Grants & funding · INVEST

INVEST scheme Malta:
the extension, the rates
and how to prepare.

INVEST is Malta Enterprise’s main scheme for initial investment projects: a new site, more capacity, a new line of business or a new production process. Applications closed on 30 September 2026, and on 10 November a six-month extension was announced in Parliament. Here is what the current rules say, what is still unknown, and how to be ready.

By Johnny MPublished 13 November 20268 min read

Prepare your project

INVEST scheme Malta at a glance: aid of 10% to 35% of eligible costs, a six-month extension announced, tax credits, cash grants and loan support

+6 monthsExtension announced, dates to come

INVEST, answered

What is the INVEST scheme in Malta, and is it open?

Answer: INVEST is a Malta Enterprise scheme that supports initial investment projects with tax credits, cash grants, help with loan interest and, for SMEs, loan guarantees. Aid ranges from 10% to 35% of eligible costs, depending on the size of the business and where the project is. The current call stopped taking applications on 30 September 2026. A six-month extension was announced in Parliament on 10 November 2026, but Malta Enterprise has not yet published new dates or reopened applications, so nobody can apply under the extension yet.

Key takeaways

Is the INVEST scheme open? Not yet under the extension. Applications under the current guidelines closed on 30 September 2026. A six-month extension was announced in Parliament on 10 November 2026, but Malta Enterprise has not yet published new dates or reopened applications.
Has the INVEST scheme been extended? Yes, an extension of a further six months was announced by Economy Minister Silvio Schembri on 10 November 2026, after 200 applications worth €1.5 billion this year. The new dates and any rule changes are still to be published.
How much aid does INVEST give? Between 10% and 35% of eligible costs, depending on the size of the business and the location. Small businesses in Gozo can reach 35%, and in assisted areas 30%. Elsewhere in Malta, small businesses get up to 20% and medium-sized ones up to 10%.

The short version

INVEST in one table.

INVEST brings several older Malta Enterprise schemes together (PwC Malta). The facts below are from the current guidelines (INVEST 2024, Version 1.1) and the scheme page. The extension may come with updated guidelines, so treat these as the rules to plan around until Malta Enterprise says otherwise.

INVEST: the key facts from the current guidelines
	What the rules say	Source
Run by	Malta Enterprise	Scheme page
What it supports	A new establishment, more capacity in an existing one, a new line of business, a fundamental change in a whole process, or buying the assets of a business that would otherwise close.	Scheme page
Who can apply	SMEs. Large companies only in assisted areas, for a new economic activity. You must operate from Malta and be a limited company, a registered partnership or a co-operative.	Guidelines 3.2
Qualifying activities	A listed set, including manufacturing, computer programming, data processing and hosting, e-commerce and payment platforms, call centres, R&D, logistics, hotels, healthcare and education.	Guidelines 3.1
Not eligible	Gambling and licensed financial services. Businesses in difficulty, or with tax and social security dues over €1,000 without a repayment plan.	Guidelines 3.2
Type of aid	Tax credits, cash grants, loan interest subsidies of up to 3% a year, and loan guarantees for SMEs.	Guidelines 4
Aid rates	10% to 35% of eligible costs, by business size and location. See the table below.	Guidelines 4.6
Eligible costs	Land, buildings, plant, machinery and equipment, plus intangible assets such as software licences, patents and know-how. Or the wage costs of new jobs over two years.	Guidelines 5
Your own share	At least 25% of the eligible costs from your own funds or a loan, with no public support.	Guidelines 3.3.5
Status	Applications closed on 30 September 2026. A six-month extension was announced on 10 November 2026. New dates not yet published.	Scheme page · Times of Malta · TVM

One rule matters more than any other. Tax credits for qualifying projects are not discretionary: a project that meets the rules gets them. Cash grants, interest subsidies and loan guarantees are at Malta Enterprise’s discretion, and a cash grant must be approved in writing before work starts (Guidelines 4).

