Helping expats settle down in Malta

Welcome on Expat.com DCP !

What first good advice would you give to people who would like to live in Malta ?

Hi Julien !

The first thing is to see whether MT is the right place for them! This would be determined by a no of factors: conditions of work (unless they are retiring here, of course) , whether they can handle a hot climate, whether they find MT too small, etc! 

Assuming the above are satisfied, I guess the next step is to find a nice place to stay!

Hi DCP,
I am so happy to see your post!

Okay, let's see if you can help me.

I currently live in Las Vegas Nevada (so no worries about MT heat).

I am retired (so no worries about working in MT)

My boyfriend and I are currently looking at places for a long let and are very satisfied so far with our search.

Here's where I need help!

I am American, my boyfriend Belgian, we plan to live in Malta/Gozo for one year.  Easy for him, not so easy for me, it seems.

Is it wise to just wait until I am in MT to apply for an extension for a long stay visa?  I will arrive in Belgium around Jan 1, 2010 and stay there until mid March when we go to Malta. I know I can only be in the Schengen States for 90 days in a 6 month period. I will also be in Belgium for 3 weeks this Oct/Nov.

How will this affect me regarding Malta?

I will stop here and let you ask questions, because I have plenty more!

Thank you in advance for any information you might be able to give me.

Have a great day!
Debbie

HI debbie,

I m glad to help.

The difference between you and your bf is that while he is a EU citizen you are not. EU citizens have the right to work and reside in any Member State of the EU. They also have the right to take their family members with them but it seems that you are neither married nor do you have any form of legal partnership with your bf.

You are considered a third country national. I think most of the answers to your questions can be found in the following document which may be found on this site:

http://www.gov.mt/frame.asp?l=2&url=htt … 2&mdis=553

Click on "residence" then get the second explanatory leaflet entitled CEA/L/8

hope this helps

Best,
David

Hi David, just wanted to comment on your post. My family & I are relocating to Malta in a few weeks and will be living in Marsascala. I think I have emailed every single person on the island with questions and info requests. I am absolutely amazed at how helpful and friendly the Maltese people have been to us - complete strangers. Your post is just another example of this. Thank you.

Hi David!

I'm Mario.
Few days ago I had idea: change my life. Now I'm in Poland (I'm polish), have good job in big company in IT (web,graphic,animatons,short films,foto,etc.) and i have my small businnes but, I'm bored and I want change my life, change a place where im live. I'm 27 old and friendly.

When I thinking about place for me, I decided - Malta :-)
Small beatifull hot island... small paradise

Now I'm searching informations about Malta, and know a lot, but to live in Malta I need work, so where to find work for me in Malta? :]
Any help for me in this case will be so great!
Greats from Poland!

HI Mario,

First option is recritment companies:
recruitmentsolutionsmalta.com/
miscomalta.com/
castilleresources.com/

A list of employment agencies can be found on the yellow pages which is a sort of business directory
http://www.yellowpages.com.mt/Malta/Emp … Tfnud.aspx

Another option is to follow the careers section of the major  local newspaper in English available online :
timesofmalta.com/careers

Moreover you can visit the site of the public employment service (funded by the gov)
http://www.etc.gov.mt/

Another option is the EU job mobility portal
http://ec.europa.eu/eures/home.jsp?lang=en

I hope this helps

David

Other

Hi again.
Thank you David much!
I check them all, this is good place for looking work, but jobs there are most simply. I need something higher in my directions, so I looking more.

I'm glad on internet are peoples who want help me and others like me :-)

hey David, you seem like a nice guy helping everyone. I hv few info i would like to get from you if u have sometime. It is more general though. My partner and I are going there next week for a 6 days trip to check the place and if we like it we would like to move over there in March. We are Europeans, so that makes life easier for us. But, just to help us having a good time in Malta we need to go to good restaurants as eating is a big passion for us, any good suggestions? The sites on the net are not so good for that. We are into good food, quality food, nice places and all of that stuff... home cooking for lunch and nice places for dinner... if you hv any suggestion. Also, if you hv suggestion of cool bars and places like that it would be great. We will be staying in Silema, in the Palace, we will rent a car and plan to travel all over the place, but if we decide to move in it will be around the busy places as we are more of city urban people... Anyway, hope to hear from you, maybe even meet up while in Malta for a pint.

