Only qualified citizens or permanent residents of Malawi may be admitted to practice as a legal practitioner and establish a legal firm in Malawi. Only foreigners who have lived for at least 5 years in Malawi may apply for a permanent residence permit.
"23.-(1) A person may be admitted to practice as a legal practitioner, if he is a citizen or permanent resident of Malawi at the date of the filing of his petition for admission, and has enrolled with the Institute for a period of not less than one (1) year and has passed the Malawi Law Examination and if the person- (a) holds a degree in law awarded by an institution accredited to offer legal education in accordance with this Act; or (b) subject to subsection (2), holds a foreign law qualification as defined in subsection (3 ); or (c) has been admitted to practice as a legal practitioner in a country which applies, as its prevailing system of law- (i) the Common Law or a legal system founded wholly or in part on the Common Law; or (ii) the Roman-Dutch Law, as practiced in Southern Africa. 
(2) A citizen or permanent resident of Malawi who holds a foreign law qualification shall only be eligible to be admitted to practice, if-(a) the foreign law qualification was obtained from a jurisdiction that applies, as its prevailing basic system of law- (i) the Common Law or a legal system founded wholly or in part on the Common Law; or (ii) Roman-Dutch law as applied and practiced in countries of Southern Africa; and (b) in the jurisdiction from which the foreign law qualification was obtained, he is either- ( i) admitted to practice the profession of law and is not under any disciplinary charge for professional misconduct; or (ii) eligible to practice the profession of law, but he is denied from practising solely on the ground that he is not a citizen or a resident of, or does not owe allegiance to, or solely to, the country or territory of that jurisdiction. 
[...]
25.-(l) The Chief Justice may, without formality, admit to practice as a legal practitioner for the purpose of a specific cause or matter, any person who, in the opinion of the Chief Justice- (a) has sufficient legal knowledge and a foreign law qualification obtained from a jurisdiction that applies as its prevailing basic system of law the common law or a legal system founded wholly or in part on the common law or Roman-Dutch law as applied and practiced in countries of Southern Africa; (b) is of good character; (c) has come to Malawi for the purpose of appearing in the specific cause or matter· (d} has paid a fee to the Society as prescribed in the First Schedule; and (e) has paid a contribution to the Fidelity Fund, as determined by the Society.
(2) A person admitted to practice in accordance with this section shall, for purposes of this Act, be deemed to be a legal practitioner for the period he is required to appear in the cause or matter. [...]" (Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act 2017)
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"What is a PRP ?
It is a Permit issued to a person authorising one to reside in Malawi permanently.
Who may apply?
A foreign national who wish to reside in Malawi permanently, foreign wives of Malawians, elderly people who would wishes to spend their life after retirement in Malawi, (people of assured income) over aged dependants of Permanent Resident Permit Holder, any person who has been ordinarily resident in Malawi for a period not less than five years.[...]" (Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Republic of Malawi, website)
Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act 2017
Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Republic of Malawi, website
[<a href="http://www.reforms.gov.mw/psrmu/sites/default/files/Legal%20Education%20and%20Legal%20Practitioners%20Act%202017.pdf">Act</a>],[<a href="https://www.immigration.gov.mw/permits/permanent-residence-permit/">Other</a>]