Study and work visa in Malta

How to migrate to Malta? Find here all about visas, residences and licenses to study and work.. When we are analyzing the possibility of migrating to another country, either for studies or work, questions always arise regarding visas, permits and other requirements that we must meet in order to make the migration process without complications and complying with everything that the country that welcomes us asks. 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 studying and working in Malta is possible and we are going to tell you how we recommend you to 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 hiring and access to all the rights and benefits of workers in Malta. Also, remember that, if you come with Boom Malta, our premium advice includes a complete accompaniment to obtain all the visas and permits you need. In addition, as we know that there are people who 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 without inconveniences.

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 highly sought after by students, so here we clearly define each of the important terms to know: The visa is the immigration status granted by the country. It can be tourist or 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 zone 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 do in the country, for example, study or work. In Malta it is given through a resident card or ID Card. This is the most stable form of migration, since a residency allows you to open a bank account or get a driver's license, among other important powers. The employment license is not an immigration status, It is a permit that, associated with your immigration status, allows you to work legally on the island. For example, a student with a student visa can obtain a part-time work license (20 hours per week). The license is simply a letter that indicates your personal information, your employer's information and the details of your job position. Thanks to this license you can access social security benefits, workers' rights and all the benefits of an orderly immigration process.  Don't worry, we'll give you all the details here!

Arriving in Malta

We already 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 it 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 the Schengen territory, and as Malta does not have consulates in Latin America, you will not be able to get one. So the first thing to do 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 it. 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 through large international airports such as Madrid, Paris or Amsterdam, for example. There you go through immigration and then take a flight within Schengen to Malta, where you will not go through immigration again. It is not common to enter Schengen through Malta, since 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 well, 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 up to a maximum of 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 are done. Remember that these are calendar days, so you can't calculate it based on 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 to the Schengen territory. As many of you are going to apply for a student visa later in Malta, try to have your passport as valid as possible, hopefully more than one year, so that you will not have any inconvenience when applying for it.

• Next, you must have a ticket to leave 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 United Kingdom, to name a few examples. In case you are sure you are going to return to your country of origin, what we recommend is 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 must 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 if you have insurance included and if it covers the requirements for the Schengen area, which are specific. In case it does not cover them, there are many options in the market, you just have to make sure that it is valid for Schengen.

• A letter from the school, which we will provide, 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 Central Visa Unit of Malta, 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 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 will apply 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 an account in your name, you can always present yourself 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.

• Demonstrate the accommodation, which is done with the lease contract and a format called Rental Declaration Form which must be signed by the owner of your accommodation, together with his/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 be careful, they only cover the minimum, which is hospitalization in case of emergency. If you want insurance with more coverage, you can also find them on the island or purchase them in your country of origin, before traveling.

• Documents from the school, which show 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 presented.

• 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 wire transfer by a remittance house, such as Western Union, showing your sponsor's name and yours.

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

• Fill out the corresponding form

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

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

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 pick up the passport with the visa, so you can calculate your time. 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 to ensure that visa holders 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 problem. 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 zone.

Student residence in Malta

Something very interesting is that in Malta you can opt for higher education courses, which usually last more than one year and give you access to a student residence. The student residency is a very stable form of migration, since 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 opening a bank account or getting a driver's license. 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 as for the 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 are going to 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 cash (copy of debit card and receipt of an ATM withdrawal)
• Housing 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, payment receipt 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, as they will be taken on the day you are summoned for biometric fingerprinting. The big difference, perhaps, is in the turnaround time, as it is quite variable. It can take from 3 weeks to a couple of months or even longer. You must wait at home for a letter from Identity Malta, the Maltese immigration agency, and once you have it you can go to the 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 while you are in 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-entering Malta.

Job Seeker Visa / Job Seeker Visa

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

This visa offers you the opportunity to look for a job after your studies. The requirements are as follows:

• Passport valid for at least 18 months at the time of application (better to estimate two years to be sure)
• Financial support of 750 euros per month for each month you are going to 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 cash (copy of debit card and receipt of an ATM withdrawal)
• Housing covered for at least 9 months (12 months recommended)
• Income Tax Return form signed by the owner of the accommodation or letter from the Housing Authority.
• Medical insurance for the period for which it applies.
• School documents: school letter, receipt of payment and attendance report
• School diploma
• Transcript of records
• Letter of motivation justifying the request
• 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 license

A fundamental thing that Boom Malta recommends is to get a part-time work license, which is associated with the 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 license, your employer must do it directly with JobsPlus. Don't worry because Boom Malta's premium consultancy accompanies you through all the necessary steps to be able to apply, even coordinating with your employer, in case he/she needs assistance to apply for it. The license will be valid for the duration of your visa or study residency up to a maximum of 1 year. If your study program lasts longer than one year, you can reapply through your employer. Having this part-time work license has many benefits. The main one is that you have social security which entitles you to free access to health services in Malta, 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 license, as many students end up being hired by their employer, who already knows them. Additionally, a not minor fact is that when seeking permanent residence for work, applying for the Single Work Permit, the file makes much more sense for Identity Malta. The main requirements are as follows:

• Employment contract signed by the employer
• Forms
• CV in JobsPlus format
• Letter of introduction
• 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 upon application and €80 for pick-up)

The work permit will be issued to your employer approximately 4 weeks after you apply. You cannot start working before you get it. It is possible to apply before 3 months, so 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 license at no cost 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 upon completion of their studies, for which they must apply for a work residency, called Single Work Permit, as it includes the work permit and residency in the same 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. So be mentally prepared so as 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 so that it is now much more difficult to obtain a Single Work Permit for unskilled positions. 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 could not find a similar profile in Malta of Maltese or EU citizens. The requirements are:

• Forms
• Copy of all passport pages
• Employment contract
• Position description
• Proof that the position has been previously announced
• Worker's declaration of aptitude
• Medical insurance
• Housing contract
• Housing Authority approval letter
• 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 present the applicant's qualifications duly recognized in Malta, which is done through the Malta Qualifications Recognition and Information Centre.
• Payment of 280.50 euros

You can contact us to review the detail, and we will be glad to see 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 residency. 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 in a formal way following the current regulations, since this way you will have all the rights and the tranquility of not throwing away your project of life in Malta. Remember that not complying with the immigration regulations of Malta could lead to your deportation. That is why we take care of all the necessary formalities so that you can have peace of mind in Malta and enjoy your stay in this beautiful island in the European Mediterranean Sea to the fullest. Let's Go!