Malta as a new direction for IT professionals
If you thought about the sun, the sea and yachts - then you understood correctly.
The sun shines here most of the year, and even in the winter, which is sometimes rainy, often the clouds evaporate and all your problems melt away in the sun. At least with me it is.
')
The climate is suitable for all lovers of sun and sea. Almost always sunny, even in winter. Although once in 3 years the winter is very rainy, and at a temperature of +14 and the wind can be quite cool. But the island blooms with greenery!
The Republic of Malta is located in the Mediterranean Sea, in the Maltese archipelago 93 km south of the island of Sicily. It consists of two inhabited islands of Malta and Gozo and one little inhabited island of Comino (from wiki).
The main island is Malta. There is the capital Valletta and the whole business. Gozo is more for living away from the noise, and Comino is known for a magnificent blue lagoon.
Blue lagoon
I live on the island of Malta. Although it is the largest of the 3 islands, its length is no more than 30 km, and its width is 15 km. But it is not felt at all. When you live some time on the island, 5 km seem a great distance.
The best way to get to know the island is to take hop on hop off tours. So you can visit the most interesting places, and although there are not very many of them here, some of them are amazing. For example, Ħaġar Qim - The Megalithic Temples of Malta is one of the most ancient on the planet (3600-3200 BC). Or Skorba Temples - although there is little left, there are signs of the very first settlers, who are almost 7 thousand years old. In such places there are special feelings.
By the way, there is another museum in Malta where animals that once inhabited the island are represented, for example, elephants ...
There are no dangerous insects in Malta and sharks prefer the coast of Sicily.
The beaches are both sandy and stone. But they are all small because of what is often clogged holidaymakers.
Due to low taxes (relative to other EU countries), Malta is very attractive for foreign companies, and especially for iGaming companies. Perhaps the largest foreign company in Malta - Betsson Group has about 1,000 employees. Most of its IT office is also located on the island.
Low taxes and a warm climate are also attractive for start-ups, in connection with which there are too many of them and companies such as startupmalta gradually emerge. But the startup sphere is still in the early stages of its development and therefore not interested in recruiters. Further in the article I will tell about this in more detail.
I myself came to Malta 3 years ago through a recruiter who offered a job in a German company in the field of horse betting. At that time I only heard about Malta, but knew nothing. I was curious and so I found myself on the island.
I mentioned above that taxes are low in Malta. For employees, taxation is applied on a scale from 0 to a maximum of 35% (if annual income exceeds € 60,000)
More details can be found here . A very convenient calculator, enter your estimated annual income, choose the type of taxation and find out how much you will get.
The average salary before taxes at IT in Malta is € 40,000 per year. Senior level programmer on average gets € 48,000 - € 50,000. Of course, there are exceptions to the increase and you can also agree on a social package, for example, private health insurance can be included as a bonus.
As a rule, we need senior and middle level specialists. Front-end, Backend, Fullstack, DevOps, QA, Product owner. JavaScript, Node.JS, Angular, React.Js, PHP, .NET, Ruby, Python, C #, Java, SQL, etc. As I already mentioned, more and more companies are coming to the island and the list of technologies is expanding, which leads to the emergence of demand for the widest range of IT specialists.
For start-up projects, Front-end, Backend and less often CTO are most often required. The most popular technologies: JavaScript, PHP, Node.js, AngularJS, ReactJS. Also experience in developing hybrid mobile applications (Ionic, React Native, Cordova).
Middle level specialists should also look towards start-up projects. Since the requirements of startups are a little softer, especially with regard to knowledge of the English language. But, like large companies, many startups offer a relocation package, which most often includes the cost of the first flight and the first 2 weeks of rental housing.
Startup projects, in my opinion, are most suitable for young and non-family (or without children) specialists. Yet the life cycle of a startup project is unknown and it’s not so easy to move with children every year or a year and a half. On the other hand, there is always a chance to later switch to a new project or settle in with the iGaming company.
Due to the high demand for IT specialists, the state has simplified the procedure (fewer pieces of paper are necessary and do not refuse). From the moment your documents are accepted, you can legally stay on the island even after the expiration of your visa, but you cannot travel outside of Malta. A list of documents and all relevant details can be found here .
In most cases, wages are transferred to a bank account at a local bank. To open an account, in addition to the standard set of documents, you must have a letter from your bank (reference letter), where you have a r / sc, that you are a reliable and conscientious client. Moreover, it is worthwhile to clarify in advance with your bank whether they will be able to promptly respond to a request for your good faith through the interbank SWIFT system.
