Uglobal Immigration Magazine Interview: Chetcuti Cauchi on Malta's Startup Visa

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Malta’s Startup Residence Programme grants a 3 to 5 year residence permit, during which beneficiaries can reside in Malta while launching and operating their startup venture.

The programme is designed to facilitate not only the founder’s immigration pathway, but also the immigration process of others connected to the enterprise – including family members and employees – helping reduce friction for startups that need to relocate talent and build a functioning base.

A key differentiator highlighted in the interview is the programme’s wider coverage:

“The program is another step towards increasing Malta’s competitiveness in the area by providing a residence permit to founders, employees, and family members of the startup.”
Antoine Saliba-Haig, Senior Lawyer, Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates

For founders, that breadth matters because early-stage growth often depends on:

• relocating essential team members, and
• reducing uncertainty for spouses and children while the business is being built.

The interview notes that the Malta-incorporated startup is required to make an investment and/or have paid-up share capital of not less than €25,000.

Practically, this threshold is positioned as an entry point for innovative ventures that are early-stage but serious – aiming to bring founders into a structured residence framework while still requiring minimum capital commitment and operational intent.

Substance and tax presence in Malta: why it’s part of the design

The programme is framed as increasing Malta’s tax revenue and economic contribution by expecting beneficiaries to maintain a tangible presence in Malta, including paying taxes in Malta during the residence period.

For founders, this signals that Malta’s startup pathway is intended to support real activity – not paper relocations – and that planning should consider operational footprint, resourcing, and ongoing compliance from the start.

Jean-Philippe Chetcuti links the programme’s policy aim to Malta’s broader competitiveness strategy:

“The main motive for launching Malta’s Startup Residence Programme is to turn the country into a hub for startups and scale-ups, while giving upcoming entrepreneurs the opportunity to bring their ideas to Malta and having access to the European Union market.”
Jean-Philippe Chetcuti, Managing Partner, Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates

The interview also highlights Malta’s practical attractiveness for international founders:

• Malta is an EU Member State, offering proximity to EU markets and networks.
• English is an official language, reducing friction for international teams.
• The programme supports business and family stability during the build phase.

By contributing to Uglobal Immigration Magazine, our lawyers support an informed, practitioner-led conversation for founders and advisers navigating cross-border startup relocation. The goal is to clarify how Malta’s Startup Residence Programme works in practice – including who it covers, what “substance” implies, and how the €25,000 threshold fits into early-stage structuring – so entrepreneurs can plan realistically, avoid avoidable delays, and build credible pathways into the EU.

Jean-Philippe Chetcuti is Managing Partner at Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates, advising internationally mobile individuals, founders, and families on Malta-based residence solutions alongside wider private client and cross-border structuring considerations.

Antoine Saliba-Haig is a Senior Lawyer at Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates, supporting clients on Malta immigration pathways and the practical implementation of residence programmes for founders, key employees, and their families.

Relocating a startup is a commercial decision – but the steps to implement it need to be precise. Our Immigration and Corporate teams support founders, startups, and scale-ups with Malta-based residence planning, coordinated with company formation, governance, tax touchpoints, and operational substance planning where relevant. We focus on clear pathways, practical sequencing, and advice you can action with confidence.

Malta Startup Visa FAQs

[question]What is Malta’s Startup Residence Programme?[/question]
[answer]The Startup Residence Programme grants a 3 to 5 year residence permit during which beneficiaries can reside in Malta while launching and operating their startup venture. It facilitates the setup of innovative startups and supports the immigration process of individuals connected to the enterprise, including family members and employees.[/answer]

[question]What is the main objective behind launching Malta’s startup visa?[/question]
[answer]The main motive is to turn Malta into a hub for startups and scale-ups, while giving upcoming entrepreneurs the opportunity to bring their ideas to Malta and access the European Union market.[/answer]

[question]Who can benefit from the programme besides the founder?[/question]
[answer]The programme is designed to provide residence permits not only to founders, but also to employees and family members connected to the startup, supporting business and family stability.[/answer]

[question]What is the €25,000 threshold mentioned in relation to the programme?[/question]
[answer]The Malta-incorporated startup is required to make an investment and/or have paid-up share capital of not less than €25,000.[/answer]

[question]Does the programme require a real presence in Malta?[/question]
[answer]Yes. Beneficiaries are expected to have a tangible presence in Malta, including paying taxes in Malta during the residence period, which also increases tax revenue to the island.[/answer]