The single permit Malta for non-EU workers is one document doing two jobs. It lets you live in Malta and work for a named Maltese employer through one application, instead of separate residence and work paperwork. If you hold a passport from outside the EU and a company here has offered you a job, this is almost certainly the permit your employer will apply for.
The process is not complicated once you know who does what, but it has more moving parts than it used to. There is now a compulsory course you complete before the application can move forward. The employer controls the submission. You also have a confirmation step of your own, and it is easy to miss if the email lands in spam. Most delays come from this split of responsibilities, not from the rules themselves.
This is the practical version: what the permit is, what it costs, the steps in order, how long to plan for, and what to sort out in your first weeks after you land. It is orientation, not legal advice. Identità, the government agency that runs the permit, has the final word, and its pages are linked throughout.
A single permit is Malta’s combined residence and work permit for non-EU nationals employed by a Maltese organisation. Your employer submits the application online and you confirm your details through an emailed link. First-time applicants must also complete a paid Pre-Departure Course. Check current fees and documents on the official Identità single permit pages before you start.
What the single permit Malta for non-EU workers covers
According to Identità’s single permit page, the permit is regulated by Subsidiary Legislation 217.17, and the single application procedure covers both an employment licence and a residence permit. It is a temporary permit issued for a defined period, and it can be renewed.
In everyday terms, three things follow from that:
- It is employer-led. You cannot apply on your own. The Maltese organisation hiring you starts and submits the application, and you confirm it.
- It is tied to a specific job. The permit is built around the employer and role in the application. If anything about that job changes, such as the employer, the role or the terms, ask Identità what it means for your permit before you act.
- Renewal is its own process. The permit is not open-ended. Treat the renewal as a separate admin task with its own fee and lead time, not something that happens automatically.
Who the single permit is not for
EU citizens do not use this route, because different rules apply to them. If you are a remote worker employed by a company outside Malta, the single permit is usually the wrong tool, since it is designed around employment with a Maltese organisation. Our guide to digital nomad permit basics in Malta explains that route. If you are coming mainly to study, your path is different again, and your school or university will point you to the right official page.
Before you go further: rules, document lists and fees can change, and individual cases vary. Use this guide to understand the shape of the process, then confirm every detail on the Identità pages or with your employer’s HR team. If your situation is unusual, speak to a qualified adviser.
Single permit costs in 2026
The official fees are short and clear. Everything around them, such as flights, translations and your first month’s rent, is where the real budget goes. The table lists the government and course fees as published, plus the other costs most people forget to plan for.
| Item | Cost | Source / notes |
|---|---|---|
| First-time single permit application | €600 | Listed on the Identità single permit application page |
| Single permit renewal | €150 per year | Listed on the same Identità application page |
| Pre-Departure Course (first-time applicants) | €250 | Listed on the Identità Pre-Departure Course page |
| Document translations, certified copies, couriers | Varies | Ask your employer which formats they need before you pay for anything |
| Flights, first month’s rent and deposit | Varies | Your own budget, and usually the largest cost by far |
Who pays which fee is something to agree with your employer in writing before the application starts. Don’t assume the company covers everything, and don’t assume it covers nothing. Ask, and get the answer in an email you can find again. The same goes for the renewal fee, which comes round again and is easy to forget about by then.
How to get a single permit: step by step
Here is the order things normally happen in. Some steps are yours and some are your employer’s. Knowing which is which saves a lot of anxious emails.
- Get a written job offer from a Maltese employer. You want the role, salary, working hours and expected start date in writing. These details go into the application, so any mismatch between your contract and the submitted data can slow things down.
- Check your passport. Make sure it is valid well into the future and that you have a clean digital scan. Renewing a passport in the middle of a permit application is a headache you can avoid.
- Complete the Pre-Departure Course. First-time applicants must finish it before the application can proceed. The full details are in the next section. Start early, because it takes real study time.
- Your employer submits the application online. The Identità application page states that single permit applications may only be submitted by the employer, through the Single Permit Online Portal. Send your documents to HR in the format they ask for, clearly named.
