Living & Working in Malta
Malta is a tiny island in the heart of the Mediterranean, but it has fascinated many people. Many have fallen in love and decided to relocate to Malta to enjoy the traditional Mediterranean way of life, an exceptional climate and a professional business culture.
Here is our guide to living & working in Malta:
Find a Job in Malta
Malta has a lot to offer. The pleasant climate, rich history, delicious food and a thriving social scene are just a few. Malta also attracts job-seekers from all over Europe and beyond, boasting a solid economy and plenty of opportunity.
We have all of the information you need to explore new career opportunities on the Maltese islands. You can find information on some of the most prominent industries, important information about living and working in Malta and the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about living and working in Malta.
We’re here to help so get in touch with us today and our team will find the right job for you.
Resource Center
Malta VISA & Work Permit
We’ve prepared this quick overview to help you get better acquainted with living and working in Malta.
Relocate to Malta
Our Safe Landing Programme was created to welcome and relocate foreign nationals and their families to Malta.
Cost of Living in Malta
Figuring out how much life in a new country is going to cost is vital before packing up and starting afresh.
Guide: Live & Work in Malta
There’s a reason why more and more people decide to move to Malta in search of a new life and job opportunities.
Most Popular Job Sectors in Malta
The last decade has seen the iGaming industry flourish in Malta as the country was one of the first in Europe to welcome the sector to its shores. It has attracted hundreds of companies and has created jobs for thousands of people. As the industry continues to prosper, jobs are constantly opening up for locals and for talented individuals from across the continent.
In the last few years, the Maltese government and the Malta Gaming Authority have created a regulatory framework which has further incentivised iGaming companies and prospective employees to set up shop in Malta. These include favourable tax rates and taxation relief.
With the sector’s continuous growth and a regulatory authority that is constantly seeking to incentivise companies and job-seekers to choose Malta as their home-base, it is clear that landing a job in iGaming in Malta is nothing short of an investment.
Featured Jobs in the iGaming Sector
Malta’s high-level industry standards both on a local level and also as an EU Member state means that companies operating within the country need to conduct their business in conformity within a number of legal frameworks, most notably the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) in the case of the gaming industry, and the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU).
A service offered by large and small companies alike across Malta, legal compliance practitioners work with companies to help them maintain ethical and legal soundness by developing the right procedures for their businesses. There is an ever-growing demand for legal work in the fields of Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and Fraud.
Jobs for compliance officers and legal practitioners are plentiful and highly valued with new opportunities constantly opening up.
Featured Jobs in the Legal & Compliance Sector
Malta’s financial growth and prosperity have made its financial services industry one of the island’s most valuable and resilient. It is home to the “Big Four” accounting and auditing firms (Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst & Young (EY), and Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG)) but also boasts a large number of smaller and specialised service providers to fit every niche and need.
Asset, wealth and insurance management have grown particularly over the years and Malta has established itself as one of Europe’s leading financial hubs, especially as it continues to branch out and expand its portfolio into new sectors such as payments, fintech and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs).
Malta also has an impressive and solid banking sector that has grown from a handful of retail banks to over 24 credit institutions across the island offering a wide range of services.
A quick job search on any Maltese job platform is a clear indication of the large demand for professionals in the sector so, with the right qualifications, you’re likely to find yourself working in one of Malta’s cornerstone sectors.
Featured Jobs in the Finance Sector
For most of its recent history, Malta has relied heavily on its hospitality and tourism sector. This is unsurprising considering the rich historical, cultural and natural heritage that are characteristic of this Mediterranean gem. The islands see a large number of visitors throughout the year, particularly during the summer months. The Maltese lifestyle is also characterised by dining out, long lunches and coffees, a vivacious nightlife scene and an increasingly popular cultural scene.
All of this means that there is a steady and healthy demand for people interested in working in the hospitality or tourism sector. Bars, restaurants, hotels, event and festival organisations, cultural heritage sites and diving schools are just a few of the many different types of establishments constantly looking to bolster their teams to keep up with the ever-growing popularity of the Maltese islands as a destination.
This exciting and dynamic sector is sure to have the right positions to match your skills and any languages you may speak.
Featured Jobs in the Hospitality Sector
Although a relatively young sector in Malta, the IT and Tech industry is one of the fastest-growing and innovative, with significant importance for the island’s future development. In 2017, it was already worth 6.6% of Malta’s Gross Value Added (GVA), registering a growth of 5.7% from the previous year.
The activities within the sector range from software development, online technical support, and a wide range of innovative B2B solutions. More recently, Malta has rapidly put itself on the map as an Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain hub. As the country moved to regulate Distributed Ledger Technologies, it has quickly become the go-to destination for innovative movers and shakers in the fintech and blockchain world. In fact, it is the first country in the world to create regulatory frameworks for DLTs, ICOs and virtual currencies.
It also hosts globally-renowned, annual events in the industry such as the AI and Blockchain Summit (AIBC) and SiGMA Europe.
As the number of exciting startups and tech companies continues to grow, now is an opportune time to land yourself a job in Malta.
Featured Jobs in the IT & Tech Sector
Sales and Marketing is big business all over the world and Malta is no exception. Malta’s healthy economy means a healthy demand for a variety of sales and marketing services from a growing pool of innovative and talented individuals from marketing managers, social media specialists, content creators, graphic designers and so much more.
For its size, Malta has a large number of businesses and firms of all shapes and sizes operating within it, many of which are also pushing sales and marketing to audiences beyond the Maltese shores. This high saturation of economic activity means that the sales and marketing agencies and practitioners on the island work in a very competitive environment and produce exciting and high-quality work.
