 60 days left when you return. There are some websites that help you calculate the time, just Google "Schengen calculator" and you're good to go. Remember that these are calendar days, so you can't calculate it in months. Ok, now the requirements:

1. The first thing is to have your passport valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry into Schengen territory. As many of you will be applying for a student visa later in Malta, try to have your passport valid for as long as possible, hopefully more than a year, so that you will not have any problems when you apply for it.

• Next, you must have a ticket out of the Schengen zone, within 90 days. This can be a return ticket to your home country or simply a ticket to a non-Schengen destination such as Turkey, Morocco, Serbia or the UK, to name a few examples. If you are sure that you are going to return to your home country, we recommend that you can request a ticket with flexible dates so that you can modify it to fit your return date.

• You must have sufficient means of support. Each country has its own parameters for this, but let's take a generally accepted Schengen average: about 65 euros per day. This means that, if your return or exit ticket from the Schengen area is due in 30 days, for example, you should calculate 65 euros X 30 days = eur 1,950. It can be with cash, bank statements, credit cards, among others.

• You must have proof of accommodation in your destination country. Malta does not issue letters of invitation for citizens of countries that do not require a Schengen visa, so you will need to have a hotel reservation, a letter of accommodation from the school or a place of your choice, at least to arrive and then find accommodation for the duration of your study period.

• Travel insurance, covering the period you are going to stay in the Schengen area. We give you a tip: Many credit cards have insurance included if you buy your ticket with them, so you can check with your bank to see if you have insurance included and if it covers the requirements for the Schengen area, which are specific. If it does not, there are many options on the market, just make sure it is valid for Schengen.

• A letter from the school, which we will provide you with, in which you justify the purpose of your trip.

Student visa in Malta

Now you have arrived in Malta, and you have to apply for your student visa, what do you need to apply for your student visa? Student visas in Malta are issued for a maximum period of 1 year and are processed at the Central Visa Unit, or the Malta Central Visa Unit, once you are already on the island. You can also come for a 6-month course, for example, and if you like it, extend it again and apply for a visa renewal, for which the same documents are submitted.

What do you need to apply?

1. Passport valid for up to 6 months after the end of your course

• Return or exit ticket from the Schengen area at the end of the course (must coincide with the end date of your course).

• Financial support of at least 700 euros per month for each month you are applying for the visa. For example, if you are applying for the visa for 6 months, you must have 700 X 6 = 4,200 euros. This money must be in a bank account in your name and you must present your bank statements for the last 3 months. In case you do not have this amount in a bank account in your name, you can always apply with a sponsor, who must present, in addition to your bank statements, a letter of sponsorship and a copy of your passport. Don't worry, our team will help you with the format of the letter so you won't have any problems.

• Proving the accommodation, which is done with the lease contract and a form called a Rental Declaration Form to be signed by the owner of your accommodation, together with his or her identity document. The duration of the accommodation must cover the entire duration of the study period.

• Medical insurance, which you can purchase from the school or from various insurance companies in Malta. There are inexpensive options, but beware that they only cover the minimum, which is hospitalisation in case of emergency. If you want more comprehensive insurance cover, you can also find it on the island or buy it in your home country before you travel.

• Documents from the school, which prove that you have enrolled in a course, i.e. the receipt of payment for the entire course, the letter from the school stating that you are enrolled in a course and if you have already started classes, the attendance report in which you must have above an 80% of class attendance is also submitted.

• Finally you must be able to demonstrate access to the supporting money. If you are applying with your own accounts, a photocopy of just the front of your debit card, with the first few numbers removed, and a receipt from an ATM in Malta showing that you can withdraw money, is sufficient. If you are applying with a sponsor, you must submit at least a transfer from their account to your account or a money order from a remittance house, such as Western Union, showing your sponsor's name and yours.

• 2 passport sized photos 4.5 cm X 5.5 cm on a white background

• Fill in the corresponding form

• Pay the visa fee (€70), which is payable by credit card or by debit at the Central Visa Unit, on the day of your appointment.

