Living in Malta as a French National: Settling-In Formalities, Housing, Schooling and Safety

For a French national, the legal framework is simple: free movement within the European Union opens access to residence and employment without prior authorisation. Identità, the agency that manages residence documents, states that a citizen of the Union does not need a permit to reside and work in Malta. The currency is the euro, and administrative documents are accepted in English or Maltese.

• Advantages: access to work without a permit, free residence formalities, a compact archipelago where public health centres are spread across Malta and Gozo, a French school in Pembroke and a French embassy in Valletta.
• Points of caution: the right to public care does not stem from residence alone, it depends on status (contributing employee, retiree holding the S1, or other proof); property is getting more expensive (see below); some nightlife districts call for care (France Diplomatie, 11 March 2026).

The Malta country page details health insurance by status; the pages on working in Malta and retiring in Malta complete this guide.

The archipelago is small: the choice of where to live is made mainly according to the workplace, the children’s school and proximity to health services. The French embassy is in Valletta (130 Melita Street). The island of Gozo has a public health centre in Victoria (Primary Health Care).

• Public health centres: ten centres cover the territory (B’Kara, Cospicua, Floriana, Gzira, Kirkop, Mosta, Paola, Qormi, Rabat and Victoria). The one in Paola is open 24 hours a day, every day of the week (Primary Health Care).
• Pembroke: the town is home to the accredited French school (see the section on schooling).
• St Julian’s and Paceville: France Diplomatie flags this nightlife district, served by bus routes 1, 13, 14, 15 and 16, as an area where pickpocketing is frequent.

The checklist for the first 90 days helps you put the formalities in order once the town is chosen.

The weekly minimum wage is 229.44 euros for people aged 18 and over since 1 January 2026, according to ministerial order 289 of 2025; Eurostat converts it to 994 euros a month in the second half of 2026, against 1,867 euros in France. According to the labour force survey for the second quarter of 2026, the average basic monthly salary of employees is estimated at 2,282 euros, with 1,412 euros for elementary occupations and 3,657 euros for senior managers (NSO, 11 September 2026).

• Housing: the NSO residential property price index stands at 104.19 in the first quarter of 2026, up 6.7% over one year and 1.8% over the quarter (NSO, 2 July 2026). The official pages consulted do not publish an average rent level: a housing budget is built from listings and local agencies.
• Health budget: the guide to budgeting for health abroad offers a method for including contributions, health packages and uncovered costs.

Wage levels, taxes and contributions are detailed in the page on working in Malta.

A French national enters Malta with a national identity card or a valid passport, and stays for up to three months without any formality. France Diplomatie points out that laminated identity cards issued to adults between 2004 and 2013 benefit from an automatic five-year extension and remain usable for travel between France and Malta (updated 15 September 2026). Beyond three months, a citizen of the Union is required to register their residence with Identità, through the expatriates portal.

• Principle: the application is filed once on the spot, and identity cannot be verified in a Maltese mission abroad. The document issued, the eResidence document, is free at first registration as at renewal, generally valid for five years, and processing takes about 30 working days (Identità).
• Employee: a citizen of the Union can reside and work before having their card, provided the job is registered with Jobsplus, the public employment service; the residence application is accompanied by proof of identity and proof of employment (Identità).
• Without employment: the agency requires resources at least equal to the minimum that entitles Maltese nationals to social assistance and comprehensive health insurance in Malta, or an S1 form, or an entitlement certificate. The EHIC is not enough for a lasting move: it covers only a temporary stay (Identità).
• Student: a letter of acceptance from the institution, proof of sufficient means and health insurance; students of the University of Malta, MCAST or ITS do not have to provide insurance (Identità).
• Permanent residence: after five years of legal, continuous residence, a permanent residence card, valid for ten years, can be requested (Identità).
• Consular register: the French embassy states that registration is free and valid for five years; it makes it easier to renew identity papers and to handle emergency procedures.

In Malta, access to public care depends on status: an employee or self-employed person contributes to Maltese social security, a retiree has their S1 form registered with the Entitlement Unit to receive an entitlement certificate, and a temporary stay relies on the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card, CEAM in French). The page on the Maltese healthcare system describes the pathway, and the page on healthcare reimbursement in Malta details who pays depending on the situation.

Expavy helps you compare the supplementary cover that is useful during the enrolment period, with the page on expat health insurance.

The France Diplomatie safety page, updated on 11 March 2026, rates Malta at normal vigilance across the whole territory; the country home page also displays, as of 10 September 2026, a general message of heightened vigilance for French nationals abroad. It flags pickpocketing on public transport and in tourist areas, in particular in Paceville, as well as hotel burglaries and online rental scams. It advises keeping identity papers in a safe place and carrying only copies, avoiding large sums of cash, checking the colour of beach flags and using certified instructors for diving.

• Emergencies: 112 is the emergency number. The French embassy can be reached on +356 2778 1747.
• Nature: France Diplomatie mentions the proximity of the Pantelleria fault, storm warnings that recommend avoiding the coast and tree-lined roads, and drownings every year at the Blue Lagoon because of the currents.
• Climate: Mediterranean, with hot summers; France Diplomatie recommends protecting yourself from heat and sun.
• Health: a message about a rise in measles cases appears on the country page (13 March 2026); the French vaccination schedule, including measles, must be up to date. See the page on the Maltese healthcare system.
• Language: Identità accepts documents in English or Maltese, and the embassy states that school teaching is mainly in English.

According to the order of 19 June 2026 establishing the list of accredited French schools abroad (official gazette of 30 June 2026), the Lycée français bilingue international de Pembroke is accredited for the school level, from the first to the last year of nursery school (petite to grande section), subject to a partnership agreement being concluded with the AEFE. Families should ask the school about the levels offered and the enrolment conditions.

According to the French embassy, schooling is compulsory from 5 to 16 and takes place mainly in English; public schools are free for citizens of the Union, and there are also subsidised Catholic schools and private schools. The University of Malta provides higher education. For families, family health cover is checked at the same time as choosing the school.