Nearly 60 per cent of young people in Malta would rather live in another European country, according to a recent survey. And Malta was recently voted one of the 10 worst places to live for 'expats'. Has Malta lost its sparkle for good? Not for everyone, as Claudia Calleja and Giulia Magri found out.

The non-Maltese residents' view

‘I meet people from all over the world’

Colombian Sara Zapata moved here three months ago in search of better career opportunities.

“While I worked as a reporter in Colombia, despite working very hard, the pay was very poor, so I decided to move to Malta for a new experience, to travel and to improve my English,” Zapata said.

She said living in Malta has not only given her the opportunity to learn a new language but also to fall in love with the island’s history, culture and diversity.

“I have been able to meet people from all over the world.”

She is waiting for an update on her permit to work as a Spanish sales agent in a gaming company.

Right now she works as a waitress for a few hours a week.

She has noticed that a lot of Latinos do jobs in Malta that other EU citizens do not wish to do, such as cleaning, waitressing or working in construction.

“However, I believe this work is fundamental to the economy,” she said.

The Maltese salary is “not the best” but she also knows of people who have moved on to better positions after improving their English.

She’s been waiting for three months to start her new job because the permit process is taking very long.

“I also don’t like the roads and transport system,” she said.

‘Very happy… pity about the construction’

Vasilis Papadopoulos moved here last year to take up a job as data engineer for a Maltese bank.

Being from Greece, he wasn’t too keen on moving to another Mediterranean island. But he says he’s happy here.

“I have managed to meet people, have fun, enjoy hobbies, join a band and also make progress with work, so no regrets!”

Greece and Malta are like “day and night”, he said.

“After the financial crisis in 2008, it is hard to find work in Greece, there are very low salaries, extreme unpaid overtime hours.

“The first shock came when I got my salary here on the 25th day of the month while back in Greece I was getting paid two to three months later,” he said.

“Of course, Malta has a lot to improve but it is in a good way.”

While people do work in low-paid jobs, he acknowledged, many others, working in gaming companies, enjoy high salaries and a ton of benefits.

He does have a couple of major gripes though: “I hate the fact that the construction and partying create so much noise and dirt here, plus the garbage on the streets is just disgusting.”

‘Malta is so much more than I anticipated’

Back in August 2021, following the COVID-19 lockdowns in Canada, David Kenneth De Bruce decided to take the plunge for himself and his business.

Searching for places in the EU, he eventually settled in Malta for a number of reasons, including the history, English language and cost of living.

“Since arriving, I found Malta to be so much more than I anticipated. It’s been a wonderful adventure starting from scratch in a new place and culture. I have always felt welcomed by the Maltese people and have made many wonderful friends, both Maltese and from around the world.”

David is the owner of roomservice.com, where he will be promoting the island as a quality destination and featuring the best places to stay, visit, eat, play and shop.

“I’m also so happy to live in a historic farmhouse and offer our guesthouse to vacationers near Marsascala where we are preserving the home, the history and land,” he said.

His biggest challenge has been navigating the various agencies dealing with employment, business and banking. But, once in contact, the service is fast, friendly and helpful.

“Personally, where I can see the biggest need for improvement is the environment. My own personal pet peeve is seeing how much trash is left on the streets, parks, beaches and almost everywhere,” he said.

The environment was not just the responsibility of the government but everyone, he said. The Maltese and expats must take responsibility.

“If they are living here, be part of it,” he said, praising private projects in neighbourhoods such as Senglea where residents take it upon themselves to try to keep the place clean.

‘Can’t think of anywhere else we would rather live’

After she retired as a corporate lawyer, Stephanie, and her husband John Rogers, decided to live ‘la dolce vita’ in Umbria, Italy.

The four years there were “fabulous”. But then they began to miss a number of things.

“We missed English-speaking friends our own age, the convenience of things such as taxis, traditional pubs and bars and we were struggling to pick up Italian,” said Stephanie, who was born in Sydney, Australia.

