On this page

Malta entrepreneur startup route

1 current source-backed entrepreneur startup pathway. Verify the responsible authority before applying.

JSON Markdown

This page contains 1 current route for this destination, with the available eligibility, requirements and duration details.

Source-backed legal route · Checked 2026-07-13

Current route records

RouteConditionsEffective or checkedOfficial source
Malta Startup Residence ProgrammeThird-country startup founders and co-founders may qualify for Malta's Startup Residence Programme; the initial residence permit lasts three years and can be extended to five years after successful completion.2026-07-13Official source

Can you work on this route?

Route-specific work rights and conditions stay separate from shortage-list status and individual eligibility.

RoutePublished work answerOfficial source
Malta Startup Residence ProgrammeThe exact official route source states route conditions including: statement to support themselves and any other dependants; • collaborate with Malta Enterprise throughout the validity of the permit, including on the submission of a detailed business plan and the timely provision of monitoring reports that may be annual or bi-annual as will be indicated in the approval letter; 5. Founders and co-founders benefitting from this programme need to have a physical and tangible presence in Malta not only from a business point of view but also in terms of living in Malta. Thus, those benefitting need to be living and paying their taxes in Malta. 6. The residence permit of founders and co-founders will be issued for three (3) years, which upon successful completion will be extended to a further five (5) years. Core Employees 1. Core employees must: • have a full-time employment contract in Malta with the company which has benefited from the Malta Startup Residence Programme; • have an annual gross salary of at least €30,000 per annum; • be employed within the timeframe during which the venture is classified as a startup; • declare at application stage theOfficial source
Malta Startup Residence ProgrammeThe exact official route source states: ) years, which upon successful completion will be extended to a further three (3) years; 3. The residence permit issued to family members does not grant beneficiaries automatic access to the labour market. However, one can make use of an existing processes to submit the necessary applications to take up employment in Malta. Fees The fees applicable for applying for the Malta Startup Residence Programme are as follows: • €750 for each adult applicant / dependant for a 3-year Startup Residence Programme; • €82.50 to Identity Malta Agency for the issuance of the residence card, for each successful individual applicant covering a 3-year permit. • After 3 years, a residency card fee of €137.50 applies for the next 5 years and a fee of €82.50 applies for permits renewed for a further three years. • Founders, co-founders, and core employees must pay Jobsplus a fee of €690 for the employment licence that covers the duration of the licence for the first three years. • After 3 years, founders and co-founders must pay Jobsplus a fee of €1,150 for the renewal of the employment licence that coverOfficial source

Official sources

ImmigrationDB does not provide immigration services, legal advice or application handling, and it does not assess anyone's eligibility. This section publishes links to the responsible official authority and short quotations from that authority's own published text, so the rule can be read at its source and checked there before acting.

  1. Official route conditionsstartup.residencymalta.gov.mt · Checked 2026-07-13
  2. Malta Startup Residence ProgrammeResidency Malta Agency and Malta Enterprise · Checked 2026-07-13