France or Malta
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| France | Malta | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | $ 79 660 | $ 37 554 |
| Citizenship | 5 years | 7 years |
| Partner can work | yes | — |
| Parents | difficult | difficult |
| Pets | no trouble | no trouble |
| Pet limit | 5 | 5 |
| Quarantine | no | no |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 1 707 | $ 1 792 · estimate |
| Basket | $ 51,8 | $ 36,2 |
| Life expectancy | 82.98 | 82.96 |
| Homicides/100k | 1.33 | 0.93 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 4 | 1.8 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: France — 94, Malta — 58. Types present in both: work, study, family, investment, startup, talent, retirement and working holiday. France adds: job seeking. Malta adds: remote work and repatriation.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
France: fees range from 50 to 350 EUR. Routes with no fee: 23. Routes stating an income threshold: 21; the lowest is 615 EUR a month. Routes with a published decision deadline: 73; the shortest is 60 days. Malta: fees range from 27.5 to 60,000 EUR. Routes with no fee: 14. Routes stating an income threshold: 4; the lowest is 18,940 EUR a year. Routes with a published decision deadline: 18; the shortest is 7 days.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: both after 5 years. Citizenship: France after 5 years, Malta after 7 years. Both allow a second citizenship. Bringing your own parents: France — yes, Malta — no.
France in brief
A large EU economy with a developed tech market in Paris, Lyon and Toulouse, universal healthcare and dual citizenship allowed. Entry and settling in are held back by French at B2 for naturalisation, the absence of a separate simplified route for parents, the need to reissue the Passeport Talent when changing employer in the first two years, plus marked regional differences in crime (Marseille) and recurring summer heatwaves.
Malta in brief
Malta is an English-speaking member of the EU and the eurozone with a fast KEI track for the highly qualified (about 5 working days) and a Single Permit tied to the employer. Permanent residence comes after 5 years and dual citizenship is allowed, but naturalisation is discretionary. Reunification covers a spouse and minor children, not parents. Pets come in under the EU limit with no quarantine (dogs additionally need tapeworm treatment). Held back by water scarcity, hot summers and IT salaries below the big EU hubs (median ~€33k per Payscale).
Other comparisons
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This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.