Update! I received an email from the Malta Embassy in Washington DC that was very helpful.

I need to communicate with the Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs Directoriate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs http://www.foreign.gov.mt regarding my case before I leave for Malta.  On arrival to Malta I will definately need to stop in and submit an application for a temporary residence permit under the self sufficient catagory.

I will keep you updated on my progress!

Hi Debbie,

glad you got contact with the Maltese embassy. Ilene found them very friendly and helpful too. The American Embassy here in Malta won't help dealing with Maltese authorities unless you have an emergency.

Ilene's main problem was the fact that she wanted to keep the option of applying for a work permit in Malta. Applying for the residence permit as being self-sufficient means you cannot apply for a work permit any time in the future. That won't bother you.

That leaves the other main problem. Getting health insurance in Malta to guarantee that you don't fall back on the Maltese state system in an emergency.Ilene applied for her insurance while she was still in the US as it takes time to get processed.That leads to the second complex of bank accounts! The health insurance requires a Maltese bank account to direct debit the premiums.Getting a Maltese bank account can be a problem .Ilene writes about these things on her blog.

Getting the permit in Valletta is a matter of 30 minutes if you have all the papers.

Stay relaxed and good luck

Ricky

Hi Ricky!

Thanks for the health insurance information.  This raises some questions.....you know me, I'm full of them.

I currently have health insurance through my employer that I have retired from.  Problem is I will only have 6 weeks of coverage while oversees.

My option is to purchase health insurance that will cover me while overseas with coverages that meet the requirements that I have read about i.e., emergency evacuation.  My broker and I will be meeting next week so that she can go over the policy that she has for me.  It is a well known company and she currently has several people on this same plan who live overseas.  I have the option of paying this premium for 12 months coverage in full, or in installments that would be deducted from my US checking account. 

So I'm not sure why I would need a MT bank account?
And isn't proof of medical coverage sufficient for the MT government?  Or do I have to buy a policy from their country?

Guess that's it for now.

Enjoy your evening!
Debbie

Hi Debbie,
you are right . If you can get health insurance from the US that covers all costs and risks while living in Malta you don't need the bank account for that .

Ilene got Maltese private health coverage because it is a lot cheaper!

But they do ask for proof of health insurance when you apply.The fee is  23,29 € payable by cheque or ?cash? Ilene paid by cheque.

You might need a Maltse bank account for other reasons though depending on what you might have to pay here in Malta. Most transactions here are by cash , debit card( Maltese bank) or cheque (Maltese bank).Credit cards are not always accepted , especially in smaller shops.
If you are only planning to stay for one year you might get away without having to open a Maltese bank account.

Sorry for raising the question of bank accounts .

Contact the department in Valletta. Sometimes you get different answers to the same question -)))

Have a nice weekend and ...........relax !

Ricky

Hi Mario,

You seem highly qualified in ICT since you run your own biz right now.  First, I would check you are familiar with salaries in Malta, which are not that high compared to mainland Europe.  The online betting industry does pay more, but a lot of their jobs here are customer service, not ICT ones.  But there may be some openings.  Another recruitment firm to try, which does ICT in particular,and has betting links as well, is www.muovo.eu here in Malta.  Good luck! BTW, my brother and family live in Poland, but my nephew is on the move too, only to New Zealand from Warsaw!

Hi there David my name is David too, I come from Manchester. My wife and I lived in Malta for a time in 2004 for nearly a year and we loved the experience and would love to do it again because we have made some wonderful friends and would love to see them again. I would like to hear from you very soon.

