Working in Malta: A Guide to Finding a Job in 2026

Why work in Malta?

The Maltese job market remains one of the most dynamic in the European Union. According to the National Statistics Office (NSO), the unemployment rate was 3.4% in August 2026, or about 12,000 people. It has edged up over the year (2.5% in August 2025) and is higher among under-25s (9.7%), but it remains very low compared with the European average. In the first quarter of 2026, the NSO counted a record 333,682 people in employment, up 3.3% year on year.

This growth relies heavily on foreign labour: Malta had 168,938 foreign residents in 2024. Recruiters are therefore used to hiring candidates from abroad.

Another decisive advantage: English is an official language alongside Maltese, and it is the language of business, contracts and public administration. You do not need to speak Maltese to work (see our guide to the languages spoken in Malta). Add a sunny climate, a safe country overall (read our page on safety in Malta) and a large British community, and you can see why so many expats take the plunge.

The sectors that are hiring in Malta

iGaming, the biggest employer of expats

Malta is one of the world’s leading online gaming hubs. According to the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) annual report for 2025, around 15,000 people worked for operators holding a Maltese licence at the end of 2025, and the sector accounts directly or indirectly for about 19,150 jobs, nearly 6.5% of the workforce. Roles range from customer support to marketing, compliance, risk management, translation and tech.

Financial services and fintech

Banks, investment funds, audit firms, payment and compliance companies regularly recruit accountants, analysts and anti-money laundering specialists. According to the NSO, it is the best-paid sector on the island.

Tourism, hospitality and catering

With 4,022,310 tourists welcomed in 2025, hotels, restaurants, bars and leisure businesses offer plenty of jobs that require no experience, especially in season. Pay is often close to the statutory minimum. Non-EU nationals, UK nationals included, also need the Skills Pass to work in this sector.

IT, healthcare and multilingual customer service

Software developers and cybersecurity and data specialists are in high demand, as are nurses and medical staff, in both the public and private sectors. Finally, multilingual customer service centres (iGaming, e-commerce, travel, technology) are constantly looking for native speakers: German, the Nordic languages, Italian and French are among the most sought after. English is a given in these roles, so if you also speak one of these languages, you will usually find a first job quickly.

Salaries in Malta in 2026

The figures below are the same as in our guide to living in Malta, which also covers tax and the cost of living.

The minimum wage is raised every 1 January in line with the cost of living. On top of your salary come statutory bonuses paid by every employer: €135.10 in June and €135.10 in December, plus €121.16 in March and €121.16 in September, about €512 a year for a full-time employee (pro rata for part-time staff). Note that these bonuses are not a “13th month” salary, which does not exist in Maltese law and depends solely on your contract.

As for deductions, you pay 10% of your basic salary in social security contributions, and income tax, progressive from 0 to 35%, is deducted at source by your employer. In practice, iGaming, finance and IT pay well above average, even for junior profiles, while catering and retail hover around the minimum.

Where to look for a job in Malta

Official portals

Jobsplus is Malta’s public employment service. You can browse vacancies, register as a jobseeker and get support there. It is also where employers report new hires and advertise vacancies open to third-country nationals. Add the European EURES portal, which carries Maltese vacancies and offers advisers specialising in mobility within Europe.

The most popular job sites

• JobsInMalta.com: the island’s most visited job site in 2026, with many vacancies in iGaming, finance and IT;
• KeepMePosted: a long-established Maltese job board, widely used by local companies;
• MaltaPark (jobs section): general classified ads, useful for hospitality, retail and seasonal work;
• LinkedIn: essential for skilled positions. Set Malta as your location and let recruiters know you are open to opportunities.

Recruitment agencies

In Malta, a large share of skilled positions go through agencies, which are free for candidates. Among the most active are Konnekt, founded in 2007 and specialising in IT, finance, iGaming and engineering, Broadwing and Vacancy Centre. A consultant will prepare you for the interview and knows which companies are looking for your languages.

For catering and hospitality, speculative applications still work: many venues post vacancies in their windows, and a CV handed in person is often followed by a quick trial.

When to look?

Office-based sectors (iGaming, finance, IT) hire all year round, with a slowdown in August and over the Christmas period. The best time to apply is from January to June and in September and October.

For a seasonal job in tourism, aim for the spring: hotels, restaurants, bars and activity providers start recruiting in March and April for a season that runs roughly from May to October, peaking in July and August.

CVs and interviews: the Maltese way

Recruitment in Malta is fast: interview and offer sometimes follow each other within a week. Our tips:

• A CV in English, two pages at most, with your experience in reverse chronological order. The Europass format is well accepted; a photo is optional.
• Highlight your languages with their level on the European framework (A1 to C2): for a multilingual role, it is the first thing recruiters look at.
• Prepare for a language test: customer service companies almost always set a written or spoken test in the language you are being hired for, while the interview itself is in English.
• Apply a few weeks before you arrive: first interviews are often held by video call, and being available quickly is a real selling point.
• Clarify any trial before you start: ask whether trial days are paid and insist on a written contract. The legal probation period is generally six months (up to a year for managerial roles paid at least twice the minimum wage).

