Big decisions - need some advice before relocating

planning my friends, plenty of forward planning and make sure you have at least 6months money behind you to support you while you seek work..

Its not easy if you have a fixed idea of what you can and cant do - its easier with an open mind and flexible approach regarding work.. knock on doors, ask around. cafes bars restaurant shops warehouses works units - you never know....dont rely on sending cvs out  - Maltese employers like to be able to meet you and speak to you

Walking around you come across all manner of jobs, yesterday I passed a shop which wanted extra staff to assemble furniture (presumably flat pack), the car hire company I use had an ad' for drivers in their window and the owner of the bar restaurant in the village was just putting an ad' up for staff.

Ray

Plenty of jobs around but all of them will be low pay and long hours and probably not the idyllic life in the sun that you imagine.

I would be more worried about what your children will do when they leave school, not much prospects for non Maltese school leavers.


Terry

Thank you so much for all your honest and positive opinions, we appreciate them all, yes he children are a worry too, not just them settling into a new school and country but like you say when they leave, would they be entitled to further education? (college)

and believe me many of the younger Maltese and Gozitan youth  all they want to do is leave the islands for better prospects

Hi,

There are quite a few jobs for unskilled people in malta.. But as someone has already said.. Salaries in Malta outside law, Medicine and IT are quite low.  Thats not to say you wont be ok,, you need to look at your lifestyle today and then look at what it would cost you to live the same in Malta. Don't fall into the trap of "Malta is sun, sea and slower pace of life."  its partial true but nowhere near what they spin to incoming people.  Its a typical comment when recruiting people here.. "the salary is lower but you get all of this...".  Salaries here can be quite good, but only when working for international or mostly non maltese companies.  The maltese owned companies tend to be quite tight fisted.

As for you children.. I disagree entirely with the comment that someone made about not many opportunities for school leavers.  There are lots, depending on qualifications.  The software industry here is booming and salaries are good,  IT is booming, Financial services doing very well. All of these industries offer internships and career paths. I know as I have run several such firms.  It lies in the hands of your kids.  If they leave school at 16 with no real qualifications.. Then bar work  and similar is what they will have and then it will be hard for them.

Education is free here.  But I reiterate.. Its about qualifications.  What toon has said is also true.. But it actually helps.  Maltese youngsters leave th island because they want to expand and get better salaries.  That actually adds up to the fact that many of what remains are very average at best.. So smarter youngsters stand out.  They have to aim for the international companies rather than local companies which tend, no matter what their size, to be run like a corner shop with the owners constantly sticking their hands in and penny pinching all over the place.

P

as english is one of the official language here that wont prevent you finding work however many of the people on the maltese language course run by the etc * free course*  were labourers or from building sites because you really need to have a grasp of maltese on many of these sites.

to reiterate what others have said , plan - its important that you have an exit stratedgy in place because so many people come here for holidays and LOVE malta but then living here is a completely different kettle of fish,

you will need the following in place before you arrive :

temporary accomodation - i would suggest a month just to give you time to find a place to live long term. - many landlords will only let if your in the country unless its for a short-term holiday let . try and find one in an area you think you may want to live rather than in the touristy parts as this will give you a better idea of what its like to live there you can explore the local facilites etc and have a base to look around.

6-months worth of income ...
seems fairly straight forward but make sure you have access to money  check you bank cards work abroad, bring any online banking stuff you might need and also if possible leave someone in the uk information on how to get money to you should everything else fail because some banks dont allow you to access cash machines in other countries such as some lloydstsb cards and some nationwide ones,

only bring stuff you really need : as your going to be renting short term this is probably straight forward

anyway if you have any direct questions please feel free to ask

Hi, I am  a Maltese national. My husband and myself are both educated up to diploma levels however even for ourselves it is very difficult to find/change jobs especially when you've passed your 30-40 years of age.  Language is not much of a problem though unskilled jobs would require some knowledge of the Maltese language.   Education is very important in Malta and kids would do well depending on how much they apply themselves and the schools attended.  Higher education is also of good level giving your kids better prospects for tertiary education and good jobs,  however I would think twice before moving my kids to a foreign country when my finances are limited and without a guaranteed income. Living in Malta is not a holiday.  Good luck.