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Pentasia Candidate Guide: Relocating to Malta
pentasia.com/malta
t: +356 2138 3481
e: malta@pentasia.com
Candidate Guide
Relocating
to Malta
Island introduction
Lifestyle benefits
Practical tips
Money matters
»
»
»
»

pentasia.com/malta
t: +356 2138 3481
1 THE MALTESE ISLANDS
The Maltese archipelago lies virtually at the
centre of the Mediterranean Sea - 93km south
of Sicily and 288km north of the African coast.
It consists of three main islands: Malta, Gozo
and Comino over an area of 316sq km and a
coastline of 196.8km (not including 56.01 km
for the island of Gozo). Malta has a population
of 423,282 (2015).
Malta is the largest island and the cultural,
commercial and administrative centre. Gozo
is the second largest island and is more
rural, characterized by fishing, tourism,
crafts and agriculture while Comino is mostly
uninhabited.
The Maltese Islands enjoy a superbly sunny
weather, beaches, a thriving nightlife and
7,000 years of intriguing history. With a little
help from any guidebook, captivating places
of interest are immediately identified - the
world famous Hypogeum selected as a place
of World Heritage by UNESCO, prehistoric
temples and grand palaces in the capital
Valletta and the old silent city of Mdina are but
a few.
The long relationship between the Islanders
and the various nationalities that occupied
Malta over the centuries has created a
marriage of styles and traditions, giving the
Islands a fascinating eclectic culture.
BothEnglishandMalteseareofficiallanguages
with Italian being widely spoken.
The climate is typical of the Mediterranean and
is strongly influenced by the sea. The Maltese
Islands have a pleasantly sunny climate with a
daily average of around 12 hours sunshine in
summer going down to 5 to 6 hours in winter.
Summers are hot, dry and very sunny,
spring and autumn are cooler, winters are mild
with occasional short cold periods. Annual
rainfall is low, the peak beach season can last
until mid- to late October.
2 HISTORY
Everywhere you go in Malta, you can find
evidence of its rich historical past. Temples,
catacombs, palaces, cathedrals and forts are
some of the visible evidence left by many
through the ages including the Carthaginians,
Romans, Arabs, Normans, Knights of St.
John, the French and the British.
The myriad of civilizations that have swept
through Malta, along with its geographical
position between Africa and Europe and
its fantastic natural deep harbours have
contributed to Malta’s unique culture.
3 POPULATION
Malta renowned for its hospitality and has a
homogeneous population. It is one of the most
An introduction to Malta:
A sun-drenched Mediterranean island

pentasia.com/malta
t: +356 2138 3481
densely populated countries in the world, with a
density of 1,311 persons per square kilometre.
The average annual population growth rate is
0.4%. Malta has a multi-lingual labour force
that is very flexible and adaptable.
Birth rate averages 10.24 birth/ 1,000 people
and the death rate averages 8.96 deaths/
1,000 people. Even though the rich history of
the islands has caused the present population
to be an amalgam of various stocks, the
Maltese people are mainly considered to be
Southern Europeans.
4 LANGUAGE RELIGION
In spite of the various historical influences,
Malta acquired a unique cultural identity and
a language, which have survived centuries of
domination. Maltese is the national language
but for both official and business purpose both
Maltese and English are official languages.
Besides being very fluent in both the above
two languages, many Maltese can also speak
one or more additional languages such as
Italian, French and German.
The Maltese language is a combination of
Semitic and Romantic origin, with the former
having a major influence on its structure. It is
written in Latin characters. The people on the
islands have diverse linguistic skills. In fact,
English is the second official language of the
country.
The predominant religion in Malta is Roman
Catholics, however there are also several
other religious communities, including non-
Christians, who have their own place of
worship and who can practice their beliefs
without restrictions.
5 TIME ZONE
Malta is on Central European Time (CET),
one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time
(GMT). During daylight savings time, from the
last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in
October clocks are advanced one hour.
6 COST OF LIVING
Being one of the least expensive places to live
in Europe, groceries, clothing, furniture and
utility services are all very reasonably priced.
Accommodation is still reasonably priced,
although prices are rising based on an ever-
increasing demand.
7 SAFE AND FRIENDLY
It is well known that Malta is a remarkably safe
country. The low crime-rate coupled with the
Mediterranean lifestyle and weather; result in
the Maltese having a well earned reputation
as a friendly nation.
Living in Malta: language,
money, safety and lifestyle
Malta’s capital Valletta
is set to be European
Capital of Culture 2018:
valetta2018.org
Did you know?

