Do EU citizens need a visa or permit to live and work in Malta?
- 29.07.2026
I currently hold a residence permit in Malta tied to my specific job and employer, but I’ve just been made redundant. I’m worried about what this means for my ability to stay in Malta and whether I have any grace period to find new employment before my legal status is affected.
Under the Immigration Act, Chapter 217 of the Laws of Malta, and the specific conditions attached to Single Permits, your residence permit is generally tied directly to the specific employment and employer detailed on your residence card, meaning it ceases to be valid once you are no longer employed in that specific role, including situations of redundancy, and you are legally obliged to inform the Expatriates Unit within Identità promptly once this employment situation changes. Malta's rules around a grace period to find alternative employment before your legal status is fully affected can depend on the specific circumstances and any applicable provisions, so it is important not to simply assume you have open-ended time to search for new work while remaining on your existing permit, since continuing to reside in Malta without valid legal status would put you in breach of the Immigration Act. Given both the urgency and complexity involved, you should contact Identità directly as soon as possible to understand your specific options, and if you do secure new employment relatively quickly, a new employer-sponsored application would generally need to be submitted, so speaking with an immigration lawyer promptly to understand your realistic options and timeline is strongly advisable.
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