Part Time Jobs Malta Students Can Take: 2026 Rules and Pay

Short answer: part time jobs Malta students can take are common in cafés, restaurants, shops, call centres and tutoring, but the rules depend on your passport. The University of Malta says non-EU/EEA students who want to work must hold an e-residence permit and may work no more than 20 hours a week, with an employment licence arranged through Jobsplus before the first shift. EU, EEA and Swiss students can work without a work permit. Many student jobs pay close to the 2026 adult minimum wage of €229.44 for a 40-hour week, about €5.74 an hour, so 20 hours a week brings in roughly €115 gross. That helps, but it does not cover rent on its own. Figures last checked October 2026 and pre-Budget 2027 (26 October); this is general information, not legal advice.

Every September I see the same notices in café windows around Msida and Gżira, and the same question from new students: “Can I work, and how much will I really earn?” Here is the honest answer, with the rules first, because breaking them can cost you your permit.

The rules: who can work and how much

Sources: University of Malta International Office, “Working in Malta”; ELT Council procedure for third-country national students; Jobsplus. Last checked October 2026. Rules change; confirm with Jobsplus, Identità and your institution before starting work.

Non-EU students: the 20-hour rule in practice

• Get the permit first. Your e-residence permit must be valid, and your employer applies for the employment licence through Jobsplus. A receipt for a pending application is not permission to work.
• Count every hour. Twenty hours means twenty across all jobs, including “just helping out” at a friend’s café.
• Keep your contract and payslips. They are your proof of working within the limit when you renew your permit.
• Do not let work push your studies below the attendance or progress your permit requires.

EU students

EU, EEA and Swiss students can work like any other EU citizen. Your employer registers your employment with Jobsplus, and if you live here for more than three months you register your residence with Identità; our Malta e-ID guide explains the residence card and online login.

Common student jobs and what they pay

Pay descriptions are general; the legal floor is the national minimum wage or a higher sector Wage Regulation Order. Last checked October 2026.

Minimum wage maths for students

In 2026 the national minimum wage for workers aged 18 and over is €229.44 for a 40-hour week (Legal Notice 289 of 2025), which works out at about €5.74 an hour. Part-time workers are paid pro rata. Here is what that means for typical student schedules:

My calculations from the 2026 national minimum wage, before deductions. Budget 2027, due on 26 October 2026, is expected to set the 2027 cost-of-living increase, so the rate may change from January. Many jobs pay more than the minimum; some sectors have higher legal minimums.

For the full picture of the minimum wage, statutory bonuses and part-time rules, see our Malta minimum wage guide.

Summer jobs and the tourist season

Malta’s busiest hiring months run from spring into early autumn, when hotels, beach clubs, restaurants, boat-trip operators and summer language schools need extra staff. Jobsplus also runs a summer jobs bank for seasonal work. For students this can be the most practical time to work more hours, because lectures stop, but the immigration limits still apply to non-EU students outside term time, so check your permit conditions before you say yes to a 40-hour summer contract.

Three tips for summer work: start asking in March or April, when businesses plan their summer teams; ask for the contract in writing, including hours, breaks and how tips are shared; and protect your health in the heat, with water, sun protection and proper breaks on long outdoor shifts. Summer work also comes with a social upside: you will meet colleagues from all over Europe and beyond, and some of them will become the friends you go to the beach with on your day off.

Tax and social security basics

• Income tax: under the 2026 single rates, the first €12,000 of annual chargeable income is taxed at 0%. A student working 20 hours a week at the minimum wage earns well under that, so may pay little or no income tax. Your employer deducts tax under the Final Settlement System if any is due.
• Social security: contributions are normally deducted from wages. Check your payslip and ask HR if you do not understand a deduction.
• Tax number: your employer will need your tax and social security details; ask what they need before your first day.
• Keep records: payslips and the annual statement your employer gives you are useful for permit renewals and for any tax return in your home country.

This is general information, not tax advice; the Malta Tax and Customs Administration publishes the official rates.

