Hiring TCNs already in Malta: Employer’s guide

If you are looking to hire a Third-Country National in Malta, the fastest and most cost-effective route is often the most straightforward one. TCNs who are already living and working in Malta can be hired through a Change of Employer process, which bypasses several time-consuming steps in overseas recruitment. This means you do not have to wait for a Pre-Departure Course, go through an Approval in Principle processing window or experience National Visa delays.

Key takeaways

• Hiring a TCN already in Malta is significantly faster than recruiting from abroad
• Several mandatory steps in overseas recruitment are either waived or shortened for in-country hires
• The employer bears specific legal obligations: equal pay, Jobsplus registration, and termination reporting
• Employer termination thresholds introduced in 2025 mean high staff turnover can block future TCN hiring

Why hiring a TCN already in Malta is faster than recruiting from abroad

When a Maltese employer recruits a TCN from outside the EU, the process involves a minimum of five to six months from application submission to the candidate starting work. The sequence includes an inter-agency review period of up to four months at Identità, a National Long-Stay Visa application through the Central Visa Unit, and, for most roles from March 2026, a mandatory Pre-Departure Integration Course that the candidate must complete before the visa is even issued.

Hiring a TCN who already holds a valid Single Permit in Malta reduced this timeline. An invitation for biometrics will be sent to the individual once the application starts being processed by the authorities. The individual will then book for a biometrics appointment and at the appointment, the blue paper will be provided before the application is approved.

Beyond speed, there is a cost dimension. Overseas recruitment typically involves National Visa fees, potential travel or relocation contributions, and in some cases accommodation support during the transition period. None of these costs are legally mandated, but they are common in competitive hiring. An in-country hire eliminates most of them.

What exemptions apply when hiring a locally based TCN?

This is where the in-country hiring route offers its clearest advantages. Several requirements that apply to overseas TCN recruitment are either waived or modified for candidates already in Malta.

Requirement	Overseas recruitment	In-country hire (Change of Employer)
Proof of job advert	Mandatory, minimum 3 weeks	Mandatory, minimum 3 weeks
Pre-Departure Integration course	Mandatory for first-time applicants from March 2026	Not required, because a candidate is already working in Malta
National Long-Stay (D) Visa	Required – adds weeks to timeline	Not applicable
Approval in Principle (AIP) processing	Up to 4 months	Replaced by Invitation for biometrics letter
New biometrics appointment	Required	Required
Inter-agency security vetting	Full review from scratch	Background check is still done even though the individual is already in Malta on a work permit

Sources: Identità Single Permit; Malta Labour Migration Policy 2025

An important note on the proof of advert: the Change of Employer process does not automatically exempt employers from the proof of advert. You are still required to advertise the role on Jobsplus and the EURES network for a minimum of three weeks and document that no suitable Maltese or EU candidates applied. The Pre-Departure Course exemption is the clearest time-saving. For overseas hires, this €250 mandatory course, covering Maltese workplace rights and an English proficiency interview, must be completed before the visa is issued.

The step-by-step process for hiring a TCN already in Malta

The Change of Employer process is submitted by the employer through the Identità Single Permit Online Portal using Form C3. Here is the correct sequence.

1. Run the job advert. Advertise the specific role simultaneously on the Jobsplus portal and the EURES network for a minimum of three weeks (up to 2 months). Keep detailed records of all applications received and your documented reasons for any domestic candidates not selected.
2. Prepare the employment contract. The contract must be signed by both parties and state the exact job title that will appear on the permit application. Any discrepancy between the contract job title and the application designation will delay or invalidate the application.
3. Complete the employer documentation. This includes the Jobsplus Position Description template, the Declaration of Suitability (Form ELU FM-038), in which you as the employer formally certify the candidate’s suitability for the role, and a Europass CV signed by the candidate.
4. Verify accommodation compliance. The candidate must provide a legally registered lease agreement with a Housing Authority Approval Letter. If you are providing accommodation, ensure the lease is formally registered and documented correctly. An unregistered lease will block the application.
5. Submit the application through the Identità portal. The employer initiates the application. The candidate receives a digital validation link to confirm their details. Once both parties have confirmed, the application fee of €600  is paid. Receipt of the validation link by the candidate is confirmation that the application is live.
6. An invitation of biometrics letter. This letter is sent by email to the individual and employer once the application starts being processed by the authorities.
7. The candidate attends a biometrics appointment at Identità. This is required for all Change of Employer applications. The candidate brings original documents. Identità issues an Interim Receipt following the appointment.
8. Check the Interim Receipt for Temporary Authorisation to Work (TAW). If the Interim Receipt explicitly states TAW, the candidate may legally begin work for you immediately. You must then register their engagement with Jobsplus promptly. If TAW is not stated, the candidate cannot start until the eResidence card is issued. The candidate can contact Identita to issue the TAW.
9. Register the engagement with Jobsplus. This is a separate step from the permit application and is legally mandatory. Failure to register an engagement is a heavily penalised regulatory breach under the 2025 Labour Migration Policy.

