The island nation located in the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta, is small – but their responses to the global pandemic have been commendable.  

They currently boast one of the highest vaccination rates in the world (approx. 83%), and in the EU (according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control), as well as one of the strongest responses, including strict restrictions.  

However, it is no secret that the pandemic has affected the country’s economy, but it has been reported that it is to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the second half of 2022, according to Fitch Ratings.  

With this in mind, Malta’s administration launched a Nomad Residence Permit in June 2021.  

Malta is already home to a large number of digital nomads from the EU, boasting a community of entrepreneurial expats that makes of most of Malta’s island ethos, utilizing their nomad lifestyle and benefitting from the island’s business networking culture, opportunities, and experiences. 

This permit is open to non-EU individuals that would normally require a Visa to travel to Malta. This permit enables nomads to keep their employment whilst they work and live in Malta for up to year (which can also be renewed annually at a small fee). This permit also includes the ability to travel throughout the EU Schengen Area!

The application involves the following requirements: 

  • Proof that work can be done remotely 
  • Work for an employer or offer freelance/consulting services 
  • Earn at least an equivalent of €2,700 monthly 
  • Proof of local property rental/purchase agreement 
  • An application for a residence permit 
  • Information on any dependents or partners that are travelling with them 

 
This Residence Permit also seeks to account for the benefits that emerged from companies and freelancers adapting to remote and hybrid working. These latest changes brought about by adapting to life in a pandemic highlighted a number of issues that employees tend to face whilst working in office spaces.  The world of work went through a great change, and people should be able to benefit from these changes, which is what this permit sets out to do through the promotion of remote working. 

The main advantages of remote working include fewer costs and time wasted on commuting, as well as decreasing the carbon footprint for both employers and their employees. 

However, other significant advantages of remote working include:  

  • More productivity – less time is wasted on distractions such as interruptions from co-workers, unimportant meetings, and office gossip. 
  • More flexibility – remote work encourages more flexibility, with employees being able to adjust to their own biological rhythm and energy levels during the day. Employees can also choose when their working day starts and ends, their breaks, and their own working space.  
  • More autonomy – as referenced above, an employee being able to have full control over their working space can work wonders for their productivity levels, allowing them to pace themselves to their own energy levels and feel more at ease in their work. 
  • Less limits – Due to the pandemic, a lot of changes in the working world that focus more on flexible working times and spaces open up opportunities to work with companies and people from around the world, not just in the country that one is located in.  

Besides this Nomad Residence Permit, remote working can be set up through companies such as Bradford Jacobs, as we specialize in Professional Employer Organisation and Employer of Record services – where employees, consultants and employers can all benefit from remote working.  

Visitors to Malta must be vaccinated in order to avoid a 14-day quarantine, particularly from countries listed on the red zone list. Those travelling from countries on the dark red list must apply for special exemptions.  

The use of masks in outdoor and indoor public spaces is also mandatory, with spacing and capacity restrictions for restaurants, bars, and sporting events.

For more information on the Nomad Residence Permit, you can click through to Nomad Visa Malta or the Residency Malta Agency.