Kindest regards
David

Hi David, it's great that you are providing so much help to people on this site.  My situation is I am currently in England, I hold both a British and New Zealand passport.  I grew up in NZ and have been living in the USA for the past 9 years.  Most of my life I have lived on Islands and I am excited about the prospect of moving to Malta.  I do have some work lined up, but... I guess my main question is, is it relatively easy to find work in Malta (just in case things dont work out with this company), I want to be sure I can find work to stay on.  I see lots of jobs on the sites you have suggested to other people, so I have been doing my research.  I have a great deal of experience in all aspects of office operation and managment, great customer service skill and an awesome attitute towards life and striving for the best.  The company I will start working with is in St. Johns bay area.  I guess I am just coming out there on a whim, and would like to make sure that I will be able to stay on there, finding work and housing, etc... easily.  Any help would be appreciated from yourself or anyone else who reads this blog! Cheers' KIWI RACHEL 

Hi Rachel,
Nice to hear from you.
When it comes to looking for jobs I guess it all depends on your individual profile. The job market in Malta is not that big (due to MT's limited size) and because of this sometimes it is not that easy for people to find that particular job they are looking for. But for people who are flexible with the job they are looking for I think there are opportunities here. The salaries may not be the best in Europe but then in Malta there are other things which compensate for this.

If I were you I would look at a number of aspects before actually deciding to move here:
1) what salary are you expecting here? After deducting tax, is the salary sufficent to have a good standard of living ?
2) how serious is the company you will be working with and what type of employment contract do you have in line)?
3) the cost of living and renting an apartment.
4) what do you expect living in MT to be like?
5) the job situation (including salary and other work conditions) in respect to your individual profile.

all the best of luck and do not hesitate to contact me should you need any help,
David

Hi David, thanks for the heads up... I have lived on a lot of Islands and prefer the lifestyle to any other, so I'm not concerned about that.  I have skills and experience in all areas of office proceedures, management, marketing, PR, customer service, property management, real estate, I have even owned my own restaurant in the past.  More recently (and this is the job I am coming for) I have been in the Timeshare industry in Las Vegas, USA.  Even with all my experience, I am not looking to earn huge amounts of money... a quiet and comfortable lifestyle is more what I am after these days.  I am also not concerned about what I do for work, meaning I would not turn a decent opportunity to earn a living.  Again, thanks so much for your advice, I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon!  Cheers' Kiwi Rachel

hi.........


i was overjoyed when i read ur message..im really looking forward how to go and work in Malta,,,,as far as google is concern i find the country very interesting to live...
HOw can i go there????

Currently im an expat in UAE...Dubai to be specific..I worked here for two years.....PLease help/////


celerina

hi david......

im celerina .expat from UAE....i really appreciate  ur letters reagrding how to work and live in Malta....
so kind of you....
i just wanna know any links how to move to Malta for work.??

thnks

celerina

Hi celerina ,

if you look through the previous posts you will find answers to most of your questions about living/working in Malta.

The main question will be your passport status:
Maltese or EU national is fine - third country national expat will cause problems.

As to getting to Malta : Emirates have a direct flight to Malta via Cyprus from Dubai.

I would also advise you to come without furniture as most appartments are furnished and it will be easier for you to relocate in Malta if you want to change your location.

And you have to put 1000 € down if you import your own stuff from outside the EU . You will get the money back after one year if you don't sell the stuff and can prove that you have been living in Malta for the year .

Regards

Ricky

Hey Celerina,
It seems Ricky has already answered most of your questions. Re jobs in MT have a look at my post of 13/09.
All the best of luck with the hunt,
David

hi ricky,

tnks...i appreciate ur info and il do check some job links to Malta.I jst wana ask ..third world country national has least possibility to work there???????so u mean i wud be just wasting my time searching for job placements?????????tnks/////

celerina

Do you mean third world country national or third country national?

Hi Celerina ,

as David already commented - third country national does not mean third world !It just means non-EU ! My partner is from the US and is considered third country national for Maltese immigration and work permits.

If you are in that status then you will have to consider lots of things concerning immigration and work permits .It is not easy to get a work permit if you are in this catagory.There are also very informative posts about these circumstances on this blog site.

