Malta Raises Student Visa Fees for Foreigners, Announces New Charges
- Malta's Bill 15 proposes sharp increases to visa and residence permit fees for non-EU students starting in 2027
- It is noteworthy that residence permits for international students will jump from €50 to €500 under the new Budget 2027 measures
- Finance Minister Clyde Caruana linked the fee hikes to Malta's plan to reduce reliance on third-country nationals
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Malta is set to impose significantly higher government fees on students from outside the European Union, including Nigerians, with changes taking effect in 2027 under the country's latest budget legislation.
Bill 15, tabled in the Maltese parliament to give legal force to Budget 2027 measures, outlines fee increases that will affect third-country nationals (TCNs) applying to study in Malta.
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The proposed changes will raise the total minimum government fees a non-EU student must pay from roughly €200 (about ₦340,000) to at least €1,200 (about ₦2,040,000).
Malta: New study visa and permit fees
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Under the new structure, non-EU students requiring a long-stay study visa will pay €300 (about ₦510,000) for a standard service and €400 (about ₦680,000) for an extended service.
Currently, those fees stand at €100 and €150, respectively. Residence permits, which previously cost €50 (about ₦85,000), will now be priced at €500 (about ₦850,000), with renewals set at €150 (about ₦255,000). An annual infrastructure contribution fee of €400 (about ₦680,000) will also apply.
The changes are not limited to students. Non-EU nationals holding a valid Maltese driving licence will face a monthly charge of €83 (about ₦141,000).
Administrative fees for employers bringing TCNs into Malta will also rise by €200, bringing that cost to €800 (about ₦1,360,000) per application.
Additionally, non-EU citizens have been excluded from free childcare services and free bus fares, unless they qualify as long-term residents.
Malta: Government's stated rationale
Finance Minister Clyde Caruana told MaltaToday that the measures targeting third-country nationals are part of a broader effort to cut Malta's dependence on foreign workers and tackle what the government describes as overpopulation.
"Increasing the price of something — in this case, work permits — will lead to lower demand for foreign workers. I expect that, over time, there will be a change in behaviour in the way employers recruit workers from abroad," Caruana said.
He added that employers can choose to absorb the new costs on behalf of their non-EU staff or risk losing those workers to competitors.
While Caruana acknowledged that many of Identità's fees would increase, he did not specifically address the student fee hikes when presenting the budget.
The government has framed the full package of measures as a signal to the market rather than a punitive move, though the scale of some increases, particularly the tenfold rise in residence permit fees for students, is likely to draw scrutiny from international student communities and educational institutions operating in Malta.
Legit.ng reported that Malta shared the cost of its 10-year passport for applicants.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Malta published its minimum age requirement for foreigners seeking citizenship.
Conditions for Maltese PR in 5 years
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Malta listed four conditions foreigners must meet to get permanent residence in five years.
The requirements are published on the official Identità portal, which handles residence and permit applications for third-country nationals living in Malta.
Applicants who satisfy all four conditions may apply for long-term residence status, which is permanent in nature.
Source: Legit.ng