However, it is possible to circumvent this requirement by contacting Banif Bank, which, so be it, will open your account and issue a card, but will require a deposit of € 500 and you will have to withdraw at least € 50 each month to replenish the deposit. All that accumulates on the deposit will be returned to you after the account has been closed (which is nice).
Having lived for 2 years on the island and having a working contract, you may well try to get a loan for real estate at a ridiculous 3.5% per annum. 30% down payment
Medical care, in my opinion, is quite a good level. Central Hospital Mater Dei is well equipped. Of the shortcomings of local medical care, and I would single out long lines. For example, to make a prophylactic ultrasound you need to wait 6-12 months. If something serious and urgent, of course, medical assistance will be provided promptly to you, and the emergency ones here are super fast.
Rent 2k, 3k apartments in good condition in popular cities will cost € 700-1200. 1k and 2k apartments are less common and the price is not much lower. I pay attention that only bedrooms are counted here, therefore 1k apartment is actually a 2 room apartment. As a rule, 2 and 3k apartments have 2 bathrooms in each of which is ensuite. All apartments are furnished and have a fully equipped kitchen. An alternative for lonely and unpretentious - to rent a room. It is much cheaper and more convenient, and very popular among young people.
Most IT companies are concentrated in the cities of St Julian's and Sliema, respectively, the cost of renting housing there is one of the highest. You have to choose - either pay more for rent and get to work in 5-10 minutes or rent an apartment in less popular cities and buy personal transport. Rent 3k, a relatively new apartment, for example, in the city of Buibba or St. Paul's Bay will be € 100-200 cheaper.
On average, per person is about 40 euros per month. It depends on how well you can save light and water.
Public transport is poorly developed here. The reason for this is the fact that in Malta in a family of 4 there are 4 cars. Because the buses run on the popular tourist routes. If you are so lucky that the bus routes coincided with yours, the cost of the bus will be approximately € 26 per month.
Prices for new Chinese scooters start at around € 1,200. You can buy used for € 500 +. For engines up to 125cc, the license is € 10 per year. For cars, the cost of an annual license starts at € 100 and depends on the age of the car and engine size.
New cars are about as in Europe or more expensive. Used cars are significantly more expensive than, for example in Germany. Toyota Yaris 2010-2011, will cost between € 6000- € 7000. An annual license of approximately € 130 +. For € 300- € 1000 here you can buy the real wreck. With your own transport you are gaining wings. You learn a lot of new places, and shopping becomes much easier.
On the island there are large supermarkets, where there is almost everything. You can also always find local shops with an assortment of all the essentials. For a family of 4 people per week, food costs € 100-120 or € 200 + if you buy bio products.
Fish is not cheap, although there is a fish market in the south of the island, where, according to eyewitnesses, the price is significantly lower than in stores.
The average bill in a restaurant for two will be around € 40. The most common cuisine is Italian. For lovers of Japanese and Chinese cuisine, too, there is something.
There are both public and private schools. In public schools, Maltese is compulsory, so for foreigners the choice is reduced to private schools, where English is the main language. The cost of private schools starts from € 1,100 / year for a primary school child + school uniform and school supplies. The garden is a bit cheaper, the upper classes are more expensive.
The level of education is average. With the adaptation of children, I had no problems - which is already a good sign.
Although this is the EU, but in Malta it has become noticeable only now. Relatively untidy streets and bad roads are still commonplace. Not a high cultural level of many Maltese can also spoil the impression. But I am glad that the younger generation thinks much more progressively and the situation began to change for the better in a fundamental way.
Many come to Malta because of the climate, but in practice they are sometimes disappointed, as it turns out that at + 15, high humidity and having a wind of 25 m / s, it can be very cold in winter. Winters are different, rainy or no rain at all. But we must remember that if Malta has a long cold winter, then what kind of winter is it in other European countries ...
Night clubs, discos and parties, from the words of colleagues - fans of entertainment, very much nothing.
For children harder. Although there is a water park and Popeye Village.
Popeye village
For those who want to learn to manage sailing and motor yachts here all the conditions. Courses cost from € 150 and you can even get a local certificate.
Several low-cost airline companies fly to Malta, including Wizz Air, Ryanair and EasyJet. There is a local airline, Malta Malta, with pretty good service. She carries out direct flights from Moscow. There are no direct flights from Kiev, but it can be reached with a transfer through Munich, Frankfurt or Istanbul. Tickets cost from € 150. From Belarus, you can get through Lithuania - Ryanair flies from Vilnius.