For a single hire, this is manageable. For employers with five, ten, or twenty TCN employees at different stages of their permit cycle, it becomes an administrative challenge. You may want to outsource the work permit application and renewal process to a reputable service provider, such as Konnekt Payroll.

What documents does the employer need to provide?

The full checklist is maintained by Identità, but the core employer-side documents are:

• Signed employment contract – specific job title, employment nature (indefinite or definite), guaranteed hours, gross salary in euros, start date, and place of work within Malta.
• Jobsplus Position Description template – outlining duties, responsibilities, and reporting structure in the standardised format.
• Declaration of Suitability (Form ELU FM-038) – if submitting an SEI or KEI application, certifying the candidate’s qualifications for the role; if the candidate has no formal academic credentials, reference letters proving a minimum of three years of relevant experience are required.
• Proof of job advert – records of all Jobsplus and EURES advertising, applications received, and written justifications for any domestic candidates not selected.
• Termination letter from the candidate’s previous employer – This is only required if the individual has been terminated or if the individual has less than 60 days validity on their ID card. The letter should confirm the official end date of their previous employment.

The candidate provides their passport, health documentation, accommodation paperwork, and signed Europass CV. However, as the employer you are the primary agent in the application process. Organising and chasing the candidate’s documents is, in practice, part of your sponsorship responsibility.

Employer obligations under Maltese law: What you must do and what happens if you don’t

Hiring a TCN in Malta is not a one-time administrative act. It creates ongoing statutory obligations that persist for the duration of the employment relationship.

Equal pay and conditions. Maltese law is unequivocal: TCNs are entitled to exactly the same pay, working conditions, and occupational health and safety standards as Maltese and EU nationals. The Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Regulations of 2022 require you to provide a written statement of employment conditions before work begins. The principle of “Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value” is now being actively enforced by DIER.

Bank transfer wage payments. Since the 2025 Labour Migration Policy, all wages for TCNs must be processed via verifiable bank transfer. Cash payments are prohibited and constitute a compliance breach.

Jobsplus engagement and termination reporting. You must register every TCN’s employment via the Jobsplus online portal on commencement, and submit a termination notification immediately when their employment ends. Failure to do either is a penalised breach.

Employer termination thresholds. The 2025 policy introduced caps on how many TCNs a company can terminate within a given period relative to their workforce size. Small firms (10–50 employees) face a 50% termination cap; medium firms (51–249) face 40%; large firms (250+) face 35%. Exceeding these thresholds results in Jobsplus blocking all new TCN applications until the issue is resolved. 

Disability quota compliance. Applications for TCNs are automatically blocked by Jobsplus if your company is not compliant with the requirement that 2% of your workforce consists of persons with a disability or if the equivalent alternative contribution has not been paid. Verify your compliance status before submitting any application.

Permit renewals

The Single Permit is not indefinite. When a TCN’s permit approaches its expiry date, the renewal is the employer’s responsibility to initiate. A permit that lapses through employer inaction creates an immediately illegal employment situation, exposing your business to significant penalties under Subsidiary Legislation 217.14.

The good news is that renewal fees have been deliberately reduced under the 2025 policy to reward retention. Renewing a permit with no changes costs €150 per year, down from the previous €300. These are still significantly lower than the €600 first-time application fee, and the documentation requirements are lighter.

That said, the renewal process is not simply a matter of paying a fee. The employer must initiate the application through the Identità portal before the current permit expires, gather updated documentation, ensure the candidate’s health insurance remains valid, and confirm that accommodation is still legally registered. Miss any of these steps and the renewal can be delayed.

Partner with Konnekt

Hiring TCNs already in Malta is one of the most efficient workforce strategies available to Maltese employers right now, and the candidate pool is larger than most employers realise.

At Konnekt, we maintain an active database of TCN candidates already living and working in Malta, across a wide range of industries and skill sets. Contact us to discuss your current hiring needs and we will match you with verified, permit-ready candidates who can start the process immediately.

Frequently asked questions