pentasia.com/malta
t: +356 2138 3481
8 CURRENCY BANKS
The official currency in Malta since January
1st 2008 is the Euro. There are a number of
commercial Banks in Malta, such as Bank of
Valletta, HSBC, FIMBank, Banif Bank. The
banks are normally open until early afternoon
from Monday to Friday, and until midday on
Saturday. Some banks/branches work longer
hours. Summer and winter opening hours
may differ.
Exchange bureaux at Malta International
Airport are open 24 hours a day. International
bank cards are widely accepted and foreign
currency is easily exchanged. Banks, ATMs
and exchange bureaux can be found all over
the Islands.
9 EDUCATION
Compulsory education is from age of 5 up to
the age of 16, with the Government offering a
free system of education. Education is offered
by state schools, independents schools and
private schools which include Church schools.
Transport is provided by most state schools.
Both English and Maltese are used in state
schools.
The University of Malta is publicly funded
and open to all. Currently has some 11,500
students including over 1,000 international
students (450 are visiting students) from 92
different countries, following full-time or part-
time degree and diploma courses, many of
them run on the modular or credit system.
The Maltese Government launched an
integration web portal, where foreigners can
find advice and useful information regarding
education, work and social services. http://
integration.gov.mt
10 HEALTH
Health care in Malta is available through both
public and private hospitals and the quality
of the care services is excellent. There are
42 clinics around Malta with a 11,100 total
workforce. There are eight Health Centres
around Malta which are the hub of public
primary healthcare services.
All EU nationals resident in Malta are eligible
for free medical treatment from state hospitals
and health centres, which can be found in
most localities.
Malta also has reciprocal agreements with
a number of countries whereby visitors from
those countries are eligible for free emergency
medical treatment at the state hospitals.
11 EMPLOYMENT
The job sector is thriving. The main sectors are
Technology, Finance and Gaming, Marketing,
Tourism but there are also great opportunities
in the Medical and Educational fields.
Providing for you and your
family: work, life and health

pentasia.com/malta
t: +356 2138 3481
Unemployment in Malta is among the EU’s
lowest – at 5.7% as of April 2016.
12 WORK PERMITS
EU and EEA nationals do not require a work
permit. For more information, we recommend
you visit www.eures.europa.eu
Fornon-EUnationals,theemployermustapply
for an employment licence. Work permits are
issued for specific periods (normally one year)
and for specific purposes following a failed
attempt to engage a suitable EU/EEA citizen.
13 INCOME TAX
In Malta the taxation of an individual’s income
is progressive, that is the higher an individual’s
income, the higher the tax s/he pays, starting
at 0% and rising in stages to 35%. There are
reduced rates of taxes for certain income
earners.
The following tax bands are applicable for
2015 basis year:
Money matters: work, tax,
permits and property
Image Top: Jorge Andrade via Flickr
From To Tax Rate Subtract
€0 €11,900 0 €0
€11,901 €21,200 15% €1,785
€21,201 €60,000 25% €3,905
€60,001 and over 35% €9,905
From To Tax Rate Subtract
€0 €8,500 0 €0
€8,501 €14,500 15% €1,275
€14,501 €60,000 25% €2,725
€60,001 and over 35% €8,725
Married Rates
Single Rates

pentasia.com/malta
t: +356 2138 3481
14 PROPERTY PRICES
There are a wide range of properties available
for rental, from villas to apartments.
Property rental prices in Malta depend on
three main factors:
1) Location – The south of the island is
typically less expensive than the north or
central areas. Popular areas like Sliema
and St. Julians will inevitably be much more
expensive than inland towns.
2) Quality – A brand new apartment with
quality furnishings, new appliances etc will
generally cost more than an older equivalent
sized property equipped with older furniture
and appliances.
3) Size - This will sound obvious, but you
can get a bigger apartment or even a house
in a quiet village for the price of a 2-bedroom
apartment on Sliema seafront.
15 TRANSPORTATION
COMMUNICATION
Unless you live and work in the same town
or village, driving your own car or motorbike
is pretty much a necessity. Public Transport
Buses are frequent but tend to be slow.
Malta lies at an average 2-3 hours from
anywhere in Europe. Being at the centre of
the Mediterranean, makes catching a flight
easy and convenient. Air and sea connections
are efficient and frequent with a large number
of airlines operating to and from the island
and a fast-ferry service operating to and
from neighbouring Sicily (southern Italy) on a
regular basis.
Internet connectivity is excellent and
inexpensive. Malta has two main mobile
number providers, Vodafone and Go Mobile.
16 SPORTS, CULTURE,
EVENTS
One can practise quite a variety of outdoor
sports all year around. Many of the leading
hotels in Malta have health and fitness
facilities. Apart from sports, the theatre is
a widespread mode of recreation. Cultural
events such as Malta Fireworks Festival,
the Malta Arts Festival, Notte Bianca,
the Malta Jazz Festival and Mediterranea
takes place every year and are becoming
tradition. Festive commemorations are also a
time of food, drink and merriment which brings
out the Mediterranean roots of the locals.
For those who enjoy the nightlife, there are a
number of hot spots around the island, be it
restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs.
pentasia.com/Malta
A lively cultural hub with
international connections
Air Malta flies to
over 35 countries
around Europe
airmalta.com
Did you know?
Image: Daniel Sjöström via Flickr

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