Latvia 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
| Latvia | Malta | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | $ 25 036 | $ 37 554 |
| Citizenship | 5 years | 7 years |
| Partner can work | — | — |
| Parents | difficult | difficult |
| Pets | no trouble | no trouble |
| Pet limit | 5 | 5 |
| Quarantine | no | no |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 888 | $ 1 792 · estimate |
| Basket | $ 34,3 | $ 36,2 |
| Life expectancy | 76.43 | 82.96 |
| Homicides/100k | 2.78 | 0.93 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 2.4 | 1.8 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: Latvia — 64, Malta — 58. Types present in both: work, remote work, study, family, investment, startup, repatriation and retirement. Latvia adds: job seeking. Malta adds: talent and working holiday.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
Latvia: fees range from 90 to 210 EUR. Routes with no fee: 5. Routes stating an income threshold: 37; the lowest is 780 EUR a month. Routes with a published decision deadline: 61; the shortest is 14 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: Latvia after 5 years, Malta after 7 years. Malta allows a second citizenship, Latvia does not. Bringing your own parents: Latvia — yes, Malta — no.
Latvia in brief
An EU and eurozone country with a relatively low cost of living. The IT sector is concentrated in Riga. Naturalisation comes after 5 years of permanent residence with a Latvian language exam; dual citizenship is allowed only with a limited group of countries. Since 2022 checks have been tightened and a language exam introduced for some permanent residents. Natural risks are minimal, but winters are cold and overcast, and proximity to Russia and Belarus adds regional tension.
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.