The Malta Salary & Tax Calculator

💸 PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT SAVINGS POT

✅ Josef Camilleri emphasises that the well-being of people in retirement depends on how well they are prepared for it.
→ Camilleri, the current head of products and distribution at HSBC Life Assurance (Malta) Ltd., points out that the ...current state pension in Malta might not sustain one's present-day lifestyle.
→ Achieving goals of financial security is more likely to be met if one starts saving early for retirement.
→ Age is a significant factor in crafting an investment strategy, as having more time until retirement allows for a greater capacity to take on risk.

✅ Unit-linked, long-term insurance contracts offer an effective way to save for retirement.
→ These contracts allow for converting monthly payments into units at a specified price, ensuring a constant number of units purchased despite fluctuations in price and value.
→ In general, these policies use a dual pricing system, purchasing units at the 'offer' price and selling them at the 'bid' price, which is often at a lower rate.
→ Upon retirement, the units are sold at the current bid price, allowing regular withdrawals with an option for a lump sum.

✅ Individuals saving for retirement in Malta can benefit from a tax credit of up to €750 yearly.
→ A tax-exempt lump sum of 30% of the policy value can be withdrawn at retirement, which is meant to encourage more people to save for their future.
→ It's important to understand that policies may feature bid or offer charges, annual management fees, or policy fees and allocation rates, which can vary depending on the provider.
→ Some providers opt for positive allocation rates, therefore boosting investments by increasing the amount that goes directly into one's retirement savings.

✅ There are risks associated with investing in unit-linked contracts due to market fluctuations.
→ Completing a risk profile assessment helps individuals understand their comfort level with risk and their capability to handle any potential losses.
→ Hiring a financial adviser can further assist in choosing suitable investments which also align with one's financial goals.
→ However, historical data suggests that markets tend to outperform the traditional savings methods in the long run.

Read the Article! 👇
https://timesofmalta.com/article/from-contributions-units-building-retirement-pot.1090115

💸 SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS BEHIND IGAMING IN MALTA

✅ Partnerships in the iGaming sector are crucial for increasing brand awareness and market presence.
→ Malta has emerged as a hotspot for growth and innovation in the iGaming industry.
→ This is due to the country's ...favourable legislation and a blooming entrepreneurial environment.
→ The partnerships go beyond sharing resources, as they extend to teaming up online or at events to access new markets and unlock the latest technologies.
→ Consequently, this leads to greater brand recognition among consumers.

✅ The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has a significant role in regulating the sector.
→ The island's clear regulatory framework is instrumental in attracting international partnerships.
→ The iGaming sector contributes approximately 12% to Malta's GDP.
→ A report by iGaming Business emphasises that partnerships between software providers and gaming operators can enhance brand visibility up to 30%.
→ In addition, collaborative marketing and sponsorships contribute to boosting brand awareness beyond what could be achieved individually.

✅ Partnerships between online casinos, affiliate sites and gaming providers have proven to be especially impactful.
→ Besides having improved the gaming experience and attracting a larger audience, the partnerships also help build a good reputation and increase reliability.
→ For instance, the collaboration between QuiGioco and Kensho Media represents a partnership which ensures brand visibility and proper standards of compliance and security.

✅ Malta is a prime example that the partnerships in iGaming strengthen the market position and foster sustainable growth of brands.

Read the Article! 👇
https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/business/tech/128131/malta_and_igaming_the_successful_ecosystem_based_on_partnerships

💸 INFLATION WIPES OUT SALARY RISES

✅ Over the past two years, wage increases failed to offset rapid inflation.
→ The report by KPMG highlighted that wages in Malta increased just 1.5% in the last year, which was the lowest rise in the EU.
→ Consequently, real wages have ...remained essentially unchanged since 2018.
→ The purchasing power of employees in 2023 is expected to come out negative due to the inflation jump of 5.7%
→ Although wages saw an increase from €18.967 in 2018 to €22.032 last year, the surge in prices nullified the growth, leaving the real income almost constant at €18.359.

✅ The labour market is facing various challenges.
→ KPMG's report revealed an anticipated increase in unemployment over the next two years, possibly reaching 2.9%.
→ Reasons contributing to the challenges include skill shortages and worker scarcities.
→ Businesses are facing difficulties in retaining existing staff and filling vacant positions.
→ Last September witnessed a higher number of job terminations than hires.

✅ Foreign workers are leaving their jobs in Malta within a year.
→ Despite their significance to the country's economy, KPMG highlights certain difficulties the workers pose.
→ One of the issues stems from the short stays, as a quarter of these workers leave within one year.
→ This situation could deter employers from investing in the workers' training, thereby compromising workforce quality.

Read the Article! 👇
https://timesofmalta.com/article/salary-increases-entirely-eaten-inflation-report.1089491

💸 WORKING POPULATION RISES BY 3.4%

✅ Malta's working population has experienced a growth of 3.4%.
→ The National Statistics Office (NSO) reported a rise in the number of employed persons to 305.218.
→ The NSO reported that 14.4% of individuals holding a main job were ...self-employed.
→ Nonetheless, the majority of employed individuals worked on a full-time basis and amounted to 268.640.
→ 36.578 individuals were engaged in part-time employment as their primary job, marking an increase from the data provided in September.