You can get to Sicily by ferry from Malta - return ticket costs € 40-80 depending on the season and availability of discounts. But you can fly to Catania on Ryanair for € 12.99 one way (if you follow the prices)
In general, if you buy tickets on time, the average cost per person will be € 40-50 one way.
A bit about the project itRabota.com
For 2 years a strategy has been formed, which is based on personal communication with each candidate. Sometimes people are surprised when they learn that most of the letters, especially regarding the profile and vacancies, I write with my own hand. This is not surprising, considering that everyone wants to automate as many operations as possible. But my experience has shown that it is necessary to work personally with each candidate in order to properly assess his needs and wishes for vacancies. The same applies to working with companies and recruiters - I personally discuss with all the requirements for vacancies.
To make time for personal communication, I automate the process of collecting information.
itRabota.com has recently been completely rebuilt. An additional domain resuma.io also appeared .
So, there are 2 profile types at your disposal:
Resume is constantly being improved. About this I will write a separate article.
By the way, all services are free!
There are many jobs and the demand for IT specialists is huge (which you already knew)
For example, only in Germany more than 50 vacancies. All with visa support and almost all with the relocation package. The technologies are the same as those mentioned above - JavaScript, Node.JS, Angular, React.Js, PHP, .NET, ASP.NET, Ruby, Python, C #, Java, SQL ...
I also talked about working in start-up projects and that there are vacancies for strong midles. I will cite as an example the vacancy of one start-up project, the founders of which I know personally.
Front-End Web Developer
Core skills: JavaScript / ES6, ReactJs (React Native)
Experience: 3+ years
Industry: iGaming (football related)
Work on creating an application for React Native has just begun. The team is young but experienced.
Salary from € 30,000 to € 40,000 per year. At € 40,000 after tax, € 2,500 per month will remain. The company pays for the flight to Malta, 2 weeks of residence, private insurance and compensates € 250 per year for the gym.
If you have questions about Malta, I will be glad to answer!
The sun shines here most of the year, and even in the winter, which is sometimes rainy, often the clouds evaporate and all your problems melt away in the sun. At least with me it is.
')
The climate is suitable for all lovers of sun and sea. Almost always sunny, even in winter. Although once in 3 years the winter is very rainy, and at a temperature of +14 and the wind can be quite cool. But the island blooms with greenery!
The Republic of Malta is located in the Mediterranean Sea, in the Maltese archipelago 93 km south of the island of Sicily. It consists of two inhabited islands of Malta and Gozo and one little inhabited island of Comino (from wiki).
The main island is Malta. There is the capital Valletta and the whole business. Gozo is more for living away from the noise, and Comino is known for a magnificent blue lagoon.
Blue lagoon
I live on the island of Malta. Although it is the largest of the 3 islands, its length is no more than 30 km, and its width is 15 km. But it is not felt at all. When you live some time on the island, 5 km seem a great distance.
The best way to get to know the island is to take hop on hop off tours. So you can visit the most interesting places, and although there are not very many of them here, some of them are amazing. For example, Ħaġar Qim - The Megalithic Temples of Malta is one of the most ancient on the planet (3600-3200 BC). Or Skorba Temples - although there is little left, there are signs of the very first settlers, who are almost 7 thousand years old. In such places there are special feelings.
By the way, there is another museum in Malta where animals that once inhabited the island are represented, for example, elephants ...
There are no dangerous insects in Malta and sharks prefer the coast of Sicily.
The beaches are both sandy and stone. But they are all small because of what is often clogged holidaymakers.
Work in IT
Due to low taxes (relative to other EU countries), Malta is very attractive for foreign companies, and especially for iGaming companies. Perhaps the largest foreign company in Malta - Betsson Group has about 1,000 employees. Most of its IT office is also located on the island.
Low taxes and a warm climate are also attractive for start-ups, in connection with which there are too many of them and companies such as startupmalta gradually emerge. But the startup sphere is still in the early stages of its development and therefore not interested in recruiters. Further in the article I will tell about this in more detail.
I myself came to Malta 3 years ago through a recruiter who offered a job in a German company in the field of horse betting. At that time I only heard about Malta, but knew nothing. I was curious and so I found myself on the island.
Taxes
I mentioned above that taxes are low in Malta. For employees, taxation is applied on a scale from 0 to a maximum of 35% (if annual income exceeds € 60,000)
More details can be found here . A very convenient calculator, enter your estimated annual income, choose the type of taxation and find out how much you will get.