- Confirm the application through the emailed link. Once the employer submits, you receive a link to confirm the application and validate the data. Check every field against your passport: name spelling, date of birth, passport number, nationality and job title. Small typos matter here.
- Your employer completes the final submission and payment. After you confirm, the employer is notified to make the final submission. Ask HR to tell you when this is done, because the processing clock effectively starts from a complete submission.
- Wait for the decision. Keep your email and phone reachable. If Identità or your employer asks for anything extra, reply fast. An incomplete file is the most common cause of a slow one.
- Travel and follow the instructions you are given. Once approved, follow exactly what Identità and your employer tell you about any appointments or collecting your residence document after arrival. Keep the approval and every related email in one folder.
- Put the renewal in your calendar. As soon as you know your permit’s validity, set a reminder well before expiry, and agree with your employer who starts the renewal.
The Pre-Departure Course: what to expect
Identità now requires all third-country nationals applying for a single permit for the first time to complete a Pre-Departure Course, and it verifies course certificates as part of the permit process (Identità Pre-Departure Course page). If you are renewing, check the same page to see whether anything applies to you, but the course is aimed at first-time applicants.
The course fee is €250, and applications go through the Skills Pass portal (Identità). Part 1 has two online modules, “Living and Working in Malta” and “Rights and Obligations in the Workplace”. These are followed by a short live online interview that assesses your English and your understanding of the material.
Candidates have up to 42 days to complete Part 1, and course materials can be revisited before the final interview (Identità). Check the official page for anything that follows Part 1, as the structure may be updated.
How to get through it without stress
- Block study time in your calendar. The modules are substantial. Spread them over a couple of weeks rather than cramming the night before the deadline.
- Take notes on the workplace rights module. This is the part you will actually use later, when you read your first payslip, check your contract or wonder whether something at work is normal.
- Prepare for the interview like a video call for work. Use a stable internet connection and a quiet room, and charge your device. Speak slowly and clearly. It is a comprehension check, not a trick exam.
- Save your certificate in at least two places. Email it to yourself and keep it in cloud storage. Your employer needs it for the application, and you don’t want to be searching for it under time pressure.
Processing time and what to do while you wait
Subsidiary Legislation 217.17 allows four months to process a single permit application, but the average processing time is closer to two months from the date a complete application is submitted (Identità processing period page).
The important word is complete. The clock that matters runs from a submission with all required documents, not from the day you signed your job offer or started the course. If the employer is still chasing a missing document, the wait hasn’t really started.
Use the waiting period well:
- Don’t book non-refundable flights based on the average. Plan on the longer end, and only commit once you have an approval or your employer confirms a realistic date.
- Research where to live. Rents, commute times and bus links vary a lot across the island. Our guide on where to live in Malta, with areas, rents and bus links is a good starting point. Shortlist two or three areas near your workplace.
- Plan your phone setup. A local number makes banking, deliveries and appointments much easier. Compare plans in advance with our comparison of GO, Epic and Melita SIM plans so you can sort it out on day one.
- Build a realistic arrival budget. Cover flights, a deposit, the first month’s rent, a few weeks of food and transport, and a cushion for surprises before your first salary arrives.
- Keep your inbox under control. Whitelist your employer’s HR address and check spam regularly. Missing one email can cost you weeks.
Your first weeks in Malta after approval
The permit gets you in the door. The first weeks are about turning a temporary address and a suitcase into a working life. This is the order that tends to work for newcomers.
Getting from the airport
Many new arrivals work in or around Sliema and St Julian’s, so the first question is usually how to get from the airport with luggage. Our guide to getting from Malta airport to St Julian’s and Sliema compares the bus and taxi options. If you land late or carry a lot, a pre-booked ride is usually less stressful than a first attempt at the bus network.
Your lease and registering the rental contract
A common question is how to register a rental contract in Malta. For residential leases, registration is the landlord’s responsibility and is done with the Housing Authority. Your part is to ask for confirmation that it has been done and to keep a copy. Check the Housing Authority’s own guidance for the current rules. A properly documented lease and a clear address make later admin smoother, from bank paperwork to deliveries. Be cautious about any arrangement where the landlord resists putting things in writing.