✅ In the fourth quarter of 2023, full-time workers averaged 41.1 hours per week, while part-time workers averaged 22.2 hours.
→ However, the confirmed average weekly working hours were actually 32.7.
→ This marks a decrease of 1.2 hours compared to the same quarter in 2022.

✅ The average monthly salary was estimated at €1.837, reflecting an increase from the previous year's €1.787.
→ Notably, the Financial and insurance activities sector boasted the highest basic salary.
→ The average monthly salaries ranged from €1.120 among employees in elementary occupations to €2.959 for managers.

✅ 35.3% of employed individuals had a tertiary level of education qualifications.

✅ The unemployment rate stood at 2.9%, with 43.3% attributing their inactivity to (early) retirement.

Read the Article! 👇
https://timesofmalta.com/article/working-population-34.1089135

💸 THE GOVERNMENT IS EQUALISING PAY FOR TEMPORARY WORKERS

✅ The Minister for Equality announced that the government is working on ensuring equal pay for temporary workers.
→ Minister Chris Fearne addressed the topic at the conference hosted by the National Commission for the ...Promotion of Equality.
→ He emphasised that individuals employed through temping agencies in the private sector must receive equal pay compared to those not engaged through third-party entities.

✅ Temporary workers are among the lowest-paid individuals in Malta.
→ The workers are typically contracted through agencies.
→ Fearne noted that the temporary workers are predominantly women, who mostly engage in clerical, caring and cleaning work.

✅ The government has implemented measures in the public sector that guarantee temporary workers receive equal pay.
→ Collaboration with the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations is underway to extend these measures to the private sector.
→ Although everyone would benefit from the new measures, the minister emphasised its importance in lowering the pay gap between men and women.

✅ Chris Fearne noted that changes in legislation will be implemented in the coming weeks.

Read the Article! 👇
https://timesofmalta.com/article/government-ensure-equal-pay-temps-private-sector-chris-fearne.1088023

💸 IMPROVED WORK CONDITIONS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS

✅ A collective agreement has been reached for employees of Infrastructure Malta.
→ The negotiations lasted several months between Infrastructure Malta and the General Workers Union (GWU).
→ The agreement contains ...several benefits, such as salary increases and improved working conditions.
→ CEO Ivan Falzon signed the agreement which covers the period from 2021 to 2027.
→ Transport Minister Chris Bonett, Permanent Secretary within the Ministry Godwin Mifsud, and the GWU's Secretary General Josef Bugeja were all present at the signing.

✅ The agreement demonstrates the company's commitment to supporting Malta's infrastructure and the well-being of its workers.
→ Bonett also emphasised the government's commitment to prioritising employees.
→ CEO Falzon highlighted the collective dedication to reach the agreement and promised to continue the prioritisation of workers and overall professional development.
→ GWU's Darmanin explained the improvement of employees' financial situation, career advancement opportunities, and family-friendly initiatives.

✅ Darmanin further emphasises that in addition to addressing current needs, the union remains steadfast in addressing the ongoing needs of workers.

Read the Article! 👇
https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2024-03-12/local-news/New-collective-agreement-to-offer-better-conditions-for-Infrastructure-Malta-workers-6736259344

💸 WOMEN CONTINUE TO BATTLE FOR WORKPLACE EQUALITY

✅ Even though more women are occupying top management positions, men are still dominating the leadership roles.
→ A survey conducted by Equileap revealed women only make up 7% of CEOs and 17% of finance directors in big ...corporations in developed countries.
→ Although women's share in senior and leadership roles has been increasing over the past 5 years, Equileap's CEO Diana van Maasdijk noted that the battle for equality remains.
→ The World Economic Forum's report highlighted the percentage of women appointed to leadership roles increased from just over 33% in 2016 to almost 37% in 2022.

✅ Work structures have been built to accommodate men.
→ Tara Cemlyn-Jones, the CEO of 25x25, noted that work structures built over the last 200 years have not been accommodating towards female employees, and emphasised that the solution lies within conscious efforts.
→ The inequalities are present globally, as the US saw less than 6% of women as company directors and approximately 30% of females occupied board seats in Great Britain.
→ A survey by Deloitte, which researched a total of 10.500 companies in 51 countries, found that 1 in 5 board members were women, and only 1 in 20 were chief executives.

✅ Some countries have introduced quotas to fix the gender imbalance in the work field.
→ France enforced a law which mandated that company boards must consist of at least 40% women.
→ The results have been effective, as France came out on top in Equileap's ranking for gender equality in companies, evaluating on criteria such as pay, leave, and protection from harassment.
→ While the quotas have helped to increase the involvement of women, it still predominantly takes place in fields such as human resources and marketing.
→ In countries such as Germany, Italy and Spain, women remain underrepresented in CEO positions, with only a few female CEOs leading influential companies.

