Keep Your Tax Money But Come Spend Your Cash: Malta Launches Residence Permit To Attract Foreign Remote Workers
Third-country nationals who work remotely will be given the opportunity to live in Malta for up to one year through a new scheme launched today.
The initiative will offer third-country nationals the opportunity to apply for a Nomad residence Permit, which would allow them to work remotely from Malta. The programme will see successful applicants granted a six-month visa, as well as the option of obtaining a one-year permit. The permit will cost €300.
Currently, for third-country nationals to live in Malta, they would need to have secured employment in Malta.
Workers obtaining a permit through this new scheme would continue paying taxes in the country where their employer is registered, but Malta reckons that the money spent on living in the country would be enough to make it worth the country’s while.
The Secretariat for Citizenship and Communities noted that the new permit was a joint initiative between Residency Malta Agency and Identity Malta Agency and was in line with “the legal framework already in place”.
In order to be eligible for the permit, applicants will have to prove they can work remotely from any location. This could mean working for an employer registered abroad or conducting business activity for a similarly foreign domiciled company of which the applicant is a shareholder or a partner.
Freelance workers or consultants working for clients who are based in a different country will also be eligible for the programme.
Addressing a press conference about the new permit this morning, Parliamentary Secretary Alex Muscat said Malta wanted to cater to the increased global demand for remote working, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic had “moved the goalposts” and brought about new trends in the way people work.
He said that the government estimated that these workers would spend up to €30,000 every year, equivalent to the amount spent by 260 tourists in a single day.
“Individuals who can use technology to work remotely, and entrepreneurs with a flair for travelling and discovering new countries and cultures are welcome to do so in Malta,” Muscat said.
The junior minister highlighted the fact that Malta had a lot to offer as a country, from its mild climate to the fact that English was a national language. The healthcare system was also another plus for those wishing to relocate to Malta, Muscat said.
“Nomads will feel right at ease the minute they land here,” he added.
Muscat’s sentiment was echoed by Residency Malta Agency CEO Charles Mizzi.
“Among the first to recognise the signs, Residency Malta has launched this new permit that allows digital nomads to come to Malta and work here, while enjoying all the perks that Malta offers foreigners. The process is simple and we promise an efficient service that discerning nomads expect.”
Identity Malta Agency CEO Anton Sevasta said that the new visa service was part of the new Premium Visa Service which the agency was working on and which would be launched in the coming weeks.
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