Finding a Job in Malta

Malta has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, and many companies hire people from abroad. English is an official language, so most office jobs are in English. You do not need to speak Maltese for most jobs.

The main industries for expats:

• Online gaming (iGaming): marketing, customer support, IT, compliance and data roles. Many international companies have offices in Sliema, St Julian's and Gżira.
• Financial services: banking, funds, insurance, accounting and audit.
• IT and tech: software developers, data and cyber security are in high demand.
• Tourism and hospitality: hotels, restaurants and bars, especially in summer.
• Healthcare: nurses, carers and doctors.
• Aviation, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals: engineers and technicians.
• Construction and transport: builders, drivers and delivery work.

Job websites:

• Jobsplus (jobsplus.gov.mt): the government employment agency, with a free job portal and training courses.
• LinkedIn: the most used site for office, tech, finance and iGaming jobs in Malta. Set your location to Malta.
• KeepMePosted and JobsInMalta.com: popular local job websites.
• Indeed: many local and international listings.
• Company websites: many big employers post jobs on their own career pages first.

Recruitment agencies: agencies like Konnekt, Castille Resources and Vacancy Centre match people with jobs for free (the employer pays them). There are also agencies that focus only on iGaming or finance.

Other ways:

• Networking: Malta is small and many jobs are filled by word of mouth. Go to meet-ups and industry events, such as the big iGaming conferences.
• Expat groups on Facebook often share job posts, but be careful with offers that ask you to pay money.

• Keep your CV to 1 or 2 pages, in English. Put your most recent job first.
• Show your right to work: write your nationality, or say if you already have a Maltese permit.
• Say where you are: "Based in Malta" or "Moving to Malta in March" helps employers.
• A photo is optional. Many people add one, but it is not required.
• Interviews are often online first, then in person. Dress smart-casual for most office jobs.
• Ask about the full package: salary, bonuses, health insurance, working hours and remote work.

• Minimum wage (2026): €229.44 a week for full-time workers aged 18 and over (about €994 a month before deductions).
• Most salaries are quoted as a gross yearly amount. See your take-home pay with our free Salary Calculator.
• Employees also get statutory bonuses four times a year (March, June, September and December).
• A normal full-time week is 40 hours. Most new jobs start with a probation period of up to 6 months.
• Your employer must register your job with Jobsplus (the engagement form) and give you a written contract.

Read more about your rights in Employment in Malta.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can live and work in Malta freely. You can come to Malta, look for a job, and start work once you are hired. Then apply for your Residence Card.

Non-EU citizens (third-country nationals) need a job offer first:

1. Find an employer who is willing to hire you from abroad.
2. The employer applies for your Single Permit (work and residence permit) through Identità. You cannot usually change a tourist stay into a work permit.
3. Complete the pre-departure course and test about life and work in Malta, if your permit requires it.
4. Hospitality and tourism jobs also need a Skills Pass, a short test of your skills and English after you arrive.
5. Changing jobs later means your new employer must apply for a new permit.

Highly skilled workers with a high salary may use the faster Key Employee Initiative (KEI). See Permits and IDs for details.

Budget 2027: the government announced higher work permit fees from 2027 (from €600 to €800, plus a yearly €400 contribution), and the end of free public transport for most non-EU residents. See Public Transport.

Many non-EU workers in Malta work in cleaning, care, hotels and restaurants, construction, security and warehouse jobs. These jobs often do not need a degree or special skills. Here is where to find them safely:

• Jobsplus job portal (jobsplus.gov.mt): since October 2025, employers who want to hire a non-EU worker must first advertise the job on Jobsplus and on EURES. So these job boards show many jobs that can lead to a Single Permit.
• EURES (the European job portal): search with Malta as the country of work.
• Licensed recruitment agencies: a licensed agency must show its licence number in every job advert. If there is no licence number, do not continue.
• Company career pages: big hotel groups, cleaning companies, care homes and construction firms often list jobs on their own websites.

Important rules:

• You should never pay for a job. By Maltese law, employment agencies cannot charge job seekers any fee.
• Only your employer or a licensed agency can apply for your Single Permit. Permit fees are paid on the official online system, never into someone's personal bank account.
• From abroad, the job advert, pre-departure course and permit usually take 2 to 4 months before you can start.
• Care jobs (elderly, disability and health care) have a faster process and lower permit fee. Hotel and restaurant jobs need a Skills Pass.
• Lost your job while in Malta? You usually have 30 days to find a new employer (or 60 days if you can show you can support yourself). Your new employer must apply for a new permit.

If you are a non-EU citizen with a Single Permit, your permit allows you to work only for the employer named on it. Before you take any extra work, check these rules:

Part-time second job: allowed, with permission

• To work part-time for a second employer, you need a separate Employment Licence from Jobsplus for that part-time job.
• The second employer applies to Jobsplus, using the checklist for secondary employment.
• You cannot start the second job until the licence is approved. Working before approval is illegal for you and the employer.
• Your main full-time job must continue. If it ends, your permit is affected.

Informal work ("cash in hand"): not allowed

Any work that is not declared to Jobsplus is illegal work, even for a few hours. This includes cash jobs, helping in a shop or restaurant, cleaning homes, and delivery or driving apps without the correct permit and licence. The risks are serious:

• Your permit can be cancelled or not renewed, and you may have to leave Malta.
• It can harm future applications, such as long-term residence or citizenship.
• You pay no social security, so the work does not count for your pension, sick pay or benefits.
• If you are injured at work, you may have no insurance and no protection.
• The employer can be fined, and you have no contract to prove what you are owed.

Freelance or self-employed work on the side is also not allowed on a normal Single Permit.

Not sure if a job is allowed? Ask Jobsplus (freephone 153) or Identità before you start. It is free, and it can protect your permit.

• Never pay to get a job. Real employers and licensed recruitment agencies in Malta do not charge you for a job or a work permit.
• Be careful with job offers that come only by WhatsApp or social media, with very high pay for simple work.
• Check that the company is real: look it up on the Malta Business Registry or LinkedIn.
• If you think you were cheated, contact Jobsplus or the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER).

If you want to freelance or start your own business instead, read Being Self-Employed. Remote workers for foreign companies can look at the Digital Nomads permit.