English is the go-to language for most sales and marketing activities in Malta which makes it an ideal sector for anyone in the industry with a solid grasp of the language to come over and make a name for themselves.
Featured Jobs in the Marketing Sector
Browse Jobs in Malta by Specialism & Discipline
Accounting
16 Job Vacancies
Administrative
7 Job Vacancies
Compliance
1 Job Vacancies
Auditing
6 Job Vacancies
Managerial
3 Job Vacancies
Discover Malta
Located in the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta is an island archipelago straddling the European and African continents with Sicily to its North and Libya to the South. Its location, as well as its vibrant history being ruled by some of the world’s greatest empires, means that Malta is as culturally diverse as it is stunningly beautiful. Its sunny climate, crystal blue waters, bustling social life, delicious culinary offerings and rich natural and cultural heritage are just some of the reasons that make Malta an ideal destination to visit or even to call home.
As an EU Member State with a thriving economy; entrepreneurs, companies, freelancers, and job-seekers often choose to set up shop in Malta. Its favourable tax conditions and the fact that English is an official language are also big incentives for doing so.
Working In Malta – FAQ’s
The short answer is no. Malta has two official languages; Maltese and English. Practically every Maltese person speaks English to some degree or other and people are quick to speak to you in English if they figure out you’re not Maltese. At work, the preferred language tends to be English, especially within industries like Hospitality and Tourism and iGaming or any sector which employs a large number of foreign employees or deals with a multi-lingual client base.
If you do decide to learn Maltese this could win you some massive points with the locals and the Maltese government does offer free lessons. That being said, Maltese is quite a tricky language as it is largely Semitic and quite different if you’re used to Latin languages, for example. You will often come across familiar words from English, French or Italian but the Arabic base consists of around a third of the language.
Italian is also widely spoken in Malta due to geographical and cultural proximity so if you’re coming from Italy or can speak Italian this might come in handy too.
If you’re an EU citizen, moving to Malta and finding work is as easy as packing your bags and booking your flights. You don’t need a work visa or anything of the sort. After working for 3 months, you will need to apply for a Maltese ID card.
If you have got a UK passport, you can currently move to and work in Malta just like an EU citizen but how Brexit will affect this is still unclear. As a Commonwealth country, relations between the two countries have always been quite good and British citizens have been relocating to Malta for generations now.
If you are not an EU citizen the process is slightly more complicated. You can enter Malta on a typical short-stay tourist (Schengen) visa that gives you up to 90 days for tourism or business. To obtain a work permit you will need a job offer as the permits are issued based on them. Should you decide to change your job while you’re here, you will need to apply for a new work visa through your new employer.
This all depends on where you’re coming from. In comparison to some of the bigger, Western European cities, Malta is still somewhat cheap but prices have increased over the last few years. A one-bedroom apartment in a central area can go for anything between €700 to €1,000 a month and basic utilities should cost just under €100 a month for an 85m2 apartment. Apartments in highly sought-after locations like Valletta or Sliema will cost you a bit more than that. You can get a good internet connection for around €35 monthly.
A meal in an inexpensive restaurant usually goes for around €15 per person and a three-course meal for two people in a mid-range restaurant will rack up a bill of around €60. While dining out, a pint of local beer usually costs around €2.50 and a cappuccino usually goes for just over €2. If you’re doing groceries you’ll find basics like milk, bread and a dozen eggs for €0.98, €1.14 and €2.45 respectively.
The Maltese work hard and play hard. A regular working week consists of 40 hours and you can legally work an extra 8 hours which must be paid to you as overtime. As of the 1st of January 2020, employers are entitled to 216 hours of paid vacation leave (27 days) and, generally, 2 weeks of paid sick leave. There is also a healthy number of public holidays to look forward to throughout the year. In 2021 there will be 14 public holidays linked to a number of different national or religious occasions. By law, anyone is entitled to 18 weeks of uninterrupted maternity leave and your employer pays you for the first 14.
Generally speaking, most people start a new job on a six-month probation period where the employer can terminate the contract without needing to provide much reason. Beyond the probation period, an employee wishing to leave their job would need to work a notice period, the length of which depends on how long you have been working there.
Of course, different types of employment contracts can have varying conditions so it is always a good idea to go over your contract thoroughly before signing it. It might even be worth having a lawyer look through it too.
By now, you have probably figured out that Malta is tiny. 316 square kilometres to be exact. There is a big chance that your new job on the island will have you working in some of the more central areas like Sliema, St Julian’s, Valletta or Gżira. Living here will be significantly more expensive than some of the other towns and villages so that is definitely something to keep in mind.
That being said, getting around the islands is quite easy once you get used to it. Malta has an extensive bus system that can take you pretty much anywhere you need to go at a very decent price, especially if you get yourself a Tal-Linja Card. There are a number of different taxi companies and new car or scooter sharing options have become increasingly popular over the years. There is also a regular and quick ferry that runs between Valletta and Sliema that might be an option for you depending on where you live and work. Cycling or walking to work is also something to consider is you’re looking for healthier or greener alternatives but be aware that the Maltese are not exactly known for their safe driving. Finally, owning a car in Malta is also an option and it does make life quite easy… as long as you’re happy to sit in traffic quite a bit.
You don’t have to live in the same town your office is in but do take things like commute, rent prices and the available amenities of your potential new neighbourhood into account before making a decision. Seek advice from your new colleagues, expat groups on Facebook or just ask a local for their thoughts.
Hot Jobs in Malta
Looking for a job in Malta?
The Broadwing team can help you find the right job in Malta to match your skills and experience. If you see yourself living and working in Malta, get in touch with us today and let’s make it happen.
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