Labour Market Information: Malta

National level - Malta

^{* The years referenced in this report vary, as the data is based on the most up-to-date information available for each indicator, as of December 2024.}

Labour market

As of 1 January 2024, 563 443 people lived in Malta. The gross domestic product per inhabitant was EUR 32 900 in 2022, 7.1% lower than the average of EUR 35 400 per inhabitant in the EU27. Between 2018 and 2022, the GDP per capita increased by 22%.

^{Note: nama_10r_2gdp, Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu)}

In 2023, more than 0.3 million people were active on the labour market in Malta. The employment rate was 77.8%, 7.4 percentage points higher than the EU27 average and 6.7 percentage points higher compared to 2018. In 2023, for women, the employment rate was 70.3%, for men, the employment rate was 84.1%, and for youth, the employment rate was 50.4%, all above the EU average.

^{Note: lfst_r_lfe2emprt, data refer to working age population (15-64), youth age group (15-24)  Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu)}

In 2023, the unemployment rate was equal to the level registered in 2022. In 2023, the unemployment rate has not yet returned to the level before the pandemic, when it equalled 4% in 2018, and 4.1% in 2019. The unemployment rate is consistently below the EU27 average. In 2023, it was 2.6 percentage points lower in Malta than in the EU27.

In 2023, 59.7% of the active workforce were from Malta, 11.2% from other EU Member States and 28.7 from third countries. In the EU27, as of 2023, the highest proportion of the workforce comes from the respective country (85% on average), while on average a smaller portion is from foreign countries (4.3% from other EU Member States, and 10.5% from third countries).

In 2022, most employees worked in wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (18%), followed by administrative and support service activities (11.4%), manufacturing (10.3%) and accommodation and food service activities (10.2%). In terms of number of enterprises, most can be found in wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (20.4%), professional, scientific and technical activities (15.9%), and construction (11.4%).

In Malta, the highest proportion of employees (32.4%) worked in micro companies with up to 9 employees. These companies accounted for the majority of all enterprises in the country (93.9%) with 48 368 of such businesses. 25.6% of persons employed worked in large companies with more than 250 employees, 20.8% of persons employed worked in medium companies with 50 to 249 employees, 12.2% of persons employed worked in small companies with 20 to 49 employees and 8.9% of persons employed worked in small companies with 10 to 19 employees.

Vacancies

In 2024, in Malta, the occupational groups with the highest occurrence of shortage occupations were: business and administration associate professionals, legal, social and cultural professionals and personal service workers. On the other hand, the occupational groups with the highest occurrence of surplus occupations were science and engineering associate professionals, building and related trades workers (excluding electricians) and customer services clerks.

Read more about labour shortages and surpluses in Europe: Labour shortages and surpluses in Europe 2023 | European Labour Authority (europa.eu)

Job vacancy rate

Regarding the job vacancy rate (defined as the number of job vacancies expressed as a percentage of the total sum of occupied posts and job vacancies), in 2023 this was 2.8 % in the industry, construction and services, nearly matching the EU27 average. This rate has increased by 0.2 percentage points compared to 2022 and it is still above the situation before 2020, when it stood only at 2.5%.

^{Note: jvs_a_rate_r2, Statistics | Eurostat}

The sectors with the highest vacancy rates were human health and social work activities; education; arts, entertainment and recreation; public administration and defence; compulsory social security; administrative and support services.

^{Note: jvs_a_rate_r2, Statistics | Eurostat}

Widely used job portals

Wages

Minimum wage

As of 1 January 2024, the statutory minimum wage in Malta was set at 925.34 EUR.

Monthly average gross and net earnings

In 2023, the gross average earnings of a single person stood at EUR 2269, while the EU27 average was EUR 3417. The equivalent net wage was EUR 1 705 in Malta, compared to EUR 2351 in the EU27. Compared to 2018, gross average earnings increased by 16.7% in Malta and by 19.8% in the EU27. During the same period, the net wages have increased by 14.4% in Malta and by 22.1% in the EU27.

^{Note: earn_nt_net, Single person earning 100% average, annual rates transformed into 12 monthly payments. Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu)}

Trends

Go directly to Female labour market participation | Immigration | Insufficient number of jobseekers with the required skills | Remote work | Seasonal work | Traineeships, internships and apprenticeships

Female labour market participation

In 2023 Malta had a female employment rate (20-64years) of 73.6% compared to the EU’s 70.2%. A significant increase of 19.3 percentage points when compared to 2014 rate of 54.3% The increase in female participation in the Maltese labour market was due to the implementation of the making work pay approach introduced by the Government to ensure a level playing field for all by means of active labour market policies. One of the initiatives introduced in 2014 and which have contributed to this increase is the Fee Childcare Scheme. The scheme provides free childcare services to children aged 0-3 when both parents are in employment or education.

Immigration (from the EU, from third countries)

Throughout the past years immigration for employment purposes in Malta registered an increase from both EU and third countries. The total number of EU nationals (including EEA/EFTA and EU dependants) employed in the Maltese labour market as of May 2024 amounted to 38 387 compared to 33 836 as at December 2021. Third country nationals employed in Malta also registered an increase. As of December 2021, the total number of employed TCNs in Malta amounted to 42 559 whereas as at end of May 2024 stood at 80 543.

Insufficient number of jobseekers with the required skills

Malta has been experiencing low unemployment rates for a number of years. Malta’s unemployment rate (15 to 74 years) in 2014 stood at 5.7% compared to the EU27 11%. In Q2 of 2024 MT’s unemployment rate stood at 3.2% Labour Force Survey: Q2/2024. Low unemployment rates have contributed to labour shortages across all sectors. Malta had to resort to foreign workers to tap the labour shortages experienced by Maltese employers.

Remote work

In 2023, 13.9% of employed persons in Malta sometimes worked from home, compared to 13.3% in the EU27. Additionally, 11.5% of employed persons in Malta usually worked from home, while in the EU27 it was 8.9%.

^{Note: lfsa_ehomp, Product - Datasets - Eurostat}

Seasonal work

Malta has a thriving tourism sector. Tourism reached pre-pandemic levels in 2023. The number of tourist arrivals increased by more than 26% in the first two months of 2024. In view of this seasonal workers are always needed for the summer season. In Malta that starts in April – May and extends until October with the summer months being the peak tourist arrival months.

Traineeships, internships and apprenticeships

The Maltese Public Employment Services administers a Work Exposure Scheme and Traineeship Scheme as active labour market measures for work. Contact EURES Malta for more information.

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