VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Third-country nationals (TCNs) coming to Malta will face significant increases in government fees from January 1 under measures introduced in Budget 2027.
The changes, outlined in Bill 15 tabled by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, will see several application fees increase, with some rising as much as sixteenfold.
International students will be among those hardest hit. Study visa fees will rise from €100 to €300 for standard processing and from €150 to €400 for extended services. Student residence permits will increase from €50 to €500, while renewals will cost €150.
Students must also pay an annual €400 infrastructure contribution, bringing their minimum government fees to around €1,200, compared with approximately €200 previously.
Other increases will affect family reunification applications, which will rise from €50 to €800. Residence permit applications for non-EU partners of Maltese residents will also cost €800, while long-term residency fees will double to €1,000.
The measures also introduce an €83 monthly charge for non-EU nationals holding a Maltese driving licence. Employers bringing new foreign workers to Malta will face an additional €200 in application fees, taking the total to €800.
Caruana has defended the measures, arguing they are intended to reduce Malta’s dependence on foreign labour and encourage businesses to invest in technology and capital.
However, the changes have attracted criticism from business organisations and trade unions over their potential impact on workers and employers.
The TCN Alliance described the measures as a “slap in the face” for thousands of foreign workers struggling with the cost of living.
Malta’s business chamber said higher fees could discourage employers from recruiting foreign workers but questioned the lack of incentives for investment in productive capital.
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(ITALPRESS).
