Malta is the country with the smallest economy among the EU countries, but has a highly skilled, cheap and multilingual workforce. Finding jobs in Malta is not a problem, the problem may be the often low wages.
The tertiary sector accounts for about 80% of GDP and employs 4/5 of the population. Malta was the first state in the EU to regulate the online gambling industry, and many companies in this sector are based here. Tourism is the economic engine of the country, contributing to almost a third of the national GDP, which is recovering significantly after the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Another driving sector of the Maltese economy is the banking sector.
Jobs in Malta
Since the possibility of finding a job anywhere depends on your skills and the demand for your profession, it must be said in this context that Malta suffers from a chronic shortage of local labor, so it is plausible to find work in any field. Suffice it to say that the unemployment rate has reached a historic low and is below 3.0%.
If you are looking for skilled jobs, make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date, and then send your applications to the companies that interest you. If a company is willing to hire you, as an EU citizen you do not need a visa to go and work in Malta.
Many non-EU citizens find work if they speak several foreign languages and the company needs someone who speaks those languages.
If you intend to work in the hospitality industry, you could:
- contact hotels and restaurants by email and wait for a response
- search the internet for job openings
- use a recruitment agency (there are many)
since many jobs are only available to people who are already in Malta, you could move directly to the island and start looking there.
One piece of advice I’d like to give you is that if you find a job, don’t be afraid to haggle over salary because most Maltese companies offer very low starting salaries, so you have to face that aspect.
If you are highly skilled or have good expertise, you are likely to receive a good salary. On the other hand, if you are a low-skilled worker, you will receive very low wage that will make it difficult for you to survive, as the cost of living in Malta is anything but cheap. This race for the lowest wages is due to the large supply of workers from Africa, Eastern Europe or the EU moving to Malta during the summer.
Most in-demand jobs in Malta
There are almost 300 online gambling companies based in Malta that are constantly looking for staff in the areas of IT, administration, customer support and so on. Most online casinos need customer service representatives for each country, so people who speak Norwegian, Spanish, German, Italian, etc. are required. You can contact the companies in the sector directly or use one of the many specialized recruitment agencies.
This is the list of professions that are currently most in demand in Malta:
- Construction, the construction sector recovers throughout the island
- Banking-finance, the banking sector is one of the engines of the country’s economy, so there is always a strong demand for accountants, analysts, etc.
- IT, great need for employees in online gaming and beyond
- Customer service, ability to work with almost any language in the world
- Tourism – hospitality, there is a constant demand in this sector. Malta is a hot island where the sun shines almost all year round, and the tourist season starts in April and ends in October.
- Health, as the population is getting older, the need for nurses, social workers and caregivers is increasing
- Industry, even the few manufacturing companies (electronics, pharmaceuticals) are looking for qualified and unqualified personnel
- Trade – marketing, the country is becoming an important center of international financial trade
This is a report with forecasts of the labor market and the most in-demand occupations in the country through 2025.
Jobs in Malta, conclusion
Before you start looking for a job in Malta, answer these 3 questions:
- What can you do and what would you be willing to do?
- How good are your English skills and are you proficient in other languages?
- What and how many contacts do you have in Malta that can help you find a job?
Now that you have answered, you have a clearer idea of your chances of finding a job on the island.
In conclusion, many people think that they can live and work in Malta if they only know English. However, remember that the main language in Malta is Maltese. It is not English (although everyone speaks it), nor Italian (although almost everyone knows it).
Maltese speak Maltese and use English when they have no other choice. So you can easily live in Malta without knowing the language, but you will never be able to integrate into the local community and will always be considered and treated as a tourist.
If you want to know more about working, I recommend you to read the article: How to work in Malta