Your rights as a student worker

Part-time does not mean fewer rights. Under Maltese employment law, part-timers are entitled to pro-rata pay and conditions compared with full-time staff doing the same job, including paid leave and the statutory bonuses in proportion to their hours. In practice, that means:

• a written contract or statement of terms with your hours, pay and notice period;
• a payslip showing gross pay and deductions;
• pay at least at the national minimum wage or your sector’s Wage Regulation Order rate;
• pro-rata annual leave and public holiday entitlements;
• the right to raise a complaint with the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER) if you are underpaid.

If an employer suggests skipping the contract “to keep things simple”, that is a red flag, especially for non-EU students whose permits depend on legal, declared work.

Where to find student jobs

1. Jobsplus, the public employment service, lists vacancies online.
2. Private job boards for hospitality, retail and office roles.
3. Walk in with a CV to cafés and shops in Sliema, St Julian’s and Valletta, especially from March to May before the summer season.
4. Your university or school: notice boards, faculty emails and student organisations.
5. Classmates and flatmates: many student jobs are filled by recommendation before they are ever advertised.

Our guide to jobs in Malta for English speakers covers sectors, job sites and CV tips in more depth.

A student budget with a part-time job

Last checked October 2026. Living-cost estimates from the University of Malta International Office.

The point is not to discourage you: part-time work makes life more comfortable and gives you local experience for your CV. It just rarely pays the rent alone. Our guide to studying in Malta covers the bigger budget, and the University of Malta guide for international students covers fees and permits.

Balancing work, study and a social life

The students I know who enjoy their year here treat their job as one part of a week, not the whole of it:

• Cap your hours in exam periods, and tell your employer early.
• Choose shifts that leave one free evening and one free weekend morning for friends, sport or a swim.
• Use work as a social circle too: colleagues in cafés and shops are often other students and newcomers.
• Keep plans cheap and clear: on a student wage, “everyone pays their own” or a free plan such as a beach afternoon or a promenade walk makes saying yes easy.

Our guide to student life in Malta has weekly plans that fit around lectures and shifts.

Before you accept any offer, ask for the hours, the hourly rate, how and when you will be paid and whether you will get a written contract, and check that the job fits your permit conditions and course timetable. Keep your own record of hours worked and compare it with each payslip. If something does not add up, raise it early and politely; most problems with student jobs come from misunderstandings that are easy to fix in the first week and much harder after a month. Planning your work around exam periods, and telling your employer about them in advance, also saves a lot of stress later in the term.

Part time jobs Malta students: FAQ

Can international students work in Malta?

Yes, within rules. The University of Malta says non-EU/EEA registered students who want to work must hold an e-residence permit and must not exceed 20 working hours a week, and an employment licence through Jobsplus is needed before starting. EU, EEA and Swiss students can work without a work permit.

How many hours can students work in Malta?

Non-EU students are limited to 20 hours a week. English-language students at licensed schools have historically had a similar 20-hour limit, subject to course length and permit conditions. EU students are not limited by immigration rules, but should keep enough time for their studies.

How much do student jobs pay in Malta?

Many student jobs pay close to the national minimum wage, which for adults is €229.44 for a 40-hour week in 2026, about €5.74 an hour. Twenty hours a week at that rate is roughly €115 gross a week. Tips, sector wage orders and skills can raise it. Budget 2027 may change the rate.

Do students pay tax on part-time jobs in Malta?

Income tax depends on total annual income; under the 2026 single rates the first €12,000 is taxed at 0%, so many students on part-time hours pay little or no income tax. Social security contributions are normally deducted from wages. Check your payslip and the Malta Tax and Customs Administration for your case.

Where can students find part-time jobs in Malta?

Jobsplus vacancies, private job boards, hospitality and retail businesses in Sliema, St Julian’s and Valletta, call centres, tutoring and word of mouth through classmates and societies.

Can students work before their permit is approved?

No. Non-EU students should not start work, including trial shifts, until they have the required residence permit and employment licence. A pending application is not permission to work.