• Remember to bring the originals and photocopies of all the documents listed above.

The visa is applied for through your school and on the day of your appointment you must bring your passport, which will stay at the Central Visa Unit for about three weeks. They will tell you the day you will go to collect your passport with your visa, so you can work out your timing. Once you have your visa in hand, it is important to always maintain an attendance record of at least 80% for your classes, as Malta's immigration service checks with schools that students with visas are actually attending classes, otherwise they may revoke your visa. This is a Schengen visa and allows you to travel within the Schengen area without any problems. You can also leave and re-enter the Schengen area, without having to present any other requirements. It also allows you to do so for the duration of the pandemic as it is a form of long-term residence in the Schengen area.

Student residence in Malta

Interestingly, in Malta you can opt for higher education courses, which usually last more than one year and give you access to a student residence. Student residency is a very stable form of migration, as it not only allows you to move freely within the Schengen area, but also allows you to do many more things on the island, such as open a bank account or get a driving licence. If you want to check all the requirements, you can see our link, here. To apply for residency, you will be asked to meet similar requirements to those for a student visa, with slight modifications.

• Passport valid for 6 months after the end of the course
• Financial support of 750 euros per month for each month you will stay (prove it in the last 3 bank statements or bank statements of you or your sponsor).
• In case of sponsorship, letter from the sponsor + copy of your passport and proof of transfer
• Proof of access to money (copy of debit card and receipt of ATM withdrawal)
• Accommodation covered for at least 6 months
• Income Tax Return form signed by the owner of the accommodation or letter from the Housing Authority.
• Medical insurance for the duration of the course
• School documents: student's letter of introduction, receipt of payment and attendance report.
• Forms
• Payment of 27.50 euros
• Remember to bring the originals and photocopies of all the documents listed above.

For the student residence you do not need to bring your photographs with you, as they will be taken on the day you are summoned for biometric fingerprinting. The big difference, perhaps, is in the response time, which is quite variable. It can take anywhere from 3 weeks to a couple of months or even longer. You have to wait at home for a letter from Identity Malta, the Maltese migration agency, and once you have it, you can go to their offices to pick up your resident card or ID Card. It is also important to note that you will not be asked for your passport, so you will be able to travel within the Schengen area as long as you are within your 90 days as a tourist. Once these expire, it is recommended that you stay in Malta until you get your ID card. The temptation to travel within Schengen is great because there are no immigration controls, however, the document you are given while your residency is being processed states that it is not valid for re-entry into Malta.

Job Seeker Visa / Job Seeker Visa

A great thing about Malta is that they offer you a 9-month visa called "Job Seeker" when you have completed a higher education course in Malta.

This visa gives you the opportunity to look for a job in peace and quiet after your studies. The requirements are as follows:

• Passport valid for at least 18 months at the time of application (best to calculate two years to be on the safe side)
• Financial support of 750 euros per month for each month you will stay (prove it in the last 3 bank statements or bank statements of you or your sponsor).
• In case of sponsorship, letter from the sponsor + copy of your passport and proof of transfer
• Proof of access to money (copy of debit card and receipt of ATM withdrawal)
• Accommodation covered for at least 9 months (recommended 12 months)
• Income Tax Return form signed by the owner of the accommodation or letter from the Housing Authority.
• Health insurance for the period for which it applies.
• School documents: letter from school, receipt of payment and attendance report
• School diploma
• Transcript of records
• Letter of motivation justifying the application
• Police conduct report
• Forms
• Payment of 27.50 euros
• Remember to bring the originals and photocopies of all the documents listed above.

Once you get it, it is much easier to apply for a work visa afterwards, because it is the logical path for a student who wants to stay on the island. The fact that this type of visa exists means that Malta has a policy to retain university students and thus enrich the human capital on the island.

Part-time work permit (part-time)

A fundamental thing that Boom Malta recommends is to get a part-time work permit, which is associated with student status. All those who have a student visa or student residency can apply at the Maltese employment agency, JobsPlus, and will be able to work 20 hours per week from the 3rd month after arriving on the island.

