Malta’s economy depends little on manufacturing, textiles, pharmaceuticals and electronics companies (e.g. STMicroelectronics or Methode Electronic, where you can find skilled or unskilled jobs). However, the island’s economy is based on the tertiary sector, which accounts for more than 80% of GDP. The most important sectors are the financial sector and especially tourism. Find work in Malta is not difficult, as unemployment is practically non-existent, with a rate of less than 4%.
Work in Malta most in-demand jobs
Working in Malta is easy, the problem is that unskilled jobs are poorly paid. Also remember that you need to know the English language to work in Malta.
Non-EU citizens need a visa to work in Malta. You can find all the information on this website
Looking for work in Malta
To find work you can use the following ways:
1 Linkedin, job offers on the social network
2 Eures, job offers on the European mobility website
3 Employment and Training Corporation (Jobs Plus), public employment offices in Malta. The first thing you need to do is to register here. Anyone wishing to work in Malta must register with the Malta Employment Service (ETC). Once you are registered, you will receive your first job offers.
4 BacheaGo, vacancies in many countries
5 Company search, you can search for companies and send your CV and cover letter written in English according to Anglo-Saxon standards
- Eurpages, you can search companies by industry
- Kompass, you can search for a company by industry, location or name
- Yellow pages, you can search for companies by industry
6 Job search websites
- Malta Today, vacancies in the job section
- Jobsinmalta, relatively new website, but quite popular
- Independent, vacancies in the job section
- Maltapark, classifieds website
- Keep me posted, new website, but quite popular
- Recruitment gov, official website of the Maltese government
7 Employment agencies
- Malta jobs, job vacancies in IT, multilingual and gambling
- Archer, IT sector
- Tempsinmalta, call centers jobs
- Erremme recruitment, financial sector
Working in tourism in Malta
Due to the great attractiveness of the island for tourism, there is no shortage of job opportunities in this sector, although wages are generally low. The best time to move to Malta is February, when there are still many apartments available and the tourist season has not yet started.
Usually, the search for staff in the tourism and hospitality industry begins in early March. Also, always try to rent a room near your workplace, because it is difficult to get around by public transport, especially in the evening. To find work, you can:
- Hand out your CV in person. This is the best option as many employers do not consider applications from people who are still overseas
- Job search websites, and check hospitality job listing
- Restaurants Malta, a website with a list of restaurants which you can send your CV
- Yellow Pages, list of restaurants in Malta
- MHC, recruitment agency specializing in hospitality
- Coffee shop chains, such as Costa Coffee Starbucks and others
Work in Malta in call centers
Malta is home to many Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) that offer tax advantages. This sector offers good employment opportunities and salaries are higher than in the hospitality industry. There are many job opportunities for foreign native speakers, in any case you must also know English.
It is possible to be hired directly from abroad. Interviews take place via Skype and if you are hired, travel and the first few weeks of accommodation are usually paid.
To find work
- if you are already in Malta you can submit your resume to employment agencies
- If you are still abroad, you can search on the internet (Zenith, call center based in Pieta, Centrecom call centre based a Malta)
Work in Malta in online gambling
Online gambling is a constantly growing sector and the demand for staff is always very high. Thanks to its tax policy, Malta is one of the best countries in the world for online gambling. Malta is home to many gambling companies and this sector accounts for 5% of the country’s total GDP. Most of the people working in the Igaming sector in Malta are foreigners (6000 out of 8000 employees).
IGaming companies have many vacancies: Community managers, technical staff, call center workers, translators, marketing experts, but mostly software developers. For those who want to work live, there are jobs like: Casino dealers, supervisors, dealer inspectors and live dealers.
Even if you do not have any experience and are looking for a first job, it is possible to find a job in an iGaming company if you have a good command of English and even better if you know another language as well. Salaries are very different, depending on the position.
To find work, you can use the following websites:
- Pentasia, the largest online gambling brokerage agency in the world
- Evolutiongaming, job vacancies in the gambling industry
- Igaming Elite, recruitment agency based in Malta and Stockholm
If you prefer live games, Malta is the European headquarters of PokerStars and some of the most prestigious poker tournaments in the world have taken place here. So if you work in this sector and have a good command of English, you can consider this opportunity.
Working in Malta, wages
Apart from salaries in IT, finance, gambling or management (which are very high in Malta), wages in tourism, hospitality or general jobs are generally low, ranging from €800 to €1200. For this type of work, there are other countries with a better salary to cost of living ratio.
