Finding a Job in Malta
The job market, in-demand fields, and how hiring works
The Maltese labour market is small, employer-driven and heavily concentrated in four sectors: online gaming, financial and corporate services, aviation services and tourism. Recruitment for foreign candidates runs almost entirely through those sectors, and English rather than Maltese is the working language in most of them.
| Public employment agency | Jobsplus source |
| Employer obligation | Vacancies must be engaged with Jobsplus and permits filed through it source |
| Concentrated sectors | Online gaming, financial services, aviation services, tourism |
| Working language | English in most international employers |
Where the jobs actually are
- Online gaming. Malta was an early licensing jurisdiction for remote gaming and hosts a dense cluster of operators, suppliers and affiliates. Roles span compliance, payments, customer support in many languages, marketing and software engineering.
- Financial and corporate services. Fund administration, insurance, corporate services and accountancy, supported by a long-established regulatory framework and an English-language legal system.
- Aviation services. Aircraft registration, maintenance and repair, and back-office operations for airlines, alongside the national carrier's successor.
- Tourism and hospitality. The largest employer by headcount, highly seasonal, and the sector where pay is lowest and turnover highest.
- Health and care. Persistent shortages, but registration with the relevant professional council is required before practice and takes time.
How hiring works
Applications are conventional and largely in English: a two-page CV, a covering letter, and interviews conducted in English. Recruitment agencies play a larger role than in most countries because employers are small and permit administration is a specialist task.
The permit process shapes the calendar. An employer hiring a third-country national must engage with Jobsplus and file the single permit, and the timeline depends on which route applies. Candidates who fit the key employee or specialist criteria are materially more attractive to employers for that reason alone, so it is worth establishing early which route your role and qualifications fall into.
Malta is a small place professionally. Sector networks overlap heavily, references circulate informally, and reputation carries further than it would in a larger market.
Salaries and the housing constraint
Salaries in the licensed sectors are competitive by Maltese standards and modest by northern European ones. The constraint is that housing costs are set by a market with substantial foreign and investment demand, while salaries are set by a small domestic economy.
The candidates for whom Malta works financially are those with senior roles in the concentrated sectors, or those bringing foreign income and benefiting from the remittance basis. Entry-level hospitality and support roles rarely clear the rent in the harbour towns, which is why shared accommodation and living in the south or in Gozo are common.
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Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.