Hello everyone,
Thank you for your replies and advice, it's really helpful.
I have been in correspondence with the MTA and they advised the following regarding the car:
"With regards to your query, kindly be informed that an individual who does not have a residence in Malta nor a Residence Card/ ID Card and hence is considered as a tourist, may drive his vehicle (with foreign plates) up to 6 months each calendar year from date of importation. If at any point the individual takes residence in Malta and obtains the Residence card, the vehicle can no longer be driven locally unless it is registered and thus obtains Maltese plates. An individual is obliged by law to register the vehicle within 20 days from date of importation if s/he has a local ID Card/ Residence Card or within 20 days from when said card is obtained, whichever comes first. Fines of € 30 per day, inclusive of weekends and public holidays apply if the vehicle is registered after this period. If an individual is stopped by an Enforcement Officer, Police Official or a Local Warden and is found in breach of this condition, the car may be confiscated until the settlement of the due fees.
In your circumstances you may evaluate the following two options:
Option 1 – Apply for a temporary permit for non-resident workers valid up to 12 months. This permit is not renewable and hence after the 12 months period the vehicle would need to be registered locally or exported. Conditions apply and include the submission of a working permit from ETC valid for at least 12 months. Kindly find attached the application VEH22 for further details.
Option 2 – Apply for the exemption from registration tax due to transfer of residence. Should your application be approved by the Ministry of Finance a processing fee of € 100 would be applicable and the registration tax due would be waivered. Kindly note that one of the conditions is that the individual would have been residing outside Malta for at least 24 months when s/he applies for this exemption and hence it is not possible to apply for the temporary permit for non-resident workers and subsequently apply for the exemption due to the transfer of residence. For your guidance kindly find attached the form VEH07."
Re-reading the above and listening to the advice you have all so kindly given, I'm now thinking that perhaps I can drive the car in Malta with it's British plates until I get a job and hence apply for Ordinary Residence and then I have to register the car at that point, i.e within 20 days of receiving my residence card?
I think that's a good question for me to go back to the MTA with.
Thank you all for helping to clarify my thinking!
Best wishes
Alex