This EU Country Offers the Best Job Prospects for Graduates
Key Takeaways
1. Malta has the highest employment rate for recent graduates among EU countries.
2. In 2023, approximately 96% of new graduates in Malta found employment.
3. Malta faces labor shortages in 20 occupations across various sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and business administration.
According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, Malta had the highest employment rate for recent graduates among 22 EU countries in 2023, with nearly 96% of new graduates securing jobs. This figure significantly surpasses the EU average employment rate of 83.5%, suggesting that graduates in Malta have a strong likelihood of receiving job offers soon after finishing their studies.
Following Malta, the Netherlands, Iceland, Germany, and Austria also recorded high employment rates for recent graduates. Conversely, countries like Italy (67.5%), Greece (72.3%), Romania (74.8%), Croatia (78.2%), and Spain (78.7%) had the lowest rates. Overall, the EU has seen a steady increase in graduate employment over the past decade, reaching nearly 84% in 2023. The only notable exception to this trend was in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when the rate fell to 78.7% from 81% in 2019.
Top 20 Most In-Demand Jobs for Workers in Malta
Despite its high graduate employment rate, Malta still requires more workers to fill various positions across the country. This is partly due to its relatively small population of 542,051 (as of 2022). The 2023 EURES report on shortages and surpluses indicated that Malta faces shortages in 20 occupations across multiple industries, including manufacturing, construction, healthcare, food service and hospitality, business administration, and transportation. Some of the most in-demand professions in Malta are:
- Messengers, package deliverers, and luggage porters
- Manufacturing laborers
- Building construction laborers
- Cleaners and helpers in offices, hotels, and other establishments
- Car, taxi, and van drivers
- Security guards
- Healthcare assistants
- Childcare workers
- Shop sales assistants
- Bartenders
- Waiters
- Accounting and bookkeeping clerks
- Contact center information clerks
- Bookmakers, croupiers, and related gaming workers
- General office clerks
- Chefs
- Administrative and executive secretaries
- Office supervisors
- Business services and administration managers
- Managing directors and chief executives
Malta’s Strategy to Attract Highly-Skilled Workers Amid Labor Shortages
Given its labor shortages and small population, Malta aims to attract highly skilled workers. The country has introduced the Specialist Employee Initiative (SEI), which offers an alternative for highly skilled third-country nationals (TCNs) who do not qualify for the Key Employee Initiative but possess relevant academic or technical skills for jobs in Malta. Under this program, only TCNs with a signed employment contract with a Malta-registered company are eligible to apply, as per Identita, an agency under the Maltese government.