Employment in Malta continues to grow, but wage disparities persist

The total number of persons in employment in Malta during the period from October to December 2024 increased, according to the latest Labour Force Survey published by the National Statistics Office (NSO).

The data also provides insights into average monthly salaries across different economic sectors. While wages have risen overall, discrepancies remain, with some industries benefiting more than others.

Employees in financial and insurance activities continued to command the highest wages, with average monthly salaries exceeding €2,777. However, workers in retail, transportation, accommodation, and food services saw only a marginal increase in pay, rising from €1,663 to €1,678 per month – an increase of just €15.

Similarly, salaries in public administration, education, health, and social work registered a modest increase, going from €2,079 to €2,205 per month.

Meanwhile, the manufacturing sector saw wages increase by €125 per month, bringing the average salary to €1,801.

Beyond sectoral differences, the data also highlights a wage gap by job classification. While elementary occupations had an average salary of €1,239, managerial positions continued to offer significantly higher wages, averaging €3,170 per month.

The combined average salary for employees in Malta for Q4 2024 stood at €1,997.

Labour Force Survey estimates indicate that, during the fourth quarter, total employment stood at 325,631, representing 65.8 per cent of the population aged 15 and over.

On average, 81.3 out of every 100 persons aged between 15 and 64 years were employed. The male employment rate in this age group stood at 88.1 per cent, while the female rate was 73.0 per cent. The highest share of employed individuals was recorded among those aged 25 to 34 years for both men and women.

The majority of employed persons worked on a full-time basis, totaling 289,277, while 36,354 had a part-time job as their primary employment.

On average, full-time employees worked 41.1 hours per week, whereas part-time workers worked 23.1 hours per week. The actual number of hours worked per week in Q4 2024 stood at 39 hours, an increase of 4.3 hours compared to Q4 2023.

Unemployed and inactive

The unemployment rate for Q4 2024 stood at 1.9 per cent, showing continued stability in Malta’s labour market. The largest share of unemployed persons was recorded among those aged 25 to 74 years.

Women accounted for 40.5 per cent of inactive individuals, while persons aged 65 and over made up the highest share of the inactive population.

The main reason for inactivity remained retirement or early retirement, which accounted for 43.6 per cent of inactive individuals.