If English is not your first language and you are still hesitant, a few weeks of English courses in Malta before applying often make the difference, and let you job-hunt on the spot.

Working in Malta as a student

Many foreign students combine English classes with a part-time job. The rules depend on your nationality:

• EU (Irish included), EEA and Swiss citizens: you can work freely while you study. As lessons often take place in the morning, an afternoon or evening job fits in well.
• Non-EU students (UK nationals included): if you are enrolled on an English course of more than 90 days, you can work up to 20 hours a week after your first three months of study, with an employment licence from Jobsplus and provided you attend your classes regularly. Do not count on this income to fund your stay: the visa requires proof of sufficient means.

The conditions of the student visa are explained in our guide to visas for Malta. To choose among the 31 licensed schools, see our list of English schools in Malta or our English language stays in Malta.

Formalities by nationality

EU and Swiss citizens (Irish included): free movement

You do not need a work permit. Your employer reports your employment to Jobsplus. If you stay longer than three months, you must register your residence with Identità, which issues a residence card (eResidence), often requested when renting a flat or opening a bank account.

Third-country nationals, UK citizens included: the Single Permit

If you are not an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you need a Single Permit, a combined residence and work permit tied to one employer and one job. Since Brexit, this applies to UK nationals too, unless they were already living in Malta before 1 January 2021 and are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement. The employer files the application with Identità, after advertising the vacancy on Jobsplus and EURES to check that no local or EU candidate is available. Since 1 March 2026, every first application must also include the certificate for a pre-departure course (online modules followed by an interview that assesses English in particular, €250), on the Skills Pass portal that opened on 5 January 2026; the Skills Pass is required on top of this for tourism and hospitality. In practice, you need to find your employer before you leave.

Remote work: the Nomad Residence Permit

Do you work remotely for a foreign employer or foreign clients? Residency Malta’s Nomad Residence Permit lets non-EU nationals, British citizens included, live on the island with a gross income of at least €42,000 a year, health insurance and accommodation. Valid for one year and renewable, it does not allow you to work for a Maltese company. All the details by nationality are in our guide to visas for Malta.

Formalities on arrival

1. Residence registration with Identità if you are an EU citizen staying more than three months; non-EU nationals, including UK nationals who arrived after Brexit, receive their card with their Single Permit.
2. Tax number: this is issued by the Commissioner for Revenue (CFR), using the registration form provided for expats.
3. Social security: once your employer reports your employment to Jobsplus, you get a social security number and access to public healthcare.
4. Bank account: Maltese banks carry out strict checks and opening an account can take several weeks. In the meantime, an online account such as Revolut lets you receive your first salary into a European IBAN.
5. Housing: book a few weeks of temporary accommodation and view properties in person before signing a lease. Rents, areas and pitfalls to avoid are covered in our guide to living in Malta.

Your rights as an employee in Malta

Maltese employment law is enforced by the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER). The key points:

• Working hours: 40 hours a week as a rule, and a maximum of 48 hours on average over the reference period, unless the employee agrees otherwise in writing.
• Paid leave: 192 hours a year for a 40-hour full-time job, plus any public holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday. In 2026, that comes to 216 hours, or 27 days, on top of the 14 public holidays in Malta.
• Sick leave: two working weeks a year paid by the employer, minus any social security benefits.
• Probation and notice: generally six months’ probation; after that, the notice period increases with your length of service.

In the event of a dispute (unpaid wages, unpaid hours, dismissal), DIER handles complaints from employees, whatever their nationality.

Frequently asked questions about working in Malta

Is it easy to find a job in Malta as an English speaker?

Yes, especially in iGaming, finance, IT and hospitality: unemployment is very low (3.4% in August 2026 according to the NSO) and English is the working language. For multilingual customer service roles, a second European language such as German, Italian or French is what makes the difference.

Do you need to speak Maltese to work in Malta?

No. English is an official language and the working language in almost every company. Only some positions, particularly in the civil service, require Maltese.

What is the minimum wage in Malta in 2026?

It is €229.44 gross a week for a full-time employee aged 18 or over, or about €994 gross a month, plus around €512 a year in statutory bonuses.

Is there a 13th-month salary in Malta?

No, the law does not require a 13th-month salary. However, all employees receive statutory bonuses in March, June, September and December. Any 13th-month payment or performance bonus depends on your contract.

Can you work in Malta on a student visa?

Yes, under conditions: a non-EU student, British students included, enrolled on a course of more than 90 days can work up to 20 hours a week after three months of study, with a Jobsplus employment licence. EU citizens, Irish included, can work freely.

Can a non-EU national come to Malta to look for work?

It is not advisable: the Single Permit is applied for by the employer for a specific job, and visa-free entry as a visitor, as for British or American citizens, does not allow you to work. Find a job from your home country, through Jobsplus, LinkedIn or an agency, before you leave.