The total number of people in employment in Malta reached 325,631 in the fourth quarter of 2024, marking a 4.2% increase compared to the same period in the previous year, according to the latest Labour Force Survey published by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
Employment levels accounted for 65.8% of the population aged 15 and over, with unemployment recorded at 9,566 individuals, or 1.9%. The remaining 32.2% of the population, 159,510 people, were classified as inactive. The overall labour activity rate stood at 83.3%, with the highest rate of 91.7% recorded among individuals aged 25 to 54.
Out of every 100 people aged 15 to 64, an estimated 81 were in employment. The employment rate among men stood at 86.7%, while the rate for women was 73.7%. The highest concentration of employed individuals was in the 25–34 age group for both genders.
Self-employment accounted for 13.7% of those with a main job. The vast majority—289,277 workers—were engaged in full-time employment, while 36,354 held part-time jobs as their primary occupation.
On average, full-time employees worked 41.1 hours per week, while part-time employees worked 23.1 hours. The overall average working hours in the fourth quarter were 34.7 per week, reflecting an increase of 1.9 hours compared to the same quarter in 2023.
The average monthly basic salary stood at €1,997. The financial and insurance sector recorded the highest salaries. Salaries varied significantly across job roles, with those in elementary occupations earning an average of €1,239 per month, while managers received an average of €3,170.
The unemployment rate stood at 2.9%. Women made up 58.2% of the inactive population, with those over 65 years old representing the highest share of inactive individuals. The most common reason for inactivity was retirement, with 43.6% of inactive individuals citing this as their reason for not participating in the labour force.
Almost 39% of the population aged 15 and over had attained a secondary level of education or lower. Meanwhile, 38% of those in employment had completed a tertiary level of education.