IT salaries
The average salary before taxes at IT in Malta is € 40,000 per year. Senior level programmer on average gets € 48,000 - € 50,000. Of course, there are exceptions to the increase and you can also agree on a social package, for example, private health insurance can be included as a bonus.
Jobs
As a rule, we need senior and middle level specialists. Front-end, Backend, Fullstack, DevOps, QA, Product owner. JavaScript, Node.JS, Angular, React.Js, PHP, .NET, Ruby, Python, C #, Java, SQL, etc. As I already mentioned, more and more companies are coming to the island and the list of technologies is expanding, which leads to the emergence of demand for the widest range of IT specialists.
For start-up projects, Front-end, Backend and less often CTO are most often required. The most popular technologies: JavaScript, PHP, Node.js, AngularJS, ReactJS. Also experience in developing hybrid mobile applications (Ionic, React Native, Cordova).
Middle level specialists should also look towards start-up projects. Since the requirements of startups are a little softer, especially with regard to knowledge of the English language. But, like large companies, many startups offer a relocation package, which most often includes the cost of the first flight and the first 2 weeks of rental housing.
Startup projects, in my opinion, are most suitable for young and non-family (or without children) specialists. Yet the life cycle of a startup project is unknown and it’s not so easy to move with children every year or a year and a half. On the other hand, there is always a chance to later switch to a new project or settle in with the iGaming company.
Work permit
Due to the high demand for IT specialists, the state has simplified the procedure (fewer pieces of paper are necessary and do not refuse). From the moment your documents are accepted, you can legally stay on the island even after the expiration of your visa, but you cannot travel outside of Malta. A list of documents and all relevant details can be found here .
Banks
In most cases, wages are transferred to a bank account at a local bank. To open an account, in addition to the standard set of documents, you must have a letter from your bank (reference letter), where you have a r / sc, that you are a reliable and conscientious client. Moreover, it is worthwhile to clarify in advance with your bank whether they will be able to promptly respond to a request for your good faith through the interbank SWIFT system.
However, it is possible to circumvent this requirement by contacting Banif Bank, which, so be it, will open your account and issue a card, but will require a deposit of € 500 and you will have to withdraw at least € 50 each month to replenish the deposit. All that accumulates on the deposit will be returned to you after the account has been closed (which is nice).
Having lived for 2 years on the island and having a working contract, you may well try to get a loan for real estate at a ridiculous 3.5% per annum. 30% down payment
The medicine
Medical care, in my opinion, is quite a good level. Central Hospital Mater Dei is well equipped. Of the shortcomings of local medical care, and I would single out long lines. For example, to make a prophylactic ultrasound you need to wait 6-12 months. If something serious and urgent, of course, medical assistance will be provided promptly to you, and the emergency ones here are super fast.
Rental of property
Rent 2k, 3k apartments in good condition in popular cities will cost € 700-1200. 1k and 2k apartments are less common and the price is not much lower. I pay attention that only bedrooms are counted here, therefore 1k apartment is actually a 2 room apartment. As a rule, 2 and 3k apartments have 2 bathrooms in each of which is ensuite. All apartments are furnished and have a fully equipped kitchen. An alternative for lonely and unpretentious - to rent a room. It is much cheaper and more convenient, and very popular among young people.
Most IT companies are concentrated in the cities of St Julian's and Sliema, respectively, the cost of renting housing there is one of the highest. You have to choose - either pay more for rent and get to work in 5-10 minutes or rent an apartment in less popular cities and buy personal transport. Rent 3k, a relatively new apartment, for example, in the city of Buibba or St. Paul's Bay will be € 100-200 cheaper.
Utilities
On average, per person is about 40 euros per month. It depends on how well you can save light and water.
Public transport
Public transport is poorly developed here. The reason for this is the fact that in Malta in a family of 4 there are 4 cars. Because the buses run on the popular tourist routes. If you are so lucky that the bus routes coincided with yours, the cost of the bus will be approximately € 26 per month.
Buying personal vehicles
Prices for new Chinese scooters start at around € 1,200. You can buy used for € 500 +. For engines up to 125cc, the license is € 10 per year. For cars, the cost of an annual license starts at € 100 and depends on the age of the car and engine size.
