Working in Malta from Nepal: Visa, Permit, Costs (2026)

Working in Malta from Nepal in 2026

Malta is a small island nation in the southern Mediterranean Sea that relies heavily on foreign workers to support its expanding economy. If you are a worker in Nepal with skills in construction, hospitality, transport, or caregiving, finding a legal job in Malta is a realistic option. Malta actively hires third-country nationals, including many workers from Nepal. However, you must follow the official government process. You cannot travel on a tourist visa and search for a job after you arrive. Every legal job path starts with an approved Maltese employer who sponsors your permit while you are still in Nepal.

The process requires patience and strict documentation. You will need to obtain government attestations in Kathmandu and wait for official approvals from the Maltese authorities. While the processing times can take several months, following the legal path ensures you receive a standard contract, fair wages, and a valid residence card upon arrival in Malta.

The Legal Route: Malta Single Permit

The standard legal route for a Nepali national taking up a skilled, trade, or manual job in Malta is the Single Permit scheme.

• Official name: Single Permit (managed by Identità, the central Maltese government agency formerly known as Identity Malta).
• Type of permit: This is a combined work and residence authorization granted under European Union rules. It links your right to live in Malta directly to your employment with a specific company.
• Who applies first: The employer in Malta must initiate the application on your behalf. You cannot submit an application for a Single Permit on your own without a formal job offer from a registered business in Malta.
• Approval in Principle: Once your employer submits your application file to Identità in Malta, the agency reviews your background and job position. If approved, Identità issues an official letter called the Approval in Principle (often called a Still Approval Letter). Your employer sends this original letter to you in Nepal. Only after you receive this letter can you move to the next step.

Where to Submit Your Application in Nepal

After you hold the official Approval in Principle letter from Malta, you must apply for a Entry Visa (National Type D Visa) to travel to Malta legally.

• Submission location: You must submit your passport, visa forms, and physical documents at the VFS Global visa application centre in Kathmandu or the nearest Malta visa application centre serving Nepal.
• Biometrics: During your appointment at the visa centre in Kathmandu, staff will take your biometric data, which includes your digital fingerprints and facial photograph.
• Nepal Government Clearance: As a citizen of Nepal taking employment abroad, you must also secure a foreign employment Labour Permit (Shram) from the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) in Nepal before you buy your flight ticket. Traveling without this government sticker is illegal under Nepalese law.

Required Documents and Attestation

To secure your Malta Single Permit and visa, your application file must be complete and officially verified. Preparing your paperwork correctly in Nepal prevents long delays.

• Passport: Your original passport must be valid for at least 18 months or at least 3 to 6 months beyond your intended contract duration in Malta. It must have at least two blank pages.
• Signed employment contract: A formal agreement signed by both you and your Maltese employer. It must state your exact job title, basic wage, working hours, and workplace location.
• Police Clearance Certificate: You need an official Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) issued by the Nepal Police headquarters in Kathmandu.
• Legalisation and attestation: Malta requires your Nepalese police clearance certificate and educational or trade certificates to be officially verified. You must take these documents to the Department of Consular Services under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Kathmandu for official attestation before submitting them to the Maltese authorities.
• Proof of qualifications: Certificates, diplomas, or reference letters from previous employers proving you have the required experience for your trade (such as welding tickets, professional driving licenses, or hospitality certificates).
• Health insurance: Travel medical insurance valid in the Schengen zone covering initial medical emergency care and repatriation.
• Medical checkup: A medical clearance certificate from an accredited clinic in Nepal showing you are fit for physical labor and free from communicable diseases.

Costs and Processing Times

Planning your finances accurately protects you from debt and illegal fee demands. Here is the realistic breakdown of official fees and local expenses.

• Official Malta permit fee: The fee charged by Identità Malta to process a Single Permit is set by the Maltese government and is approximately 280 to 300 Euros. This is usually paid directly by the employer or remitted during the online application setup.
• Visa application fee: The fee charged at the visa application centre in Kathmandu for your Type D national visa is approximately 80 to 100 Euros (payable in Nepalese Rupees based on current exchange rates).
• Processing time: The Single Permit evaluation in Malta typically takes approximately 2 to 4 months. Once the Approval in Principle is issued, processing your visa at the centre in Kathmandu usually takes an additional 3 to 6 weeks.
• Local costs in Nepal: Your out-of-pocket costs inside Nepal include police report fees, medical examinations, MOFA attestations, document translations, photos, and your flight to Malta. In total, these legitimate preparation and travel costs range between NPR 120,000 and NPR 250,000 (approximately 850 Euros to 1,800 Euros).
• Placement and recruitment fees: European law strictly regulates recruitment practices. Employers carry the cost of hiring foreign workers. Licensed agencies and direct employers in Malta are prohibited from charging you large sums simply to hand you a job position. Be extremely cautious of unregistered brokers in Nepal asking for lakhs of rupees under the title of guaranteed visa fees or placement charges.

Trades in Demand Right Now

Malta relies on international workers across several manual and technical sectors where local labor is limited:

• Construction and building maintenance: Construction firms in Malta frequently recruit skilled welders, masons, carpenters, electricians, and heavy machinery operators for long-term commercial and residential developments.
• Hospitality and food service: Hotels and restaurants hire kitchen helpers, commis chefs, housekeepers, and waitstaff to handle the continuous flow of international tourists.
• Caregiving and support services: Private care facilities and community health services actively seek qualified healthcare assistants and caregivers to support elderly residents across the island.

Myths vs facts

• Myth: You can travel to Malta on a tourist visa and start working legally right away.
• Fact: Working on a tourist visa is illegal in Malta and can lead to immediate arrest, fines, deportation, and a multi-year ban from entering the European Union.
• Myth: Paying an agent in Kathmandu a large fee guarantees you will get a Maltese work permit.
• Fact: No broker or agency can guarantee an approval, because every permit decision is made solely by Identità Malta and Maltese immigration officials.
• Myth: You do not need a Nepal Labour Permit (Shram) if you already have a European visa.
• Fact: Every Nepali citizen departing for foreign work must receive official Labour Approval from the Department of Foreign Employment in Nepal before airport departure.
• Myth: You must speak fluent Maltese to work in a trade in Malta.
• Fact: English is an official language in Malta and is used daily across work sites, safety briefings, and government forms, so basic English communication skills are sufficient for most trades.

Before you sign

Use this simple checklist before signing any paper or paying for document preparations:

• Verify the employer: Confirm that the hiring company is a real, registered business in Malta with an active address and official telephone contact.
• Read the full contract: Ensure your contract clearly lists your monthly base salary, working hours, overtime terms, and accommodation arrangements in simple English.
• Wait for official approval: Never buy a flight ticket or leave your current job in Nepal until you hold the physical Approval in Principle letter issued by Identità Malta.
• Attest all Nepali papers: Make sure your police clearance certificate is fully stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Kathmandu.
• Check your Labour Permit: Obtain your DoFE Labour Approval sticker in Nepal before finalizing your travel dates.

Create Your Workuro Profile Today

If you want European employers to find you directly, build a complete profile on Workuro. Select your exact trade, such as welding, driving, construction, or caregiving. Highlight your years of hands-on experience, your level of English communication, and whether you already hold a valid passport and clean police record. Having your profile updated makes it easy for legitimate employers in Malta looking for dedicated Nepali workers to contact you directly.

Workuro is free for workers - employers pay to search the register, and nobody may charge you for a job.