Moving to Malta

Hi. I live in Malta. What exactly do u need to know ? pls contact me on

what is your nationality, and if you are married your spouces nationality?

[ cut and paste of this article https://www.expat.com/en/guide/europe/m … rules.html ]

so your just here to solicit buisness eilrit ?

Hi LEOLION,

Welcome to Expat-blog!

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Hi eilrit,

Just to remind you that free advertisement is not allowed on the forum. You can register your company in our business directory. Thank you.

Hi I am British but living in Spain at the moment I want to move to Malta as it is a English speaking country but have seen different things on different sites. I need to know if I need to have a certain amount of money in the bank or income to move to Malta. I am married with two teenage children over 18.
Hope you can help.x

Im probably going to get blasted for this remark but...unless your kids plan to go to college here...do them a favor and stay where you are or go somewhere where they'll have a future...It's very difficult for young adults...even old ones...to make a decent living here. I can't imagine them trying to buy a house or even a car with the wages they make. I would say more than half of the young adults in my village, ages 18-25,still live at home because they cant afford to leave.

As an EU citizen you have the right to live in Malta, but only if you won't become a burden on the state - that mean either having sufficient savings or income.

Health cover - will you be working, or are you of retirement age ? - then generally yes - if no, it depends

Native new yorker, It's exactly the same in the UK, we will have to support our boys until their mid twenties no matter what! University will leave them in debt only for them to start a job on 20k a year, should there even be any jobs! 1 position 40 applicants! And as for buying a home of their own...... yeah, i guess they'd still be with us till their 30's!!!!

Amanda. x

It's the same thing everywhere right now.

It certainly is, but i'd rather wake up skint to the sunshine everyday than the peeing down rain! It's been raining here for 10 days solid so far, spent a fortune on a garden that's been used on average 8 times in 6.5 years!!
sorry Leolion!

Yes..you're right...but at least the wages are better there. If you don't have a degree or specialize in something...your kids will never leave the house.

The wages are not better! Everything is relative, fuel here is on average £1.39 unleaded and Diesel is touching £1.50, VAT is 20%,we are taxed to our eyeballs, we pay £200 a month council tax!!! my car insurance has just gone up another £20 a month to £58!!! i've never had an accident, i'm nearly 40 and my car is worth 3k, it costs us £25 a week just to send our eldest to school bus fares for a 12 year old being £1.20 each way, and nursery........£7,200 a year!!!!!!! No way is life better financially here!  After speaking to people and putting figures together it appears we could live a similar lifestyle in Malta for a £1000 a month cheaper! 

The company i work for take on Uni grads for £18-20K they're aged mid twenties, no way can anyone get a mortgage or raise a family on that! failing that, there's warehouse jobs for minimum wages!

Amanda x

I have moved from Spain to Malta.  As far as future prospects are concerned I do believe they will have a much better chance here than in Spain, as far as I can see, Spain is in SERIOUS economic trouble at the moment, running approximately 40% unemployment, and I'm afraid its very much jobs for the boys.  It is highly unlikely that a non Spanish person will be given a job over a Spaniard.

What are the actual ages of your kids.  There is Junior college (6th form) will does allow late starts for courses and then there is the University of Malta which has some great courses.

Then there is MATSEC which is more vocational qualifications.

Either of them could be an option for your kids.

When are you thinking of coming here.  Junior College applications are in August, I think it is similar for UoM but don't quote me on it.  Term starts in October. 

My daughter is going to attend Junior College in October (she is 17).  Where abouts in Spain are you coming from?

Opportunities in the UK are also scarce (not as much as Spain though).  UK would not be my first choice of places to go.  With a list of pro's and con's it doesn't do well, taking all life factors into account. 

A lot will depend on what your kids would like to do, or if they are not sure, take a course that will give them the widest choice next steps.  If they have no particular interest in a specific career, HSBC call centre always has some job opportunities with training provided.  Call centre work is not for everybody but its as good a place as any to start.

Here are a couple of links for you to have a look through regarding your kids if it helps.

MATSEC COLLEGE

http://www.jc.um.edu.mt/

http://www.um.edu.mt/

I wish you luck.

I don't know what it's like to live there so I cant argue with you....but on the flip side...you havent lived in Malta long enough to know where I'm coming from. Give it...say...3 years...if you make it that long...and then tell me what you think.

Native New Yorker,

Have you lived in Spain?  It is difficult to do a comparison if not.

Malta has been a HUGE part of my life for over 30 years, so I feel confident that I am a little more aware than most tourists and while there are limited opportunities, there are still some and if you are not happy, then you have a great platform from which to launch yourself at the rest of the world.  A lot depends upon how much work and effort you are prepared to put in. 

Incentive in the UK is one of the biggest problems, it is too easy to quit before you start and fall into the world of benefits.  Many people are apathetic, particularly the young, but then I also feel for them....  they do not see much to look forward to.  Isn't it up to us to point out the future and help steer them towards it, even if that includes kicking them up the butt occasionally to get going.

Also, I am not blinkered to the world and quite aware of the good and the bad points of the places I choose to live.  We are in a 'world' recession, it will affect prospects everywhere but I still feel you will be better armed to take on the challenges from Malta (and its stronger economy) with an education from here than you would be from Spain or UK at the moment.

But hey,  that's just my opinion. 

I am sure I will survive for 3 years,  unless I do too much driving that is!!

Ok..you shut me up lucyanya..lol. It's just hard to see your kids and relatives struggling...my kids are in their early 20's and I see no future for them. Unfortunately...you need a lot of money to jump off the platform into the rest of the world...and it's hard to do that on Malta's minimum wage. Most kids here are stuck. But I guess it's like that everywhere....Just want people to know that it's not that easy here either.

