Malta
Registration procedures and residence permits
- All EU nationals have the right to live in Malta through the ‘right of residence’. This right is held whether the individual is working in Malta, or not working but has sufficient financial support without relying on public funds. EU nationals do not require a visa to enter Malta. On arrival in Malta, the passport or the national identity card is checked for validity by the Immigration Office.
- The Immigration Act (Chapter 217 of the Laws of Malta) is the legal instrument that regulates the inward movement of foreigners to Malta.
- Malta hosts a number of expatriate residents. Nationals from practically every European and Mediterranean country may remain in Malta for a period of three months from their date of entry under the 'no employment' condition. The permit is endorsed on their passport upon arrival in Malta.
- EU nationals will automatically be allowed to remain indefinitely if they can demonstrate self-sufficiency. If a person wishes to stay in Malta for longer than three months, he or she is required to apply for an extension of stay to the Department of Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs. Normally, such requests are granted provided that the person concerned can show that he or she is self-sufficient (amongst other conditions). Non-nationals have to follow this procedure every time they wish to extend their permit if they wish to continue residing in Malta.
Kinds of employment
A young worker is a person who has reached 16 years of age and is under 18 years of age. Only people over the age of 16 can enter employment. The most common employment contracts are full-time contracts for an indefinite term, sometimes called permanent contracts. However, fixed-term, temporary employment contracts are becoming more and more common in Malta. The latest trends in the employment market show that fixed-term contracts are becoming more common both in higher managerial grades and among skilled labourers, for project work.
It is possible for an employer to offer several fixed term contracts in succession. The full adoption of European directives implies that after a certain number of years (no more than four years, in accordance with Maltese law) the temporary employment contract has to be converted into a fixed employment contract, resulting in the the employee being engaged on a permanent basis.
A trial period can be agreed upon at the beginning of the employment relationship. The trial period is of six months, and can be increased to one year for high-profile jobs. The parties can agree on a shorter period. During the first month of the trial period either party can cancel the employment contract without notice. Subsequently, one week’s notice has to be given during the trial period.
In Malta the trend of hiring temporary staff from specialised employment agencies is on the increase. These services are used in low skills areas, but are also popular in the professional sector. Employment agencies are allowed to charge the employer expenses to cover tax, national insurance, indemnity and labour costs.
For part-time employees on a variable time schedule, the weekly number of hours of work shall be the weekly average number of hours of work spread over successive thirteen-week periods, commencing on 1 January of each calendar year.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?catId=8115&acro=living&lang=en&parentId=7755&countryId=MT&living=
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?catId=8247&acro=living&lang=en&parentId=7788&countryId=MT&living=