Low cost of living

Annual living costs in Malta are substantially lower than the U.K., Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Cyprus. It is generally accepted that the costs of living in Malta is 30-40% lower than mainland Europe and the cost of running a business is 50-60% lower than mainland Europe.

Health care

Malta has excellent medical facilities, including well-equipped state and privately owned hospitals run by highly qualified doctors and staff. The Mater Dei Hospital, completed in 2008, was voted the 2nd most advanced hospital in Europe. Reciprocal health care agreements exist between Malta and some countries, resulting in treatment at normal or no cost.

Education

Malta has excellent universities and education systems. The educational system in Malta is divided into three main branches: Primary Education, which extends from age five till eleven, Secondary Education which stretches from age eleven till sixteen, and Tertiary Education. There is one University, recognised by major foreign Universities. Education is compulsory from age five till sixteen. The Maltese Educational System is based on the British model.

Working in Malta

Citizens from non-EU member states wishing to seek employment and earn euro’s in Malta are required to submit an application form requesting the issue of an employment licence to the relevant authorities at least three months before he/she is due to undertake employment in Malta. As a matter of policy, non-EU citizens will only be granted a Malta employment licence in circumstances where no suitable EU citizen is found for the vacancy. It is important to emphasise that the employment licence is obtained by the candidate before he/she actually undertakes employment in Malta, as any detected breaches of this legal requirement are liable to substantial fines.

Areas like Financial Services, ICT, Tourism and Maritime services are in great demand in Malta and therefore making it easier to find work in Malta.

Trusts and Companies

There are times when, for reasons of security or strategy, it’s advisable to set up a trust.  Through our team of attorneys in Malta, we provide specialised trustee and fiduciary services including the following trusteeships: Transfer and management of third-party property holding and administration of bonds, patents and other certificates; Safekeeping of company shares; Shareholder representation; Management and Safeguarding of company documents; Trust services in connection with investment transactions; Trusteeships for the transfer and monitoring of financial resources. We provide you with the highest level of protection and security.

Asset Management. Asset management and trust transactions should be handled in complete confidence.  Our mission is to provide you with security and the necessary tax and legal framework to structure your assets to your best advantage.   Conservative and at the same time innovative, our counsel is tailored to your needs.  Asset structuring involves the setting up of legal entities and the transfer of assets of all kinds to those legal entities, with the aim of keeping private and structured assets separate. The main advantages of this kind of structuring are estate planning, asset protection, mobility/flexibility and confidentiality.

Estate Planning & Management. Have you given enough thought to the future of your business after you retire? The process of transferring ownership to the next generation is a complex task requiring timely, long-term, strategic and systematic planning.  Mistakes made in the planning of ownership transfer can destroy the family assets and ruin the future of the company.  The successful transfer to the next generation means stability and continuity for the business, the estate and the family. Our tax advisors and lawyers can advise you in all financial, legal and tax aspects of your succession planning and estate management to ensure a problem free, discrete and tax efficient solution. Whether your business is a partnership or a limited liability company, we will work together with you to find a solution for a secure, tax-friendly transfer of ownership, while taking into consideration and integrating the various international regulations governing inheritance, gift-giving and asset transfer.