Believe me, my intention was not to shut anybody up.  I completely understand from where your viewpoint comes.  The minimum wage here is very restrictive,.... tough times.

We are not rich, far from it sadly.  However, I have access to the internet and its FULL  of free study material..(much to my kids dismay) snigger.

I agree, the more money available the easier it is to take on the world, but not having it has never stopped me and if anything, has made me more resourceful (and bloody minded).

I truly wish your kids luck for the future and I am sure they will find something in the end.

I completely empathsize with you Native New Yorker...I have family and friends in the same boat. My friends who had money to leave did...and the others feel like you said...STUCK. My kids are still in their early teens but I think/worry about it every day. But like the others said...where do you go? Even people from the US are looking for places to bail out.

I also agree on the 3 year trial period...lol. Funny how you start out here all bright eyed and cheery and slowly...maybe even quickly...you start to feel like a beaten dog.

mgrima68 wrote:

Funny how you start out here all bright eyed and cheery and slowly...maybe even quickly...you start to feel like a beaten dog.

Yeah - that's how we feel - took us <18 months. But it's all relative: to what you came from and your personality etc

One thing - this is an expat forum- so there are going to be a lot of people here who are disillusioned with their native country or where they moved here from - that needs to be kept in mind when weighing up comments.

Just my opinion of course!

Tim

To be honest I think that is par for the course.  We are all eternally optimistic and look to any move with a lot of hope and aspiration for a better life.  Unfortunately, life catches up and our rose tinted glasses get fingerprints on the lenses.  We can't let it beat us though. 

Onward and upward, one of our other great human traits is adaptability, if its not working then we have to change it.  For some its a move somewhere new, or back to what we know or even something else.  It has to be what suits each person.  We are all different and that's what makes it all so interesting.

I've just read through this and it smacks of a little hippy but I really do believe it.

Peace Man

Native New Yorker says: Yes..you're right...but at least the wages are better there. If you don't have a degree or specialize in something...your kids will never leave the house.

The wages aren't better in the UK.  Both my partner and I had huge amounts of experience in our particular fields and were in  management positions in S.Africa when we arrived in the UK 10 years ago. It took us nearly a year to find a a job that wasn't in catering.  Without a degree you don't get an interview in the higher paid job market - just 'Dear John' letters of regret in reply to CV's.  'Experience' means nothing to UK companies, they will rather employ a new graduate which the graduate accepts regardless of whether it is the career path they want to follow because they are desperate to pay off their student loans. I have worked with these graduates (they will have some obscure subject like geography - but that's ok 'cos it's a degree) in retail for the past 9 years where I am paid a mediocre wage -  and in the process teach them their job, what it's like to work and survive in the big commercial world and become their mentor because I'm a 'nice' person. They get the salary, muggins does the job.We exist on a day to day basis (without benefits I might add) in very expensive London. We haven't been able to buy property here on our salaries. If one moves away from London your salary goes right down - catch 22 situation.'I would rather be skint in the sun than sitting in pea soup and cloud' - to borrow from ajwebber! Roll on 2012 and we will be on our way to Malta without any rose tinted glasses.

In an attempt to be constructively helpful I'll re-post the link to the Reed Malta Salary review - it's a couple of years old now but for my own position it is reasonably accurate (taking into account the 2 years gap and a few other extenuating circumstances whci have pushed my pay up a bit), so I presume it is for the other positions:

http://www.reedpressoffice.co.uk/docs/M … 202009.pdf

Regards
Tim

I knew I would get blasted for that remark...lol. I'm just letting people know what I , my family and friends have experienced...I have no I idea how hard it is in the UK so I can't compare. Guess Im just a spoiled American and I have only there to compare to. Just keep one thing in mind though...Malta is a SMALL island...jobs are much more limited AND the Maltese,in most cases, will hire their own before a foreigner.

your not, it's just everyone venting their own opinion and experience.

Life is tough where ever you are.  It's what you make of it that counts.

Amanda x

Thanks Tim - a level head as always - very useful Reed info.

Sorry if you felt you were being blasted, New Yorker - wasn't intended that way, just giving our experience. The English look after their own in the UK, if one doesn't quite fit their business culture mould of being reticent in opinions instead of being outspoken and honest which most South African, Australian and New Zealanders are (along with Americans!)you are deftly side-lined.
You don't even know it's happening until it's too late - that's how good they are. Am quite looking forward to interacting with straight talking Maltese, at least you know where you stand - warts and all!

When you come accross a straight talking Maltese...please let me know. I dont think I've met one in the whole 15 years I lived here. At least not one in business...Again...just my experience.

Hi Swedexpat,

Welcome to the forum.

From what I know of the jobs with the EU they are generally well paid, especially if you get posted to a foreign country. So you should be fine with an EU salary working for an EU agency and the Maltese prices.

Just make sure that you are earning well above the average Maltese income. If you give us more details of your situation we can give a more specific analysis.

Regards
Ricky

Ooh rooikat, not true about the English! The company i work for at our site are 65% Polish, My doctor is Muslim, my dentist is Asian...we even have a few scousers in there somewhere! ha ha only so they can claim jobseekers allowance tho!

Hey Amanda, not the point you were making I know, but you're mixing nationality with religion: there are many British Muslim!

Regards
Tim

Scousers are british too!

Duh, blonde moment!

calm down, calm down

there are also many British Asians

Dey do dough, don't dey

yeah.......... Britain is like a packet of revels!   Doesn't matter really though, it's the person inside that counts.

Amanda x

ajwebber wrote:

it's the person inside that counts.

Amanda x

well put

Swedexpat wrote:

And to be honest Swedes aren't exactly known for being over-friendly...

Not in my experience and they also have the coolest accent.