Malta FAQ

The MPRP is Malta's residency-by-investment programme for non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals. It is established by the Malta Permanent Residence Programme Regulations (S.L. 217.26, made under article 7A of the Immigration Act) and administered by the Residency Malta Agency. A successful applicant receives a Residence-by-Investment Certificate giving the right to reside, settle or stay indefinitely in Malta, subject to ongoing conditions, together with a residence card.

The Residency Malta Agency, a Government of Malta agency established by the Residency Malta Agency (Establishment) Order, administers the programme, conducts due diligence and issues certificates after authorisation by the Approvals Board. Applications are filed through agents licensed by the Agency.

The regulations came into force on 29 March 2021 (Legal Notice 121 of 2021), replacing the Malta Residence and Visa Programme (MRVP) for all new applications. They have since been amended by Legal Notices 57 and 310 of 2024 and 146 of 2025.

The Malta Permanent Residence Programme gives qualifying non-EU families the right to reside in Malta indefinitely, subject to a qualifying property (purchase from €375,000 or rent from €14,000 a year anywhere in Malta or Gozo), a government contribution and fees, health insurance and due diligence. The Malta hub explains the country; the MPRP section explains the programme; the property marketplace screens listings against the thresholds.

The certificate does not itself grant an employment licence. Beneficiaries who wish to work need a work permit through the normal procedures. Beneficiaries and spouses may set up a business through the competent authorities.

The Agency states that MPRP residence card holders may travel visa-free within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, carrying a valid travel document and the residence card. The MPRP does not grant employment rights in other Schengen countries.

Not automatically. The Agency FAQ notes that a beneficiary may apply for naturalisation after residing in Malta for at least five years (including the 12 months before the application and four of the preceding six years), with knowledge of English or Maltese and good conduct, but the Minister has discretion to grant or refuse. The MPRP is a residence programme distinct from citizenship legislation.

No. This is an independent information platform. The official programme information is published by the Residency Malta Agency at residencymalta.gov.mt, and the governing law is S.L. 217.26. We reference those sources on every page and show the date each page was last verified.

Duty on documents of 5% of the price (first-time buyers pay no duty on the first €200,000 of a home for their own residence), notarial fees, searches and registration, and for non-residents buying outside a Special Designated Area an AIP permit. See Property costs.

Yes. EU citizens resident in Malta for five years may buy freely; other EU citizens and non-EU citizens may buy one residential property with an Acquisition of Immovable Property (AIP) permit, or any number of properties in Special Designated Areas without a permit. See Buying property.

A residential property in Malta or Gozo either purchased for at least €375,000 or rented for at least €14,000 per year, meeting general health and safety standards and suitable for a comparable family. Hotel rooms and non-residential property do not qualify. The property must be held for five years from the date of the certificate.

No. The property title must be presented within eight months of the Letter of Approval in Principle. A property bought or leased before submission is acceptable if it satisfies the qualifying-property rules.

The Agency's programme page lists among the benefits 'the option to lease property, with the possibility to sub-lease after five years' and 'the option to lease purchased property in Special Designated Areas'. The regulations also allow the Agency to issue guidelines on the use of a qualifying property during temporary absences. Confirm the current guidelines with the Agency or your licensed agent before letting a property.

Yes, with the Agency's consent and without any gap: an owned property may be replaced with another owned property, and a rented property with another rented property or a purchased one. Switching from an owned property to a rented one is not permitted in the first five years.

Maltese is the national language and both Maltese and English are official languages under article 5 of the Constitution. English is used in business, higher education and most public services, so you can live and work in Malta without Maltese. See the language guide.

Yes. Malta joined the EU on 1 May 2004, the Schengen area on 21 December 2007 and the euro on 1 January 2008. See EU and Schengen.

About 574,000 people on 1 January 2025 according to the official population series (Eurostat, transmitted by the NSO). Roughly three in ten residents are non-Maltese citizens. See Population.

Mediterranean: hot dry summers with average daily highs of 28–32 °C from June to September, mild winters with highs around 15–17 °C, and around 470 mm of rain a year, almost all between October and March (1991–2020 averages). See Climate and the Met Office for today's weather.

