Working After Graduation in Malta: Post-Study Permit and Job Search

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Malta lets non-EU graduates of a recognised course stay for a limited time to look for work, but the permit is not a work permit. EU and EEA graduates have no such restriction. This guide reflects pages of Identità, the immigration agency, and the University of Malta (UM), checked in October 2026. Details change, so confirm them with Identità before you apply.

EU, EEA and Swiss graduates

Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland do not need an employment licence to work in Malta, according to the Maltese government's page on moving to Malta and looking for a job. Employers still register the job with Jobsplus, and some newer EU members were subject to transitional arrangements. If you stay more than three months you hold a registration with Identità's Expatriates Unit: see student visa for Malta. We could not open the government page directly from our checks, so read it on gov.mt as well.

Non-EU graduates: the post-study permit

Identità describes a post-study residence permit for non-EU students who finish their studies in Malta. In summary:

• you must have completed a course of MQF Level 5 or higher in Malta while holding a student residence permit;
• the permit lets you stay up to nine months after completion to look for a job or start a business related to your field;
• it can be granted only once, cannot be renewed and cannot be extended beyond nine months;
• you apply online while your student permit is still valid, usually after your final exams or thesis, without waiting for the graduation ceremony;
• the card is labelled "Study SL 217.22" or similar and expires nine months after completion.

UM's page for third-country nationals describes the same idea as an extension of six months. Because that does not match Identità's nine months, follow Identità, whose rules govern the permit, and ask UM's International Office if you are unsure.

Documents for the post-study permit

Identità lists:

• a completion letter from the institution confirming you have met all requirements, even if you have not yet graduated formally;
• copies of your passport (valid for at least the next nine months) and your current permit;
• bank statements for the last three months showing funds for nine months, pro-rated from the student requirement;
• health insurance for the whole nine months. Identità sets no minimum on the form but advises about €100,000, and students of UM, MCAST and the Institute of Tourism Studies lose their exemption once they stop being students (see health insurance for students in Malta);
• proof of accommodation for the period, with a new Lease Agreement Attestation Form signed by the landlord and certified by a lawyer, notary or legal procurator if you rent privately;
• sponsor documents, if someone supports you.

You attend biometrics later and collect the new card. Identità says a decision typically takes a few weeks, and you can stay while it is processed if you applied before your permit expired.

It is not a work permit

Identità states that the post-study permit does not give an automatic right to work more than the hours a student may. An employer must apply for a Single Permit or an employment licence for you, and you can switch to it inside Malta without leaving. Identità says that in some cases you may be given interim permission to work for that employer once the Single Permit application is lodged, but this is not guaranteed, so ask Identità before you start. If you have no work permit or other status by the end of the nine months, you must leave Malta.

So the practical timeline is short:

1. Look for employers before you finish, since your student status ends with the course.
2. Apply for the post-study permit as soon as your final exams are done.
3. When you receive an offer, the employer starts the Single Permit process.
4. Keep track of the nine-month limit from the date of completion.

While you are still a student

During your studies a non-EU student may work up to 20 hours a week with an employment licence: see scholarships and student jobs in Malta.

Where to look next

• Student visa for Malta
• Working while studying in Europe
• How much it costs to study in Malta

Official sources

• Identità: study residence permit and post-study permit
• University of Malta: third-country nationals planning to study at UM
• Government of Malta: moving to Malta and looking for a job

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.