First of all, you need to estimate how much you could earn from your work and offset your income (salary) with your expenses.
Finally, I would like to point out the Maltasalary calculator that allows you to calculate the net salary starting from the gross salary.
Starting a business in Malta
Those who want to start a business in Malta should know that a low tax rate and a tourist season that lasts from April to October make it interesting to start a business. More and more foreigners are coming to the island to open cafes, bars and restaurants, B & Bs, etc. In Valletta and in the areas most frequented by tourists on the east side of the island (Sliema and St. Julians). But keep in mind that rental costs have gone up a lot lately.
The bureaucracy is not the friendliest; according to the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report, Malta ranks 84th in the world. So you should not expect everything to be easy: slowness in issuing permits and approvals, delays and checks when opening a current account for businesses, etc.
Working in Malta, some considerations
Choosing Malta as a place to work can be interesting for you if you have good skills (e.g. in finance or IT ), because salaries are high and the quality of life on the island is good. However, if you have no skills and are thinking of a generic job in a factory or in the hospitality industry, you can expect low salaries that will hardly allow you to survive.
A decision that can be good if you are young and willing to live in a shared apartment. You will gain work experience and improve your English. But I do not recommend you move permanently due to low wages, the ever-increasing cost of living, and few career development opportunities. The minimum wage for 2022 in Malta is €792 per month.
An interesting niche could be the job of a diving instructor. There are many diving schools in Malta, so if you have the proper qualifications, you could have good career opportunities in this sector.
If you really plan to work in Malta, I definitely recommend moving to Malta and:
- get a local sim,
- register with the job center
- go to a recruitment agency
- hand in your resumes in person
- respond to job ads on the Internet
Within a week at most, you will find a job. However, as far as salary is concerned, it depends on your experience and especially on your qualifications.
In my opinion, Malta can be a stage, a period, hardly a final destination. In any case, there is still potential for growth and there is no shortage of work, especially in the fields of IT, gambling and catering.
Work in Malta, conclusion
Many people consider a living and working experience in Malta. The sea, excellent climate, stable economy, favorable taxation, good investment opportunities in real estate and high quality of life attract more and more foreigners.
Is it just a dream to have an experience and find a job in Malta, or is it a real idea?
There is certainly no shortage of work in Malta and it is not difficult to find one. The most sought after jobs, as we have seen above, are in the fields of: IT gambling, and hospitality.
Be aware, however, that wages in Malta, especially in some sectors, are among the lowest in Europe and struggle to keep up with the rising cost of living. In some professions, such as hospitality, earnings are lower than in other countries. But other sectors offer opportunities and even higher wages than in other countries.
The work ethic in Mediterranean countries can differ greatly from that in Nordic countries. In Malta, it is common for employers to tell you what you want to hear in order for you to accept the job. For them, this solves the problem; for you, it just begins.
Those who want to work in Malta as self-employed are welcomed with fast internet connections, coworking and cheap taxes.
The thought of moving to this island with crystal clear sea is certainly intriguing, but in order to find work and settle in Malta, you should remember that you need to know English, the most widely spoken language next to Maltese.
One of the things people value most is the pace of life. Life is much more relaxed than in other European countries, as in all southern European countries. This allows you to work more quietly and peacefully, especially for the self-employed.
However, sometimes this relaxation is exaggerated. You will have to get used to people showing up late or not at all for appointments. For example, in Malta, if someone absolutely has to fix an appliance, they have to call the employee every 20 minutes to make sure they show up, and then when they do show up, they watch them a lot to make sure they are doing the job well.
Another thing that may be related to this relaxation is garbage. The amount of garbage in the streets is really high. Malta is dirty.
It is normal for drivers to throw cigarette butts and trash out the windows of their cars, and for passersby to throw litter and empty bottles on the street. Even large objects are thrown away.
As for accommodation, keep in mind that rents in Malta have increased a lot recently and the cost of an apartment ranges from €600-1200 and more. Depending on the area, costs can vary greatly. Sliema and St. Julian’s are the heart of the island: beach, nightlife, restaurants and English schools. In these areas it is also easier to find work, but unfortunately the rents are more expensive and start from 700-800 € upwards.
If you want to spend less money, you can choose other areas such as: St. Paul’s Bay, Qawra, Xemxija, Gżira, Msida and Santa Venera.
So, if you can afford it, you would not be wrong to invest in a property.
