Malta’s laidback lifestyle and perma-summer vibe make the country an attractive option for relocation and the booming economy here means that finding a job is easier than ever. The country might be small but its GDP grew an average of 2.9% from 2001 to 2016, despite a global downturn during that period. Malta outperformed the growth in the EU bloc in 2016 and is still going strong in 2017. Additional incentives such as the tax structure, low cost labour, strategic location and having English as an official language have attracted investment from large, international companies as well as fostering the development of local businesses. As a result, there are a plenty of jobs around, especially for people with specialist skills. Malta continues to offer a good escape from the economic challenges of some other EU states as it has very low unemployment (5% in 2016).
Malta has low unemployment (around 5% in 2016) and businesses are often in need of skilled staff, such as accounts clerks, web designers and IT specialists. If you have these skills, you are unlikely to be unemployed for long. Learn more about the sectors in demand. The local government has also released the Key Employee Initiative which allow certain non-EU national to get a work permit within 5 working days of submission of application.
It makes sense to pay an informal visit to Malta. You can get a feel for where the action is in terms of work and whether you would enjoy living here.
Your preliminary visit would be a good time to talk to Konnekt, Malta’s largest recruitment agency. With over a decade of experience, Konnekt is uniquely placed to help you match your skills to an employer.
You can also check out the jobs pages of the local newspapers such as The Times of Malta, The Malta Independent or Malta Today, or give prospective employers a call and ask to set up a fact-finding meeting. There are also lots of online job boards such as jobsinmalta.com. Conferences are another good way to familiarise yourself with Malta and make contacts.
Job hunting can sometimes take a few months, so consider looking for a job before you move or make sure that you have enough savings to keep you afloat. Keep in mind that non-EU residents would require a Single Work Permit in order to legally work in Malta. This is usually applied for via the employer. Read more about this in the Work Permit section.
EU nationals can register as unemployed with the government organisation ‘Jobsplus’ on arrival in Malta. You will receive information about new opportunities and you may also be entitled to benefits.
For most skilled positions in the private sector, you don’t need to speak Maltese. It is a bonus if you can learn it when you get here though - this might take your Maltese colleagues by surprise but if you persevere you’ll gain a lot of cultural brownie points. For white collar jobs, the business language is generally English.
How many hours will I work?40 hours is the norm. Usual office hours are 8am - 5pm.
Will I find a job easily?If you work in IT (especially gaming), you’re golden. Legal, financial, pharmaceutical, medical and tourism experts are also likely to get their feet under the desk pretty quickly. Even outside of these sectors, the booming Maltese economy means there’s work available - it might just take a little longer to match your skills to a job, and at least initially, you might need to be less picky than normal. Here's a bit more about sectors in demand in Malta.
I’ve got a job but my spouse hasn’t – will they be able to work?If they are from the EU/EEA/Switzerland, they’ll be able to apply for jobs in Malta. For Third Country Nationals, unless the spouse is covered by the work permit of their husband / wife, they will have to get their own work permit which could take time and is not guaranteed.
What are salaries like in Malta?Salaries might be lower than elsewhere, but there are some notable exceptions, such as the gaming industry. However, it is possible to live quite cheaply in Malta, so a skilled foreign worker will likely end up with as much, if not more, disposable income as they would in other countries, especially compared to much of Northern Europe. Check out the site salariesinmalta.com for a guide or read up more here.