Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement (RHA) - some questions

As you will be working and paying contributions you will be covered as per any local.
For greater clarification I am sure Ricky can advise. (I cannot as I am retired.)

Thanks Redmik,

My fault, I didn't clarify my question.
Although my wife hopes to be employed before moving to Malta, it may not be the case. As for me, I will be self employed, but clients will be few until I am established in my field of work.

If I understand correctly, I need health insurance to apply for the E residency certificate?

So my initial question would be, as a 'job seeker' on Malta (should that be the case at that time), is the RHA a kind of 'health insurance', that I can use to obtain the  E residency certificate?

Sorry, I'm a bit confused with this :-)

"is the RHA a kind of 'health insurance', that I can use to obtain the  E residency certificate" yes

As George say the short answer is yes.
And as you are both EU members and will be 'job seekers' you have up to 6 months to inform the authorities of staying here i.e apply for e-residence.
The requirement for health cover, insurance/RHA is a pre-requisite for applying for e-res.
When you get here go to The Entitlement Office, they will explain or see the links to forms etc.

George and Redmik,

Thanks very much, that's helped clear that up. Would my wife be covered under my RHA entitlement? (she is Romanian), or will she need separate health cover?

I read that it is 3 months to stay in Malta as job seekers? (But you can leave for 24hrs and return). And how does one prove the status of 'job seeker'?

We intend to rent for 6 months whilst I set myself up as self employed (unless I'm lucky to find an architectural visualization position at an architect or housing development company - I've seen some listed on Malta park in the past), and my wife will look for work in accounting or general office administration for the time being.

Thanks for all the help

David

you can register at the job centre in uk that you are to seek work in malta  - and complete the right forms - then within 7 days of arrival here register at the job centre in malta and thus claim 3 month job seekers allowances....

drael wrote:

I read that it is 3 months to stay in Malta as job seekers? (But you can leave for 24hrs and return). And how does one prove the status of 'job seeker'?
David

The information regarding 6 months jobseeking is from here:  http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/re … dex_en.htm

drael wrote:

Would my wife be covered under my RHA entitlement? (she is Romanian), or will she need separate health cover?

Is Romania an EU country ? if yes then no she won't.

If no, then you can apply for an RHA for her as a non-EU citizen dependent on a UK citizen

Thanks for the help everyone.

Toonarmy - that's helpful, I didn't know this.

Redmik - Thanks for the link, I was browsing yesterday to find that information but couldn't! Thank you.

Georgeingozo - Romania is an EU member state (having lived there though, I can assure you it shouldn't be!). I'm surprised by that though. I would have 'thought' that as an EU member she would be covered by my RHA. Now, although we have been married 14 years, and she has been in the UK for about 10, and considers herself more English than Romanian, she has never applied for a UK passport and citizenship.....I'm wondering if perhaps it would benefit us now if she did???  (though having looked into it before, it's now expensive, and some of the questions in the 'test' I wouldn't even know! - haha).

Thanks,

David

The RHA has nothing to do with the EU, but just between Malta and UK, and has been in place since the 1980's, if not earlier. For example, if your wife was French she still wouldn't qualify. Its not based on UK residency, but on holding a UK passport.If your wife was non EU then she would qualify as your dependent, a quirk in the RHA rules

I see. Thanks for that.

Though the UK has a RHA agreement with Romania, my Romanian wife is married to a UK citizen soon to be entitled to healthcare via RHA in Malta....yet she won't be covered under it...see where I'm going with this! :-)

I'll just buy her a bulk of Vitamin D3! :-D

https://ehealth.gov.mt/HealthPortal/chi … ltauk.aspx

Who is eligible for the Service?

UK passport holders who are ordinary residents of Malta and who are not covered for healthcare through EU Regulations.

Thanks George,

All very helpful. We're compiling a written folder full of all this information as a 'one stop' guide once we are closer to our move. The help from the members of this forum is proving most valuable,

Cheers and have a nice day,

David

i applied for one last week and found everyone very helpful although you may need to go to a main police station to get someone senior enough to sign passport confirmation.

is that 3 months jsa paid by uk or malta?

its ok I just checked online,,,that only applies to Contribution Based JSA not income based

Hello

Sorry so I can clear this in my head regarding job seeker allowance.

Is this saying that should I be claiming contribution based JSA, which unfortunately I will from 9th March.

I can advise the UK Job Centre and receive this despite moving to Malta. That surprises me, but actually would make life a little easier whilst job seeking in Malta

Yes , as long as your already claiming it malta and the uk have an agreement where they will pay jsa to you for a set period of time for you to look for work in Malta ... On arrival in Malta you will have to go to the ETC in hal far and register with all the details your job centre advisor should give you and follow the rules and regulations set by etc in order to get your money :
There are 2 types of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) - contribution-based and income-based.

You can’t get income-based JSA abroad.

You can get contribution-based JSA in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for up to 3 months if you:

are entitled to it on the day you go abroad
register as a jobseeker at least 4 weeks before you leave
are looking for work in the UK up to the day you leave
are going abroad to look for work
register at the equivalent of a Jobcentre in the country you’re going to
follow the other country’s rules on registering and looking for work
Ask your local Jobcentre Plus if there are any forms to fill out.

Note you must contact the etc in malta within 7 days of arrival....

Thank you again.

I have to admit that this is probably the one thing that has really surprised me, but it's nice to know should I need to do this. Once again more fantastic information received from this fantastic forum and the people on it.

Thank you