Many expats in Malta choose to work in Saint Julian's, a place that offers a lot of career opportunities. Saint Julian's is undoubtedly one of the most popular cities in Malta, not only for the numerous leisure activities it provides but also for its vibrant nightlife.
Saint Julian's is located on the northeastern coast, north of the capital city of Valletta. A former fishing village, Saint Julian's has developed into a leading tourism and expat destination over the years, with a variety of activities and amenities available for all.
Saint Julian's: A very dynamic place to work in Malta
With its many bars, restaurants, hotels (including five-star hotels and independent private apartments), and a variety of nightclubs, young professionals especially enjoy living and working in Saint Julian's area.
Young people particularly like Saint Julian's for Paceville, the lively neighborhood and home to Maltese nightlife.
Saint Julian's is a lively coastal town located north of the Maltese capital Valletta. During the day, you can take a leisurely stroll in the busy streets and along the harbor, swim in the bay, have a bite to eat in a restaurant with a great view, have a beer in an English pub, rent a boat, go scuba diving, go the cinema or go bowling.
In the mornings, you will find students sitting on the terraces drinking coffee before going to class, while during the tourist season, visitors head for the beach at St George's Bay or the hotel pools standing proudly on the coast. Adjacent to St. Julian's is the town of Sliema, home to the island's largest shopping center, "The Point".
Saint Julian's has all the amenities you may need: supermarkets, public transport, coffee shops, restaurants, and much more.
The Paceville area is full of clubs and bars, some of which host international bands and DJs; this is where the fun-loving crowd congregates. Others go to the casino located on the promontory overlooking the bay of Sliema and St. George. This casino, called the Dragonara Casino, is installed in an old palace of the nineteenth century. Paceville and the hotels in the city certainly offer the most employment opportunities.
The city is surrounded by Paceville, Pembroke, Swieqi, Madliena, High Ridge, Sliema, Gżira, and San Ġwann. All of these neighborhoods are easily accessible from Saint Julian's, especially by bus or even on foot.
The economy in Saint Julian's
The economy of Saint Julian's is mainly based on tourism and nightlife. During the tourist season, the town is overflowing with people, the beaches are crowded, and the restaurants, bars and clubs are full. The town used to be a fishing village, and you can still see a few die-hard sailors fetching fish for the restaurants during the day, but the boats present are mostly for charter.
iGaming is another leading economic sector in Saint Julian's. It has been booming in the past few years and knows no crisis. Many expats come to Saint Julian's to work in an online gaming company.
Do you need a visa or permit to work in Saint Julian's?
Before working in Saint Julian's, make sure about the Maltese visa and work permit requirements.
If you are a citizen of one of the European Union countries, a European Economic Area (EEA) country member or Switzerland, a work permit is not necessary to work in Saint Julian's and Malta in general. However, to stay for more than three months, you must apply for a residence permit (eResidence card) from the local authorities, which is easily obtained.
People coming from other countries (called “Third-country nationals”) need a work visa and should therefore contact the Maltese embassy or consular representation closest to their country of residence. After getting a visa to Malta, they also need one of the two work permits existing in Malta: the Single Permit and the Employment Licence.
The labour market in Saint Julian's
The multitude of tourism and hospitality businesses in Saint Julian's offers plenty of job opportunities for foreign (especially multilingual) workers.
You are likely to find work in restaurants, nightclubs, bars, coffee shops, casinos, water sports activity providers, scuba diving centers, etc.
You'll also find other amenities throughout the area, including pharmacies, boutique shops, real estate agencies, financial services and banks, and English-language schools. All of these industries are prominent in Saint Julian's, and work opportunities abound.
Note that bilingual and multilingual candidates have a greater chance of finding work quickly in Saint Julian's, as well as throughout Malta, given the focus on the tourism industry and the many international companies based here. Having at least a good command of the English language is an excellent start to your job search.
Working conditions in Saint Julian's
As you may have understood, the best way to find a job quickly in Saint Julian's is to work in the hotel, restaurant, tourism or service industry. You only have to look at the job offers published on the websites to realize it. There are many requests for bartenders, maintenance agents, head waiters, waiters, etc.
In the summer of 2018, there was a lack of catering staff on the island. Even though the sector suffered during the coronavirus crisis, it has experienced a good recovery since then. Therefore, there are many opportunities in the tourism sector in general and catering and service in particular. This may be due to the fact that salaries are not very high. In Malta, the minimum wage is 777 euros per month in 2022.
When a company recruits you, you will have a probationary period. In Malta, it can be up to one year (negotiable and often shortened, though). With a full-time contract, you will work 40 hours a week and have 24 days off per year, plus 14 holidays. If you wish to do an internship in Malta, be aware that Maltese companies are not obliged to pay interns.
Finding a job in Saint Julian's
Searching online is a great start to finding a job in Saint Julian's. All levels of roles and all employers will list open opportunities on job boards or their websites. Feel free to also browse classified ads in local newspapers, such as Times of Malta, Malta Today and the Malta Independent.
