According to Eurostat, the Migration and Asylum in Europe – 2025 edition confirms that skilled migration to the EU is growing, but Malta continues to follow a different model from larger member states.
Across the EU, around 78,100 highly skilled non-EU workers received an EU Blue Card in 2024. Germany issued nearly three-quarters of all permits, while Malta recorded just 122 Blue Card holders, highlighting the scheme’s limited role in the Maltese labour market.
Instead, Malta relies mainly on standard employment and education pathways. In 2024, 46% of first residence permits were issued for employment, while 25.6% were granted for education. Family reasons accounted for 8.8%, with 15.9% issued for other purposes.
This contrasts with the wider EU trend, where highly skilled migrants and international students are increasingly concentrated in a small number of large economies. At EU level, 475,000 study and research permits were issued in 2024, mostly by Germany, France and Spain.
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