It is important to clarify that, in order to apply for this licence, your employer must apply directly with JobsPlus. Don't worry because Boom Malta's premium consultancy will assist you in all the necessary steps to apply, including coordinating with your employer in case they need assistance in applying for it. The licence will be valid for the duration of your study visa or residence for up to 1 year. If your study programme lasts longer than one year, you can reapply through your employer. Having this part-time work licence has many benefits. The main one is that you have social security which entitles you to free access to Malta's health services, as well as a number of benefits for workers on the island, such as government subsidies or bonuses. We also strongly encourage access to this licence, as many students end up being hired by their employer, who already knows them. Additionally, when seeking permanent residence for work, applying for the Single Work Permit, the dossier makes much more sense for Identity Malta. The main requirements are as follows:

• Employment contract signed by the employer
• Forms
• CV in JobsPlus format
• Cover letter
• Position description
• Health permit issued by the Directorate of Public Health (depending on country of origin, previous residence and type of work, X-rays, vaccinations and COVID test must be submitted).
• Letter from the educational institution
• Copy of resident card or visa
• Copy of passport
• Payment of €230 euros (€150 on application and €80 for pick-up)

The work permit will be issued to your employer approximately 4 weeks after you have applied. You cannot start working before you get it. It is possible to apply before 3 months, so that you can start working as soon as you have completed the required waiting time. If you renew your visa or residency before the end of the year, you can renew your licence free of charge by simply sending a copy of your new visa or residency to JobsPlus through your employer.

Full-time work permit (full-time) / Single Work Permit

Many students seek work experience in Malta at the end of their studies, for which they must apply for a work residence, called Single Work Permit, as it includes the work permit and residence in one document. This permit is granted for one year, renewable, and your employer must apply for you, through Identity Malta's online platform. The most important thing is to be patient, as this process can take some time and there are no certain parameters to know how long it will take. So be mentally prepared not to stress yourself too much.

It used to be quite easy to obtain a Single Work Permit, as Malta is one of the countries with the lowest unemployment rate in Europe, and they are always looking for foreign workers for all kinds of jobs. However, since the pandemic started, there have been some changes and it is now much more difficult to obtain a Single Work Permit for unskilled jobs. The safest way to apply is through the Key Employee Initiative (KEI) which is a specific residency for key sectors and qualified positions. Most importantly, the annual salary must be above €30,000. Here you can see all the requirements. However, it is possible to apply for a Single Work Permit other than KEI, as long as it is well supported by the employer, who must prove that he/she could not find a similar profile in Malta of Maltese or EU nationals. The requirements are:

• Forms
• Copy of all passport pages
• Employment contract
• Position description
• Proof that the position has been pre-announced
• Declaration of the worker's fitness
• Health insurance
• Accommodation contract
• Letter of approval from the Housing Authority
• Health permit issued by the Directorate of Public Health (depending on country of origin, previous residence and type of work, x-rays, vaccinations and COVID test must be submitted).
• In order to have a solid dossier it is best to submit the applicant's qualifications duly recognised in Malta, which is done through the Malta Qualifications Recognition and Information Centre.
• Payment of 280.50 euros

You can contact us to go over the detail, and we will be happy to look at it together. Additionally, some points to keep in mind are the following: If you renew this work permit for five consecutive years, you can apply for permanent residence. As you can see, there are many ways to migrate to Malta on a regular basis. We have not explained them all here. There are others such as asylum, or family member visas that are given for example to the partners of European citizens residing in Malta, but if you want to know more about it, do not hesitate to contact us. The main recommendation we give you is that you always do everything formally following the current regulations, as this way you will have all the rights and the peace of mind of not throwing away your project of life in Malta. Remember that failure to abide by Malta's immigration regulations could result in your deportation. That is why we take care of all the necessary formalities with you, so that you can have peace of mind in Malta and enjoy your stay on this beautiful island in the European Mediterranean Sea to the full. Let's Go!