Effective 1 October 2025, Malta’s second phase of the Labour Migration Policy introduces a new advertising requirement that all employers and recruiters must follow when recruiting third-country nationals (TCNs).

Under the new system, companies must follow a clear process to hire third-country nationals (TCNs). 

• Every company that wants to hire TCNs needs to create a job ad. 
• Employers need to post each job for at least three weeks. 
• They should use the Jobsplus portal and the EURES (European Employment Services) platform. 
• They must also publish the ad within two months before applying for the work permit.

Some categories have a shorter job advertising period. For example, the Key Employment Initiative (KEI), Single Employment Initiative (SEI), and EU Blue Card only last two weeks. 

The goal of these updates is to make hiring clearer and fairer. This way, job seekers from Malta and the EU/EEA can apply first for open positions. Companies will hire foreign staff only after this.

Sector Exemptions

Some areas are exempt from these requirements, including:

• Health and elderly-care services
• Disability-care roles
• Professional sportspersons
• Change-of-employer applications

These sectors can continue hiring under existing processes without the three-week advertising period.

What This Means for Employers and Recruiters

• For employers and recruiters operating through Angel Jobs Malta, the new Labour Migration Policy means planning ahead is now more important than ever. 
• Companies must ensure that all job postings meet Jobsplus and EURES visibility standards before submitting any work-permit request. 
• This approach benefits job seekers too, by giving them equal access to legitimate opportunities and improving transparency across Malta’s hiring landscape. 
• The new regulation strengthens Malta’s reputation for structured, ethical recruitment, aligning the country’s labour practices with broader EU labour-market standards.

Source: Identità – Second Phase of Malta’s Labour Migration Policy