New cars are about as in Europe or more expensive. Used cars are significantly more expensive than, for example in Germany. Toyota Yaris 2010-2011, will cost between € 6000- € 7000. An annual license of approximately € 130 +. For € 300- € 1000 here you can buy the real wreck. With your own transport you are gaining wings. You learn a lot of new places, and shopping becomes much easier.
Nutrition
On the island there are large supermarkets, where there is almost everything. You can also always find local shops with an assortment of all the essentials. For a family of 4 people per week, food costs € 100-120 or € 200 + if you buy bio products.
Fish is not cheap, although there is a fish market in the south of the island, where, according to eyewitnesses, the price is significantly lower than in stores.
The average bill in a restaurant for two will be around € 40. The most common cuisine is Italian. For lovers of Japanese and Chinese cuisine, too, there is something.
School / kindergarten
There are both public and private schools. In public schools, Maltese is compulsory, so for foreigners the choice is reduced to private schools, where English is the main language. The cost of private schools starts from € 1,100 / year for a primary school child + school uniform and school supplies. The garden is a bit cheaper, the upper classes are more expensive.
The level of education is average. With the adaptation of children, I had no problems - which is already a good sign.
disadvantages
Although this is the EU, but in Malta it has become noticeable only now. Relatively untidy streets and bad roads are still commonplace. Not a high cultural level of many Maltese can also spoil the impression. But I am glad that the younger generation thinks much more progressively and the situation began to change for the better in a fundamental way.
Many come to Malta because of the climate, but in practice they are sometimes disappointed, as it turns out that at + 15, high humidity and having a wind of 25 m / s, it can be very cold in winter. Winters are different, rainy or no rain at all. But we must remember that if Malta has a long cold winter, then what kind of winter is it in other European countries ...
Entertainment
Night clubs, discos and parties, from the words of colleagues - fans of entertainment, very much nothing.
For children harder. Although there is a water park and Popeye Village.
Popeye village
For those who want to learn to manage sailing and motor yachts here all the conditions. Courses cost from € 150 and you can even get a local certificate.
Travel / Flight
Several low-cost airline companies fly to Malta, including Wizz Air, Ryanair and EasyJet. There is a local airline, Malta Malta, with pretty good service. She carries out direct flights from Moscow. There are no direct flights from Kiev, but it can be reached with a transfer through Munich, Frankfurt or Istanbul. Tickets cost from € 150. From Belarus, you can get through Lithuania - Ryanair flies from Vilnius.
You can get to Sicily by ferry from Malta - return ticket costs € 40-80 depending on the season and availability of discounts. But you can fly to Catania on Ryanair for € 12.99 one way (if you follow the prices)
In general, if you buy tickets on time, the average cost per person will be € 40-50 one way.
A bit about the project itRabota.com
For 2 years a strategy has been formed, which is based on personal communication with each candidate. Sometimes people are surprised when they learn that most of the letters, especially regarding the profile and vacancies, I write with my own hand. This is not surprising, considering that everyone wants to automate as many operations as possible. But my experience has shown that it is necessary to work personally with each candidate in order to properly assess his needs and wishes for vacancies. The same applies to working with companies and recruiters - I personally discuss with all the requirements for vacancies.
To make time for personal communication, I automate the process of collecting information.
itRabota.com has recently been completely rebuilt. An additional domain resuma.io also appeared .
So, there are 2 profile types at your disposal:
- Quick job application - a quick way to create a profile by filling out only the most important information + resume download (assuming you have one)
- Full resume - creating a profile in the form of a resume, which can be downloaded free of charge in PDF format (if you wish)
Resume is constantly being improved. About this I will write a separate article.
By the way, all services are free!
There are many jobs and the demand for IT specialists is huge (which you already knew)
For example, only in Germany more than 50 vacancies. All with visa support and almost all with the relocation package. The technologies are the same as those mentioned above - JavaScript, Node.JS, Angular, React.Js, PHP, .NET, ASP.NET, Ruby, Python, C #, Java, SQL ...
I also talked about working in start-up projects and that there are vacancies for strong midles. I will cite as an example the vacancy of one start-up project, the founders of which I know personally.
Front-End Web Developer
Core skills: JavaScript / ES6, ReactJs (React Native)
Experience: 3+ years
Industry: iGaming (football related)
Work on creating an application for React Native has just begun. The team is young but experienced.
Salary from € 30,000 to € 40,000 per year. At € 40,000 after tax, € 2,500 per month will remain. The company pays for the flight to Malta, 2 weeks of residence, private insurance and compensates € 250 per year for the gym.
If you have questions about Malta, I will be glad to answer!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/331250/
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