If you are already in Malta, you will find it easier to reach out to companies that interest you by phone or in person. Malta is a very small island, and the inhabitants particularly appreciate direct human relations. Do not hesitate to visit the companies that interest you; you will usually be very well received. In the fields of hospitality and tourism, which are continuously recruiting, applying for a role in person is typically preferred.
You can also send job applications directly to companies that interest you, regardless of their current job openings, given the rapid growth many companies are experiencing in Malta.
Additionally, consider working with a recruitment agency if you are seeking specific roles. For example, Betting Connections and Pentasia are specialized in iGaming and online betting, Castille in tech and finance, while Tempsinmalta helps to recruit interim staff.
Finally, don't forget to register with JobsPlus, the national employment agency of Malta, and to stay updated on any new postings they make available. If you're an EU National, contact EURES for assistance in finding work in Malta even before you leave home.
Make sure you do your job search in English, as it is one of the two official languages in Malta. Also, draft your CV and cover letter in English. Saint Julian's being a multicultural city, and speaking foreign languages (such as French, Spanish, Italian, German, Swedish, Arabic, etc.) will be an asset in finding a job. A lot of companies, especially in the iGaming industry, are looking for multilingual workers.
If you have experience on pleasure boats, you may be able to find a position as a mate on a nice sailboat, and with the right certification, you can accompany divers, but this will remain seasonal, like many jobs in Saint Julian's. The Paceville area is lively throughout the year, however, as it is the main area where the merrymakers living in the area congregate. Maybe it's time to become a bartender and learn how to make molecular drinks!
In Saint Julian's, you should easily find a job, depending, of course, on your specialization and the salary you are looking for based on your experience.
Whatever job you find in Saint Julian's, you're sure to love the area and all the amenities you can enjoy around your workdays.
Good to know:
To work in Saint Julian's or elsewhere on the island of Malta, it is generally important to speak English well.
Main companies in Saint Julian's
Saint Julian's is one of the most active cities in Malta. It is home to a lot of companies. There are several iGaming companies in Saint Julian's, such as iGaming Group, Relax Gaming Ltd, Gaming Innovation Group, Matching Visions, Betsocial Limited, and many more!
As previously mentioned, you will find a lot of bars, restaurants and hotels in Saint Julian's. Some are part of an international brand, such as the Asian restaurant Wagamama and McDonald's. Many restaurants offer international cuisine, so if you are a chef knowing Japanese, Lebanese, Italian or Chinese cuisine, chances are you will find work in Saint Julian's.
Saint Julian's is well-known for Paceville, the nightlife hub of Malta. This local Ibiza hosts many discos, nightclubs and gentlemen's clubs. It is a good place to work for DJs, artists and other nightlife professionals alike.
As Saint Julian's is the leisure and party destination in Malta, it also hosts casinos. Cashiers, dealers, security officers and managers are often hired in Maltese casinos like the Dragonara Casino. There are other types of leisure companies, such as Eden Leisure Group, which manages a cinema, a bowling, a fitness club, a car park and even a radio.
Several business centers can also be found in Saint Julian's. Many Maltese companies' headquarters are located in Saint Julian's, such as eCabs, the leading ride-hailing platform in Malta.
Saint Julian's is also a popular shopping destination in Malta. It has many shops and a mall called Bay Street. Such businesses are often looking for shop assistants and sellers.
Finally, several language schools can be found in Saint Julian's, such as Education First International (EF).
Working in iGaming in Saint Julian's
If casinos and gambling games have been existing for ages, iGaming is quite new. Gambling took its part in the digital revolution, leading to the creation of iGaming or online gaming. It consists in betting and gambling online, using new technologies, such as casino games, sports betting, real money slot games, horse race betting, etc.
Nowadays, the iGaming industry is booming. Malta, and especially Saint Julian's, is a leader in the iGaming industry. It is one of the sectors that hire the most in Saint Julian's and has a significant share of Malta's GDP.
Expats from all over the world come to work in Saint Julian's in iGaming positions. Multilingual workers have a key advantage in being hired by online gaming companies, as those companies are international.
Here are some of the positions you can apply for in iGaming companies in Saint Julian's: managers, content writers, insight analysts, customer support agents, Fullstack JavaScript engineers, live streamer speakers, game presenters, and many more. Online gaming companies are a popular choice to work in Saint Julian's, as the wages offered are among the highest in Malta. iGaming staff also benefits from a lot of incentives, nice offices and team-building events.
Working in a language school in Saint Julian's
Finally, if you are looking for a job in Saint Julian's, you can opt for a language school. Many students from all over Europe and the world come to Malta to learn English, make international friends and have fun.
Language schools often hire teachers and activity leaders. They also offer office jobs such as manager and accountant positions.
Languages schools are a good choice if you are willing to work in Saint Julian's while enjoying a motivating and fun environment.
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