Malta is an extremely appealing country for expats due to the relatively relaxed lifestyle and affordable cost of living. The island is filled with natural and architectural beauty as well as hosting a plethora of cultural events and a buzzing nightlife. If these reasons have enticed you to make the decision to move to this Mediterranean gem, we have comprised a checklist to make sure you remember everything that you need to do before moving to Malta.
For people who live outside of the EU and are not from countries who have visa agreements with Malta, you will need to organise a visa before you arrive. These can take up to 15 days to process so it is important to get it organised early. You can find out if your country needs a visa by looking on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . If you do need one, you can apply at your local Maltese embassy or download a form on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
If you are from the EU, you can stay indefinitely in Malta without a visa. However, if you are staying for longer than 3 months, you must register with the local authorities.
Renting apartments in Malta should be a relatively trouble-free process. They are usually very easy to find and there are plenty available. Over the last decade there has been a lot of development in the housing sector which has allowed there to be a large variety of properties on the market.
The cost of accommodation, whether you rent or buy, is relatively cheap, especially when compared to other developed countries. However, it is important to pick your location wisely. The cost of living in popular areas can be extremely expensive in comparison to the rest of the island. The prices also rise at the end of spring and in the summer because this is when the influx of tourists and expats is are at their highest.
It is a good idea to try and plan ahead and sort out your accommodation before you leave for Malta. If you think you know what you are looking for, you can have a look at what is available on our Malta housing portal.
Entry level jobs are extremely easy to find, particularly in late spring and early summer and especially within the tourism industry. There are also many international companies in Malta, mostly in the gaming and financial industries, which therefore creates a number of specialist jobs that pay extremely well.
However, due to the small size of the country, it is extremely difficult to find higher-paying jobs outside of these sectors and locals are often preferred rather than foreigners. To give yourself a better chance, it is a good idea to try and learn Maltese because it is widely spoken in the workplace.
Malta ranks among the top 6 in the EU for quality of healthcare and the standard is extremely high. However, queues in public hospitals are often reported to be very long and unless you are in a serious condition, you should expect to wait in the queue for several months before seeing a specialist and a whole day if you are just visiting the GP.
If you wish to avoid the queues, taking out private health insurance is definitely a good idea. Private insurance in Malta is considered quite inexpensive and allows you to see a doctor at one of the many private hospitals on the island which can save you a lot of time.
If you are not an EU citizen, taking out private medical insurance is a necessity because you are not eligible for public healthcare. This does not apply to those from Australia, who have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Malta.
Even if you are an EU citizen, it is a good idea to take out private health insurance to make sure you are totally covered.
Malta has some of the safest banks in Europe and is seen as a hub for finance in the Mediterranean. There are many options for commercial banks in Malta and each offer their own benefits.
However, due to the offshore nature of the country, it is considered a money laundering hotspot and therefore it can seem extremely difficult to open a bank account. It is important that you get a reference from your current bank so that you can prove you are debt free and demonstrate that you have a good credit rating. If you do this, opening a bank account should be simple and straightforward!
Moving to Malta should be an extremely exciting prospect and although there is a lot to think about, it doesn’t have to be a daunting experience. If you want any more information or want to hear from expats who have already been through the move, you can check out our Malta community to ask any questions you might have.