Guide
Key Employee Initiative and Specialist Employee Initiative compared
Updated
Both are the single permit with a shorter queue. What separates them is the salary, the nature of the post and how long you wait.
Side by side
| Key Employee Initiative | Specialist Employee Initiative | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum annual gross salary | €45,000 | €30,000 |
| The post | Managerial or highly technical, requiring relevant qualifications or adequate experience | Any post matched by an MQF Level 6 qualification, or a lower qualification plus 3 years' directly related experience |
| Stated processing time | 5 working days | 15 working days |
| Fee | €600 first time, €150 a year on renewal | €600 |
| Job advert requirement | One advert, at least two weeks, within the two months before applying | One advert, at least two weeks, within the two months before applying |
| Initial permit length | One year, then renewable for up to three years | Under the Single Permit Regulations, S.L. 217.17 |
Both sets of criteria are Identità's own (KEI eligibility, SEI eligibility), read on the updated date above.
A discrepancy worth knowing about
Two Maltese authorities publish different salary floors. Identità, which issues the permits, states €45,000 for the Key Employee Initiative and €30,000 for the Specialist Employee Initiative. Jobsplus, which conducts the labour market test, describes the KEI as targeting third-country nationals earning at least €35,000 and the SEI as targeting those earning at least €25,000 (jobsplus.gov.mt). We publish Identità's figures because Identità decides the application, but do not budget a salary between the two sets of numbers without confirming in writing with Identità first.
Renewing a KEI permit
An approved KEI applicant is issued a residence permit valid for one year in its initial year. It may subsequently be renewed for a longer period, up to three years, provided the employee presents a valid definite or indefinite contract and the original annual tax declaration form stamped by the Inland Revenue Department. The administrative process follows the regular single permit, including due diligence; only the speed differs.
The EU Blue Card alternative
For higher professional qualifications there is also the EU Blue Card under Subsidiary Legislation 217.27. Identità requires professional qualifications, a contract of at least six months, and a salary of 1.5 times the average gross annual salary in Malta, with the average wage published by the National Statistics Office in the Labour Force Survey. The first card is valid for two years, renewable at the holder's option for three. Fees are €600 first time and €150 per year for the duration of the permit, up to three years (identita.gov.mt).
The Blue Card carries EU mobility rights and counts towards long-term residence in a way a national permit does not. Identità notes that a Blue Card is distinct from a permit issued for highly qualified purposes under national policies such as the KEI.