The extension

What we know about the six-month extension.

In the debate on his ministry’s 2027 estimates on 10 November 2026, Economy Minister Silvio Schembri said Malta Enterprise had received 200 applications under INVEST this year, representing €1.5 billion in proposed investment, and that he had instructed the agency to extend the scheme by a further six months (Times of Malta, TVM, Lovin Malta).

What is not known yet: the new closing date, whether the guidelines change, and whether the budget or rates are adjusted. Malta Enterprise has not yet published new dates or reopened applications, and its INVEST page still shows the 30 September 2026 deadline as closed (Malta Enterprise). Under the current guidelines, eligible projects must start between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2027, and aid must be approved by 31 December 2026 (Guidelines 3.3.1). An extension would need those dates moved.

So, if you are planning an expansion, this is preparation time. Have the project, the costings and the documents ready, and apply as soon as the new dates are published. Anyone who says they can file an application under the extension today is ahead of the official rules.

Rates

How much INVEST can cover.

Aid is a share of eligible costs. The share depends on the size of your business and where the investment is. Assisted areas are the localities listed in Annex A of the guidelines, such as Valletta, Birgu, Marsa, Qormi, Birkirkara, Sliema, Mosta and Naxxar (Guidelines 4.6, Annex A).

Maximum INVEST aid as a share of eligible costs
Business size	Assisted area	Gozo and Comino	Other areas
Small (not hospitality)	30%	35%	20%
Medium (not hospitality)	20%	25%	10%
SMEs in hospitality	15%	15%	10%
Large	10%	15%	Not eligible

Say a small manufacturer in Mosta, an assisted area, invests €400,000 in new machinery and the software that runs it. At 30%, the aid could be up to €120,000, as tax credits, a grant or a mix. The same project in Gozo could reach 35%, or €140,000. The business must still fund at least 25% of the costs itself, without public support (Guidelines 3.3.5).

Step by step

How to prepare an application.

These steps follow the application process in the current guidelines (Guidelines 6). The online system is Malta Enterprise’s client portal.

Speak to Malta Enterprise first. Malta Enterprise advises contacting its relations representatives before applying, so you are guided to the right support.
Define one clear investment project. What you will set up or expand, where, what it will cost, and which qualifying activity it falls under.
Get your company documents ready. A compliance certificate from the Commissioner for Revenue no older than three months, details of directors and shareholders, and audited accounts for the last two years, or management accounts.
Price every item. A detailed list of the equipment, software and works, with projected costs, on Malta Enterprise’s template, plus a bill of quantities for buildings and fit-out. Prices must be realistic market prices.
Add the extra papers for grants and loans. For a cash grant, interest subsidy or loan guarantee: an independent CPA opinion on what happens without the aid, and a business plan. For loans, a letter from your bank.
Submit on the online system, at the right time. For a cash grant, wait for written approval before starting work. Tax credits on assets can be requested within 12 months of the start of works. Other requests go in at least 12 weeks before you start.
Claim after you spend. Malta Enterprise issues a tax credit certificate once you show the costs were incurred. Unused credits carry forward to later years.

Malta Enterprise rejects incomplete applications and does not have to ask you for missing information (Guidelines 6.0.3). A complete, clear pack is the whole game.

Planning an expansion with a system or website in it?

We write the technical specification and an itemised quote for the digital part, so your costings are ready when the new dates are published.

Prepare your project

Software and systems

Where websites, software and systems fit.

INVEST is not a website grant. It suits bigger projects with real assets. But most investments today include software: a production line needs a control and stock system, a new clinic needs booking and patient records, a logistics site needs warehouse software.

Under the current guidelines, intangible assets such as software licences count toward the investment if they are used only in the supported establishment, can be amortised, are bought at market price from an unrelated supplier, and stay on your asset register for at least three years for an SME. For SMEs, intangible assets can count in full (Guidelines 5.5).

