Unemployment Benefits in Malta
People who lose their job can get the earnings-related Unemployment Benefit from the Department of Social Security for up to 156 working days if they register as jobseekers with the Public Employment Services (Jobsplus); heads of household who pass a means test can get Special Unemployment Benefit or Unemployment Assistance instead.
✓ From official pages ✓ Each part says when we checked
At a glance
Department of Social Security
The job market in Malta
The International Labour Organization's estimates put Malta 37th lowest of 183 countries for unemployment in 2025; the world's rate was 4.9%.
Malta's unemployment rate over the years · every country, ranked
What to do first
- Register with the public employment service, Jobsplus (Public Employment Service). Official page
- Apply for Unemployment Benefit (Benefiċċju għal Diżimpjieg): register as a jobseeker with the Public Employment Services by completing a Registration Form in person at one of their offices. Official page
- Keep up with the job-search rule while you claim (below), and keep a record of where you applied.
- Search the government's job listings on Jobsplus. Official page
- See whether you can get Unemployment Assistance (Għajnuna għal-Diżimpjieg). Official page
Unemployment Benefit (Benefiċċju għal Diżimpjieg)
Who can get it. Anyone losing their job with at least 50 weeks of contributions, at least 20 of them paid or credited in the 2 years before the claim; registered full-time jobseeker, fit and available for work, under retirement age. If the job ended through their own fault, entitlement starts 6 months after it ended.
How much. 60% of the basic weekly wage for the first 6 weeks (36 days); 55% for the following 10 weeks (60 days); 50% for the last 10 weeks (60 days). The maximum is 175% of the National Minimum Wage; the lowest amount is pegged to the National Minimum Wage.
For how long. 156 working days (paid on a 6-day week basis)
How to claim. Register as a jobseeker with the Public Employment Services by completing a Registration Form in person at one of their offices.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Looking for work while you claim
The claimant must be registered as a full-time jobseeker with the Public Employment Services and be fit for and available for work.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Keep my work search record for Malta
Free. It lists where you applied and what else you did to look for work, each line ready to copy into the form you report on. It is your own record: we send nothing to any government.
Help finding work
- The public employment service: Jobsplus (Public Employment Service)
- The government's job listings: Jobsplus
Unemployment Assistance (Għajnuna għal-Diżimpjieg)
Means-tested; the rate depends on the household. A maximum of €143.79 per week for the head of household, plus €8.15 per week for each additional eligible household member.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Health cover between jobs
Public health care is based on residence and entitlement, not on having a job: Maltese nationals, EU/EEA/Swiss nationals and legally resident third-country nationals with entitlement clearance receive it.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Questions
Is there unemployment benefit in Malta?
Yes: Unemployment Benefit (Benefiċċju għal Diżimpjieg), paid by Department of Social Security.
How much is unemployment benefit in Malta?
60% of the basic weekly wage for the first 6 weeks (36 days); 55% for the following 10 weeks (60 days); 50% for the last 10 weeks (60 days). The maximum is 175% of the National Minimum Wage; the lowest amount is pegged to the National Minimum Wage.
How long does unemployment benefit last in Malta?
156 working days (paid on a 6-day week basis)
How do I claim unemployment benefit in Malta?
Register as a jobseeker with the Public Employment Services by completing a Registration Form in person at one of their offices.
Do I have to look for work while I claim in Malta?
The claimant must be registered as a full-time jobseeker with the Public Employment Services and be fit for and available for work.
Where can I get help finding a job in Malta?
The public employment service is Jobsplus (Public Employment Service). The government lists jobs on Jobsplus.
Nearby countries
Albania
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Croatia
Gibraltar
Greece
Italy
Kosovo
Montenegro
North Macedonia
Portugal
San Marino
Serbia
Slovenia
Spain
Vatican City
Where this comes from
Every part of this page was read on an official website, and each links the page it came from and the day we checked it. Rules and amounts change, so check that page before you rely on a figure. Jobareer is not part of any government and cannot see or change a claim.
See also: unemployment rate by country · Malta's unemployment rate · unemployment in the US, state by state.