Dense, convenient and international: seafront promenades, shops, offices, the Valletta ferry and the largest rental market in Malta, mostly apartments. It is the most expensive area; parking and traffic are the trade-offs. See the Sliema guide and current listings.

Many people do. The Gozo Channel ferry takes about 25 minutes and Gozo residents pay subsidised fares; the fast ferry reaches Valletta directly for foot passengers. Allow for the drive to Ċirkewwa and onward travel. See the Gozo guide.

It depends mostly on location. Our editorial market review (October 2026, not an official statistic) puts a two-bedroom apartment at roughly €1,200–2,000 a month in the Sliema–St Julian's harbour area, €900–1,400 in the north, €850–1,300 in the south-east and €700–1,100 in Gozo. The official rents index rose 1.7% in 2025 after 8.9% in 2024. See the cost of living guide and current listings.

Public healthcare is free at the point of use for entitled residents: Maltese citizens and residents who pay social security contributions, with their dependants. Visitors from the EU use the EHIC. Residents who are not contributing, including most MPRP holders, need private health insurance (the MPRP requires it). See Healthcare.

112, free from any phone, for police, ambulance and fire. See Safety.

Education is compulsory from 5 to 16 and free in state schools. Church schools charge no tuition but ask for a contribution; independent and international schools (IB, American curriculum) charge fees. The University of Malta teaches in English; EU students are largely tuition-free while non-EU students pay published course fees. See Education.

Residents who hold a personalised tallinja card travel free on scheduled bus routes under the Government scheme. Others pay €2.00 for a single journey in winter (19 October 2025 – 13 June 2026), valid for two hours, or use the Explore cards. See Transport.

The Gozo Channel crossing from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr takes about 25 minutes. A standard passenger pays €4.65 return, a car and driver €15.70; children 3–12 pay €1.15, resident seniors travel free and Gozo residents pay subsidised fares. Tickets are bought and validated on the Gozo side.

The national minimum wage for a full-time adult is €994 a month in the first half of 2026 (Eurostat series earn_mw_cur; €961 in 2025). The weekly rate and annual adjustment mechanism are set by the National Minimum Wage National Standard Order (S.L. 452.71). See Work.

Yes, with a single permit (residence and work) applied for through Identità with the employer, after Jobsplus labour-market checks. MPRP residence does not itself include the right to work; MPRP holders who wish to work apply for an employment licence separately. See Work.

Personal income tax is progressive. For year of assessment 2026 (income earned in 2025) the single rates are 0% up to €12,000, 15% from €12,001 to €16,000, 25% from €16,001 to €60,000 and 35% above €60,000; married (joint) and parent computations have wider bands. Rates are set in article 56 of the Income Tax Act (Cap. 123). This is general information, not tax advice. See Tax.

The standard rate is 18% (VAT Act, Cap. 406); reduced rates apply to listed supplies such as accommodation and certain services. See Tax.

That depends on what your family needs, so we present the facts rather than a verdict: free state schooling and childcare schemes, English-medium and international schools, free public healthcare for entitled residents, safe beaches with lifeguards in summer, and family-oriented localities such as Attard, Naxxar, Swieqi and Mellieħa. Housing cost and traffic are the main trade-offs. See Family life.

We do not rank places as 'best'. Facts you can use: a mild climate, English-speaking services, high life expectancy, public healthcare for those entitled and a private sector for others, a compact country where everything is close, and residency routes including the MPRP. Costs are highest in the harbour towns and lowest in Gozo. See Retirement.

Sandy beaches include Għadira (Mellieħa Bay), Golden Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa, Paradise Bay and Armier in the north of Malta, St George's Bay in St Julian's, Pretty Bay in the south, Ramla and San Blas in Gozo and the Blue Lagoon on Comino; rocky swimming spots line Sliema and the south-east. Our beach database lists type, access, facilities and transport without subjective rankings.

Three properties: the City of Valletta (1980), the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum (1980) and the Megalithic Temples of Malta (1980, extended 1992: Ġgantija, Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, Tarxien, Ta' Ħaġrat and Skorba). See Heritage.