Jobs in Malta for foreigners.

Citizens of EU and EEA countries and Switzerland can live and work in Malta without a permit. You can accept a job before or after arriving, and within three months you register with Identità for a residence document, get a social security number from the Department of Social Security and a tax number from the Commissioner for Revenue. Your employer registers the engagement with Jobsplus.

Everyone else needs a work and residence permit, and in Malta the employer applies for it, not the candidate. The standard route is the single permit: the employer advertises the vacancy to EU candidates first, then submits the application with your contract, qualifications, police conduct certificate and health insurance to Identità. Processing takes several weeks to a few months, the permit is valid for one year and renewable, and you may only enter and start work once it is approved. Since 2024 the government has tightened the rules on employers who churn through foreign hires, so established companies with good retention get through faster.

Two faster lanes sit on top of that. The Key Employee Initiative is for senior, managerial and highly technical roles paying €45,000 gross or more (the threshold since August 2025); after a two-week advert on Jobsplus and EURES, Identità targets a decision within about five working days. The Specialist Employee Initiative, introduced in 2024, covers qualified professionals from around €25,000 and is widely used in iGaming, tech and finance. Non-EU workers in hospitality additionally need the Skills Pass introduced in 2024 before a permit is issued.

iGaming is the biggest employer of newcomers. The 300-plus operators and suppliers licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority hire multilingual customer support and KYC agents in volume, often with no prior experience, and recruit engineers, CRM and marketing specialists, fraud and payments analysts and compliance officers from across Europe. German, Italian, Dutch, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish speakers are in constant demand and are usually offered relocation packages.

Hospitality is the second engine: hotels, restaurants, bars and resorts from Valletta to Mellieħa hire chefs, waiting staff, bartenders, receptionists and housekeeping, with a strong seasonal peak from April to October. Staff accommodation is common, and non-EU hires need the hospitality Skills Pass.

Tech, finance and healthcare hire for skill. Software engineers, DevOps and data specialists arrive through the Key Employee Initiative; accountants, auditors and AML analysts join banks, Big Four firms and operators; nurses, carers and allied health professionals are recruited by Mater Dei Hospital, private clinics and care homes, with registration through the Council for Nurses and Midwives. Construction and trades hire steadily for the island's building boom, mostly through agencies that handle the permits.

Salaries are below Northern Europe but so is the cost of living outside rent. Customer support and hospitality roles start around €18,000 to €26,000 gross, often with shift allowances or tips; qualified professionals in tech, finance and iGaming earn €35,000 to €80,000; senior roles clear €100,000. Income tax is progressive, with the top rate of 35% above €60,000, and social security is 10% of pay matched by the employer. Senior hires in licensed gaming and financial services companies can qualify for a flat 15% rate under the Highly Qualified Persons scheme. The salary calculator on this site shows net monthly pay for any offer.

Rent is the main expense. Sliema, St Julian's and Gżira are the most convenient for office jobs and the most expensive (€1,000 to €1,400 for a one-bedroom flat); Msida, Birkirkara, Mosta and the north cost less; a room in a shared flat runs €450 to €650. Landlords ask for one month's deposit and agents charge about half a month's rent plus VAT. Buses are cheap and cover the island; most newcomers do not buy a car in year one.

In your first weeks you will need a residence document from Identità, a social security number, a tax number, a bank account (Maltese banks are slow to open accounts for newcomers, so many people start with a digital bank) and, for EU citizens, your European Health Insurance Card until you are registered. Employers that recruit from abroad regularly walk new hires through all of it; ask about that support before you accept.