✅ Women's representation is predicted to keep growing in the future.
→ France also introduced a law with a target of at least 30% of women in executive roles by 2026, and 40% by 2029.
→ Investors can wield a significant influence over gender representation.

✅ Malta is facing the same situation, as women are underrepresented in top leadership positions.
→ The Gender Equality Index (GEI) reported that in Malta's biggest companies, there are only 16 women for every 100 board members.
→ Overall, the country ranks 14th among the 27 Member States.
→ The European Institute for Gender Equality noted that Malta is 'catching up', and despite lower index scores, the country is making improvements at a faster rate.

Read the Article! 👇
https://timesofmalta.com/article/women-battle-equality-top-business-jobs.1087639

💸 STUDY ASSESSING KEY TRENDS IN EUROPEAN EMPLOYMENT

✅ EUROFOUND, an EU agency for the improvement of living and working conditions, will conduct a survey among 50.000 Europeans about employment trends.
→ The main research fields include a better understanding of work-life ...quality, improving mental health levels of employees, as well as job satisfaction.
→ The survey aims to cover 25 countries within the EU bloc and beyond, and the study is considered one of the largest of its kind on the continent to enhance understanding of the current work reality for men and women.
→ EUROFOUND will conduct the research among Maltese workers.

✅ This marks the sixth edition of the European Working Conditions Survey, with the previous one conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2021.
→ In the last survey results, it was revealed that 1/4 of Malta's respondents felt their health and safety were compromised through working conditions, with respondents expressing concern about the effects of work on their mental health, and struggling to make ends meet.
→ Rebecca Gera, one of the conductors of the research, emphasised that the survey results may differ greatly from the last one because of the changing work environment.
→ Different survey results are also expected due to remote working becoming more common after the pandemic, with employees giving more importance to their work-life balance.
→ The survey overall aims to reveal concerning work environments which can put workers at risk, while keeping an eye on areas where improvements need to happen.

✅ The survey can benefit both individuals and shape local work environments.
→ The survey is an important tool in shaping policies that have an impact on various professional settings in Malta and beyond.
→ Workers participating in the survey will remain anonymous, with no employee-specific data being released.
→ One of the survey's pivotal points is monitoring trends that are happening in the workplace.
→ Rebecca Gera specified that by comparing the complex work experiences, policymakers can enforce measures which could create a better work environment and ensure fair treatment for all employees.

✅ Households across both Malta and Gozo will be contacted.
→ The interviews will happen in person at the selected households.
→ Additionally, a further random selection of individual employees will be made to further enhance the reliability of the findings.

✅ The first results of the research are expected in 2025.

Read the Article! 👇
https://timesofmalta.com/article/study-assess-key-trends-employment-among-50000-europeans.1085746

💸 THE RISE OF FOREIGN TALENT IN MALTESE WORKPLACES

✅ Foreign talent in Malta is winning the 'Employee of the Year' title.
→ The demographic landscape of Malta has been undergoing continual transformation, and the trend has also reached the workplaces.
→ Two ...well-known Maltese companies, Vivian Corporation and GO, have awarded the 'Employee of the Year' titles to non-Maltese workers.
→ The first recipient of the award is Slavcho Ilievski, a Network Solutions Technician at GO since 2021, who has been described as a key pillar behind the company's network solutions.
→ Indika Thilakarathne, the second winner and a pharmaceutical warehouse supervisor at Vivian, was described as a worker who is loved, full of initiative and always ready to help others.

✅ There are many factors which may contribute to foreign workers in Malta appearing more spirited and driven in their work.
→ It can be speculated that non-Maltese workers depend more on their employment in Malta, therefore putting in greater effort, while Maltese workers are more relaxed in their approach.
→ Godfrey Baldacchino, a Professor of Sociology at the University of Malta does not find non-Maltese employees being recognised at their workplace surprising, since there are over 100.000 foreign workers in Malta, making it reasonable for them to receive recognition for their work.
→ The Professor also explained that individuals in foreign countries have additional motivation and drive to do well in order to prove that moving abroad was the right choice.
→ Baldacchino points out the unclear distinction of the term 'non-Maltese', as a lot of these individuals have been long-term residents of the country and some of them have a high level of proficiency in Maltese.

✅ Cultural enrichment and diversity are gaining importance in Malta.
→ Vivian's managing director Denise Borg Manche emphasised the importance of equality and multiculturalism at the company, highlighting Indika's role in deepening the understanding of cultural backgrounds and helping to diversify the workplace.
→ Awards such as the 'Employee of the Year' are based on performance and reflection of the company's values, as Mandy Calleja, the Head of Corporate Communications at GO specified.
→ Calleja further explained that GO is especially proud to be a culturally diverse employer, and having a workforce consisting of people from different countries only strengthens the company's values.
→ The Professor at the University of Malta pointed out that having multicultural and diverse workplaces in Malta is an opportunity for the country.

Read the Article! 👇
https://timesofmalta.com/article/foreign-talent-starts-shining-maltese-workplaces.1085755