Post, deliveries and official letters
Some important things arrive by post, including registered letters. Malta post office opening hours vary by branch and by day, so check MaltaPost’s website for the branch you need before you make the trip. This is especially worth doing if you are collecting a registered item during your lunch break. Make sure your name is clearly marked on your letterbox, as shared buildings and flatshares can make deliveries hit-and-miss.
Phone, bank and e-ID
Get the SIM first, because a local number helps with almost everything that follows. Then open a bank account, since your employer will want somewhere to pay your salary. Our guide to opening a bank account in Malta covers documents and realistic timelines. Once you have your residence document, look into the Malta e-ID and how to activate it. It unlocks many government services online and saves you queueing for appointments.
Common mistakes to avoid
The mistakes that cost people weeks:
- Trying to apply yourself. Only the employer can submit. If a recruiter or website offers to “apply for you” for a fee, ask exactly what they do and check it against the official process.
- Missing the confirmation email. The validation link comes to you, and nothing moves until you act on it. Check spam daily during the application.
- Name and date mismatches. Your name must be spelled exactly as it appears in your passport across the contract, course certificate and application.
- Letting the course deadline slide. Part 1 has a fixed window. Start as soon as you register.
- Booking flights on the average. Average processing time is not a promise. Plan around the longer, legal timeframe.
- Treating the job as started too early. Confirm with your employer, and if needed Identità, exactly when you are authorised to begin work.
- Changing jobs without checking first. The permit is tied to your employer. Ask Identità what a change means before you resign or accept another offer.
- Forgetting the renewal. Set a reminder well ahead of expiry and agree with your employer who starts it.
- No backup copies. Keep scans of your passport, contract, certificate, approval and lease in one cloud folder.
Building a life outside work
Many people arrive on a single permit alone, with a job lined up and no one else on the island they know. Work gives your weekdays a shape, but the evenings and weekends can feel long at first, especially before your first payday when you are watching every euro. That’s normal, and it passes faster if you make small plans on purpose rather than waiting for invitations.
Good starting points are a coffee with a colleague, a weekend walk along the coast, a language class, or a regular sports session. The admin you have just done helps here too. A local number, a bank card and a known address make it much easier to say yes to things.
Whenever you meet someone new, keep it simple and safe. Choose a public place, tell a friend where you are going and who you are meeting, arrange your own way home, and leave if anything feels uncomfortable. None of that is paranoid. It’s just how experienced expats do it everywhere.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It is live on the web and works in your browser, starting in Malta. The Android app is on Google Play; the iPhone app is not in the App Store yet. Open MeetNow and see the plans posted in Malta.
FAQ
Can I apply for a single permit in Malta myself?
No. Single permit applications can only be submitted by the Maltese employer hiring you, through the Single Permit Online Portal. Your role is to provide documents, complete the Pre-Departure Course if it is your first application, and confirm your details through the link emailed to you after the employer submits.
How much does a single permit cost in 2026?
Identità lists the fee as €600 for a first-time single permit and €150 per year for a renewal (Identità). First-time applicants also pay for the Pre-Departure Course. Agree in writing with your employer who covers each fee.
How long does single permit processing take?
Identità states that the law allows four months for processing, while the average is closer to two months from the date a complete application with all required documents is submitted (Identità). Missing documents are the usual reason it takes longer.
Do I need the Pre-Departure Course if I am renewing my permit?
The course is required for third-country nationals applying for a single permit for the first time. If you are renewing, check the Identità Pre-Departure Course page or ask your employer’s HR team to confirm what applies to your case.
Can I change employers while on a single permit?
The single permit is tied to the employer and job in your application, so a change of employer affects your permit. Before you resign or accept a new offer, check the current rules with Identità and talk to both employers. This guide cannot advise on individual cases.
I work remotely for a company abroad. Is the single permit right for me?
Usually not. The single permit is built around employment with a Maltese organisation. Remote workers employed outside Malta generally look at other residence routes, so check the official Identità pages for the options that match your situation.