This is why the specification matters. A clear description of what each system does, with an itemised quote, makes it easier for Malta Enterprise and your accountant to see what belongs to the project. If the digital part is small, or you only need a website or CRM, Micro Invest or Digitalise your SME is usually a better fit.

Compare

INVEST or another scheme?

You cannot fund the same cost twice from public schemes. Pick the scheme that matches the size and type of the project.

INVEST or another scheme?
Your project	Best first look	Status
A new site, production line, clinic or hotel wing, with real assets	INVEST	Extension announced, dates to come
A website, online shop or software up to about €50,000	Micro Invest 2026-2030	Applications from 1 January 2027 for 2026 costs
A digital or AI project of €50,000 or more	Digitalise your SME	Cut-offs 30 November and 14 December 2026
Automation, AI and digitalisation	The planned 60% tax credit	Planned. Projects may qualify once the official rules are published, and we check fit with you

For every scheme and date in one place, see our guide to business grants in Malta and what Budget 2027 means for businesses going digital.

How we help

Where Malta Digital fits.

Malta Digital is a private company, not Malta Enterprise. We do not decide eligibility. Malta Enterprise does. Your accountant handles the application, the accounts and the tax side.

What we do is the digital part of the investment: we scope the system, website or automation, write the technical specification and give you an itemised quotation, so the costs in your application are clear and realistic. After approval, we build it.

Systems and CRM. Custom business systems and CRM systems from €7,500, with the first working version of a custom system in 2 to 4 weeks.

AI and automation. AI automation for ordering, stock, scheduling and admin, scoped in writing first.

Websites. Our web design service in Malta starts with the Professional Website at €990, complete in 24 to 48 hours. The Business Website takes 2 to 4 days, the Growth Website 7 days, and the 24-Hour Premium Website is ready in 24 hours.

Tell us about the project. We have 18 Google reviews, and we reply to every enquiry by email.

A few straight answers

What you might be wondering.

Is the INVEST scheme open?

Not yet under the extension. Applications under the current guidelines closed on 30 September 2026. A six-month extension was announced in Parliament on 10 November 2026, but Malta Enterprise has not yet published new dates or reopened applications.

Has the INVEST scheme been extended?

Yes, an extension of a further six months was announced by Economy Minister Silvio Schembri on 10 November 2026, after 200 applications worth €1.5 billion this year. The new dates and any rule changes are still to be published.

How much aid does INVEST give?

Between 10% and 35% of eligible costs, depending on the size of the business and the location. Small businesses in Gozo can reach 35%, and in assisted areas 30%. Elsewhere in Malta, small businesses get up to 20% and medium-sized ones up to 10%.

Who can apply for INVEST?

SMEs operating from Malta, set up as a limited company, a registered partnership or a co-operative, carrying out a listed qualifying activity. Large companies can apply only in assisted areas, for a new economic activity.

Can INVEST pay for software or a website?

Software licences and other intangible assets can count when they are part of a qualifying initial investment and meet the conditions in the guidelines. INVEST is not meant for a website on its own. For that, Micro Invest is usually the better fit.

Is INVEST a grant or a tax credit?

It can be either, or both. Tax credits are given to any project that meets the rules. Cash grants, loan interest subsidies and loan guarantees are at Malta Enterprise’s discretion, and a cash grant must be approved before work starts.

What documents does an INVEST application need?

A recent compliance certificate from the Commissioner for Revenue, director and shareholder details, two years of audited or management accounts, a priced list of the investment on Malta Enterprise’s template and a bill of quantities for works. Cash grants and loan support also need a CPA opinion and a business plan.

Sources

Where these facts come from.

Malta Digital is a private company, not a government body. This guide summarises the current INVEST guidelines and public reports of the extension. It is not tax or financial advice. When Malta Enterprise publishes the extension, its rules apply.

A useful first step

Get the digital side of your investment ready.

Tell us about the project. We’ll scope the website, software or system part, write the specification and give you an itemised quotation for your application. Malta Enterprise decides eligibility.