You can enter, reside and work in Malta for a period of more than three months as an intra-corporate transferee if you are a manager, specialist or trainee employee. The definitions and conditions of admission are governed by Subsidiary Legislation 217.21. If you fulfil the conditions, you will be issued an Intra-Corporate Transferee permit.
Please note that before being transferred from a company branch located outside of the EU to a branch in Malta you must have been employed by that company for a certain time period: if you are a manager from at least 3 up to 12 uninterrupted months; a specialist from at least 3 up to 12 uninterrupted months; a trainee from at least 3 up to 6 uninterrupted months.
When it comes to Intra-Corporate transfers, as long as there is no conflict with the principle of preference for Union citizens there is no requirement for any labour market test to be done.
Where and how to apply | The application for an intra-corporate transferee permit shall be submitted to Identity Malta Agency when you are residing outside Malta. The application for an intra-corporate transferee permit shall be submitted to Identity Malta Agency where the first stay shall take place or if the stay in Malta is the longest overall stay during the transfer. You shall be entitled to submit an application in a single application procedure via this link: https://identitymalta.com/unit/expatriates-unit/#1567176277921-d6e48eab-8acb | |
Documents required | You shall submit to Identity Malta Agency an application for an intra-corporate transferee permit, endorsed by the host entity and shall: (a) provide evidence that the host entity and the undertaking established in a third country belong to the same undertaking or group of undertakings; (b) provide evidence of employment within the same undertaking or group of undertakings; (c) present a contract of employment, and, if necessary, an assignment letter from the employer containing the following: (i) details of the duration of the transfer and the location of the host entity or entities; (ii) evidence that you are taking a position as a manager, specialist or trainee employee in the host entity or entities in Malta; (iii) the remuneration as well as other terms and conditions of employment granted during the intra-corporate transfer; (iv) evidence that you be able to transfer back to an entity belonging to that undertaking or group of undertakings established in a third country at the end of the intra-corporate transfer; (d) provide evidence that you have the professional qualifications and experience needed in the host entity to which he is to be transferred as manager or specialist or, in the case of a trainee employee, the university degree required; (e) where applicable, present documentation certifying that you fulfil the conditions laid down under the Recognition of Professional Qualification Regulations to exercise the regulated profession to which the application relate ; (f) present a valid travel document and an application for a visa or a visa, if required, whereby Identity Malta Agency may require the period of validity of the travel document to cover at least the period of validity of the intra-corporate transferee permit; (g) provide evidence of having, or of having applied for, a sickness insurance; (h) present an address in Malta at the time when the intra-corporate transfer permit is issued; (i) if you have applied to be admitted as a trainee employee you shall be required to present a training agreement relating to the preparation for his or her future position within the undertaking or group of undertakings, including a description of the training programme, which demonstrates that the purpose of the stay is to train the trainee employee for career development purposes or in order to obtain training in business techniques or methods, its duration and the conditions under which the trainee employee is supervised during the programme. | |
Duration of validity of permits
| The period of validity of the Intra Corporate Transferee permit is of at least one year or the duration of the transfer (whichever is shorter) and may be extended to a maximum of 3 years for managers and specialists and 1 year for trainee employees. Identity Malta Agency may require a period of up to six months to elapse between the end of the maximum duration of a transfer and another application concerning the same third-country national for the purposes of these regulations. | |
Appeals
| Reasons for a decision declaring inadmissible or refusing an application or refusing renewal shall be given to you in writing. Reasons for a decision withdrawing an intra-corporate transferee permit shall be given in writing to the intra-corporate transferee and to the host entity. Where Identity Malta Agency has declared inadmissible or refused an application, or refused renewal or withdrew an intra-corporate transferee permit, you shall have the right to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Board within three working days from the decision subject to appeal. | |
Your rights are safeguarded under regulations 14 and 15 of Subsidiary Legislation 217.21.
Change of status | You may change your immigration status if all the relative conditions are met. |
Family members
| Your family members may join you in accordance with the provisions of Subsidiary Legislation 217.06 Family Reunification Regulations and relative policies. Information regarding the documents to be submitted can be accessed via this page. Provided that this right shall not be made dependent on the requirement of you having reasonable prospects of obtaining the right of permanent residence and having a minimum period of residence. Identity Malta Agency shall process the residence permit application for your family members at the same time as your permit for long-term mobility, in cases where the residence permit application for your family members is submitted at the same time. The duration of the validity of the residence permits of family members in Malta, shall, as a general rule, end on the date of expiry of your permit or the permit for long-term mobility issued by Identity Malta Agency. Your family members who have been granted family reunification shall be entitled to have access to employment and self-employed activity in Malta. |
Mobility
| Upon the fulfilment of certain conditions you can, on the basis of an Intra Corporate Transferee permit issued in one EU country, work in other EU countries if the entity where you will work belong to the same company. If the duration of your mobility is shorter than 90 days during a 180-day period you are subject to short-term mobility rules. If the duration of the mobility is longer than 90 days, you are instead subject to long-term mobility rules. The following procedures apply if you have an Intra Corporate Transferee permit in an EU Member State and intend to move and work in Malta. |
Short-term mobility
| Identity Malta Agency shall require the host entity in the other Member State to notify the competent authorities of the intention of the intra-corporate transferee to work in an entity established in Malta. Identity Malta Agency shall require that any notification shall be accompanied by the following documents and information: (a) evidence that the host entity in Malta and the undertaking established in a third country belong to the same undertaking or group of undertakings; (b) the contract of employment and, if necessary, the assignment letter, which were transmitted to the other Member State; (c) where applicable, documentation certifying that the intra-corporate transferee fulfils the conditions laid down under the Recognition of Professional Qualifications Regulations to exercise the regulated profession to which the application relates; (d) a valid travel document; (e) where not specified in any of the preceding documents, the planned duration and dates of the mobility. |
Long-term mobility
| Where an application for long-term mobility is submitted, Identity Malta Agency shall require you to transmit some or all of the following documents where they are required for an initial application: (a) evidence that the host entity in Malta and the undertaking established in a third country belong to the same undertaking or group of undertakings; (b) a contract of employment and, if necessary, an assignment letter; (c) where applicable, documentation certifying that the intra-corporate transferee fulfils the conditions laid down under the Recognition of Professional Qualifications Regulations to exercise the regulated profession to which the application relates; (d) a valid travel document; (e) evidence of having applied for sickness insurance. |