Relocating & Living in Malta
The experience South Africans are looking for…
Malta Residence, Property Investment & Relocation Seminars
4th May 2023 | Cape Town – Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel (5PM)
5th May 2023 | Durban – The Oyster Box Hotel (5PM)
8th May 2023 | Johannesburg – The Wanderers Club (5PM)
Find out why you should move to Malta
If you are investigating options for relocating or investing in real estate in Europe, the start of the good news is that we at Frank Salt Real Estate know what South Africans are looking for: we have 20 years of experience working with South African clients that have successfully relocated to and also bought property in Malta!
If it’s an exciting, safe and rewarding lifestyle that you’re after for you and your family, Malta should be your first choice. People who live in Malta enjoy a very high quality standard of life so as a South African isn’t it time to make some changes and invest in your whole family’s future?
OK, tell me more!
The sunny island nation of Malta is located in the heart of the Mediterranean and it is steeped in history and culture and has been part of the EU since 2004.
Over the years, many South Africans have made the move to the islands and they have never looked back! With a buoyant economy and an emphasis on personal safety, this is a country where South Africans feel at home from the moment they arrive.
But how far is it from the rest of Europe and what about the language and driving?
Malta is a premier travel hub to the rest of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and is ideally located in a warm, sunny climate with some of the best average temperatures in the whole of the EU. All major EU destinations are roughly a two-hour flight away.
English is the national language, besides Maltese, another factor that makes South Africans feel at easy from day one. To make you feel even more at home, your South African driver’s license will be valid for a full year after arriving, plus in Malta you drive on the same side of the road as in South Africa, so why not think of bringing your car as well?
Sounds good, but will we adjust from early on?
Hundreds of expats have set up home in Malta and Gozo, the smaller more rural sister island of Malta, and its not unusual that you hear Afrikaans being spoken on the streets. Old favourites like biltong and koeksisters can also be found locally, just ready for watching that big rugby match!
There’s a large and well-connected expat community on both islands to show you the ropes when you first arrive.
We will be happy to put you in touch with some of them.
I heard buying property abroad is tricky and complicated…
As South Africans usually prefer to own their own homes in Malta, this is where having Frank Salt Real Estate on your side makes all the difference.
There is no other real estate company that is more established, bigger or older in Malta and the bonus is that is it family-owned and run and has been around for more than 50 years.
It is also the agency of choice for many South Africans when moving to Malta due to their experience working with Saffas. If you attend one of the seminars in South Africa, you will be personally met by Graham Salt, one of the directors of Frank Salt Real Estate. Graham loves going to South Africa and will be able to answer any questions you may have.
Ok, I am seriously thinking about it. What more can you tell me?
Whether you are considering relocating or just want to buy a holiday home that will appreciate in euro terms, keep in mind that the Maltese property market’s capital appreciation has outperformed almost the rest of the whole of Europe, as did their economy over the last couple of years. Suffice to say that the islands’ GPD grew by 9.7% in 2021 – when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world hard. If you decide Malta is the place for you and your family, here are just some of the additional benefits:
Qualifying for one of Malta’s Residency programmes, South Africans will:
- Have the right to reside indefinitely in Malta
- Have the ability to work in Malta
- No minimum physical presence required to maintain immigration status
- All family members of an applicant are eligible
Ok, I am seriously thinking about it. What more can you tell me?
- It’s a fact of life that as we get older, we have no choice but to make good healthcare a priority. We also have to make sure it affordable and of the highest of standards as well and this is where Malta’s healthcare systems comes in as one of the best globally. South Africans are already used to paying vast sums for private healthcare in order to have better levels of quality service, but it is very expensive. Plans offered by the top South African insurers can cost many thousands of Rands per month.
- By comparison, healthcare plans in Malta are offered by all the big general insurance companies and are a lot cheaper per year than in South Africa. If you are employed in Malta and contribute towards social security, you will be able to make use of free healthcare within reason and the plus is that it is first-world standards all the way.
- Malta is a favoured destination for many retired South Africans due to the assurance of its exceptional and high standards of healthcare.
- Malta’s positive outlook and economy is a huge contributing factor to making it extremely attractive to many talented and qualified South Africans.
- The unemployment rate is extremely low and work permits for highly skilled South Africans in the fields of education, IT, finance, technical and the building industry with a high demand for upper managerial staff in all of these professions are favoured.
- Malta as a country offers a low-cost environment with an advantageous tax regime and when it comes to expenditure, the biggest component of Malta’s GDP is as a result local consumption. This is a sign that in Malta you get bang for your buck when compared to other European countries.
- For South Africans wanting to establish businesses in Malta, the country’s geographical proximity to and diplomatic links with the EU and Schengen Zone means there are endless opportunities.
- In Malta all children have the right to free education from the age of 4 to 16 years of age and there is a choice, as in South Africa, to attend state or private schools. Roughly 30% of local pupils attend private schools and these are regulated by the Malta Ministry of Education.
- Private schools are divided into 2 types, namely those run by the church and those run independently. International schools are also well-established and for adult education there is the ETC or Employment Training Corporation offering most of its courses free of charge.
- As a South African, having a child at a state school in Malta is not only free of charge, but the education standards are extremely high and English is widely spoken. There is also a good selection of private and church schools, with some focusing purely on expats.
- Malta’s highest educational institution is the University of Malta, one of the oldest in Europe with a history going back over 400 years. It offers undergraduate and post-graduate courses; lasting anywhere from one to six years and it is entirely financed by the Maltese government.
- The whole educational system has a British heritage and tradition, much like South Africa so any pupil coming from South Africa should feel at home.
I am SOLD! Where do I sign up?
Malta is an incredible place to live, work and invest in and this is evident from the many South Africans that have been living here, some for several decades. We currently have an article covering “South Africans Living in Malta” which can be found here.
If you are interested in attending one of the Frank Salt Real Estate’s informative and exciting South African seminars this coming May 2023, we will be in Johannesburg on the 8th May, in Durban on the 5th May and Cape Town on the 4th May.
To register for the seminars, click the button below.