Regards

Ricky

hi DCP,

i wrote in my letter clearly third world country national.
tnks ........

cele

hi ricky,

tnks for ur info.....i do undrstand d difrnce bet d two///third world country national en third country natl ////im also aware of d complexities concerning work permit  and immigration related issues....since im asian and got my residency now in UAE.
my point was the chances of gettin jobs there..for asians like me......anyway..

thnk u very much..

celerina

Hi joseahlyra,

there are quite a few posts on various threads about the procedure for getting a work permit if you are a ' third-country national '.It has nothing to do with whether you come from Asia,America or anywhere else.

The question will be : Do you have skills/qualifications that a Maltese national doesn't have? The company you want to work for will have to apply for your work permit and show that they cannot fill the position with a Maltese.

Depending on your qualifications there are good opportunities in the i-gaming business,IT and various others.

If you give a few more details it will be easier to judge your chances of working in Malta.

Greetings
Ricky

hi ricky,

thank you so much..

joseahlyra

Hi David (David from Malta),

My wife and I plan to retire early and become permanent residents in Malta. We have EU and Canadian citizenship. We'll come as self-supporting family, but we try to get an ideea of the cost of living and I was wondering if you could provide us some information:
- electricity cost
- heating: is it electric, hot water with boiler and the monthly cost
- water, telephone (which one is cheaper, land or mobile?), TV, internet costs
- monthly food cost when buying from the stores only (no restaurants)
- we will buy an apartment and we would like to know what other expenses related to it we might expect, like common area costs (cleaning, elevator/lift, electricity)
- is health care free for permanent residents like us or we need to buy insurance which I know doesn't cover pre-existing conditions?

Thank you so much,
Doru

A website has done the cost of living comparison. Also has some other interesting articles which updates on life in the island.

http://www.maltainsideout.com/5885/cost … -shopping/

There is  a pdf for download

hope this helps

Hi Eagle,

Thanks a lot for the reply. Of course it helps, every piece of information counts.

I know there is another post about cost of living but it is a little bit old and I was curios about other items/expenses which were not covered there, like electricity costs, heating, health care. Maybe some other posts will bring them up.

Thanks again, I appreciate it.

I think electricity water etc are dependent on your usage, number of appliances etc. so there would be no standard for a houshold.

Enemalta has an electricity calculator which may , may not be useful  Best method I could advise is take your current usage  and look up the calculator here and make a guestimate.
http://www.enemalta.com.mt/page.asp?p=996&l=1

Perhaps some of the other readers could help with what a unit refers to as the sites dont give any reference

Thanks a lot Eagle.
Maybe you can help with info about the heating system please?
Also with the health system, is it free for permanent residents?

Hi I am not resident yet, looking to relocate from Switzerland in a few months. I dont know much about the health care system , not that much of a factor for me.

I looked at this company when I came and had some good info from them. here is the link to their plan
http://www.gasanmamo.com/PDFs/sanatableofbenefits.pdfhttp://www.gasanmamo.com/medical.html

and you can look at the policy, the only thing I remember is that existing conditions are not covered maybe this has changed.

If you are referring to Internal heating, I doubt if any of the places have internal heating. Most would use portable electrical, or gas heaters. Again maybe the locals can offer some more info as I have not been in winter.

Thanks a lot for the help, I appreciate it.

Heating will be an issue during the winter As Eagle says,we use gas heaters on wheels, one in each of the main rooms but it still gets very cool.The gas bottles are available from dealers who deliver from their trucks.  Using electric heaters is another option but could be rather expensive ,especially as the rates are supposed to go up in January.
A 15 kg LPG bottle costs 13 € and lasts 1 or 2 weeks or longer depending on how much you use it.
Electricity could be between 60 and 100 € /month  , again depending on how much you use.Using AC will increase the amount.

All residents require health insurance.There are several insurance companies that offer coverage at reasonable rates but exclude pre-existing conditions.To apply for residency you will need to prove that you have insurance coverage .

Hi guys,
Im just about to move to Malta next month, have got a job set up and I wanted to Know:

I have a Natwest bank account in London. Is it possible to use this account in Malta or do I need to open up a bank account there.

Thanks in advance.

rob