Travelling for work was inconvenient because Rome airport was three hours’ drive away.

So they looked for an alternative location with similar weather, a rich cultural environment and the English language.

“We now live in Birgu, five minutes from Valletta by ferry, and all the history, architecture, food and vibrancy of a capital city, without it being horribly crowded.

“It’s perfect,” she said.

Having moved here two years ago, Stephanie now spends her time managing the renovation of an old palazzino in Vittoriosa, a role she describes as more demanding than her previous one.

For John, who is from north Wales, the winning elements of living in Malta are the weather, the people, the proximity of the airport and the use of English.

As a freelance consultant in the life science industry, he’s a digital nomad.

“We love Malta and, having both lived and worked all around the world, we cannot think of anywhere else we would rather live,” he said.

The emigrants’ view

‘I miss the sea, but not the politics, hunting and pollution’

Ever since he can remember, Robert Farrugia itched to move to a different country. With relatives living abroad, he had got a taste of what life outside the island could offer.

Five years ago, he seized the opportunity, moving to Austria with his then girlfriend.

“I had finished my welding course, met my girlfriend and was really fed up with the Maltese system,” Robert, 30, who lives in Mödling, says.

The move was not easy. There was the adjustment to a new language and culture “with many rules”. But he loved being surrounded by nature and being able to travel easily to neighbouring countries.

“What I noticed, in the beginning, was how hard we Maltese work, both physically and mentally,” he recalls.

What does he miss in Malta?

The laxer rules and the more easily accessible historical sites are two of them.

“The beaches and sea I obviously miss. The Danube here is hideous and in the nice lakes and rivers in the mountains, swimming is prohibited. I miss the friendliness in Malta and big-heartedness and, of course, my family and friends… and the food.

“What I really don’t miss about Malta is the politics, the lies, the destruction of our environment and recklessness with development… the hunters… the rubbish, the noise, the air pollution, the three-pin plug and the loud, buzzing ugly insects in summer.”

‘Children’s health made the choice clear’

Jenny and Chris Mahoney left Malta in 2019 when they moved to Bishopton, in Scotland, for what was meant to be six months, to test if their one-year-old son’s asthma would improve in the cleaner air.

It did... within the first few days. And the couple fell in love with the slow-paced village life.

So the decision to move permanently was no surprise.

The couple got married in 2014 and lived in Attard. Leaving Malta did cross their minds occasionally.

“The idea had been brewing in the background for various reasons: over-construction, environmental issues, traffic, cost of living, the hectic pace of everyday life and the political climate that culminated in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017.

“The Malta of today is very different from the Malta we grew up in. Back then people befriended their neighbours. Now people barely know who lives in their block,” said Chris, 35.

While these factors did not justify leaving their family and friends, things changed when they became parents.

Emily was born in 2016 and then Alex, who suffered from asthma and had to be hospitalised several times.

“From the first weeks in Scotland, Alex’s breathing improved considerably. We even forgot to give him his medication at times because he had stopped wheezing,” said Jenny.

Chris added: “The turning point was when we came to Malta to visit and his asthma attacks returned.”

That made the decision crystal clear.

“Here in Scotland, you can choose the type of life you live. We love village life and we can go into the city if we want to. On the other hand, we feel as if Malta has become one big city and there is no escaping,” Chris said.

Their third child, Maxine, also suffers from asthma and has had minor episodes in Scotland. But, on a visit to Malta last month, she had to be hospitalised for three days, something that had never happened before.

“We miss our families dearly but for us the choice was clear once our children’s health was involved,” Jenny said.

“Scotland is not perfect and moving abroad is not for everyone. However, we feel we managed to start a new life free of most issues that used to weigh us down so heavily in Malta.”

‘I find great joy in everyone knowing everyone’

Keane Mizzi, 23, will be moving to Amsterdam with his friend to study.

The Netherlands was among the list of countries that offered a Master’s degree in data science, which he was interested in and he opted for the University of Amsterdam in the Science Park Campus.

It was one of his favourite destinations as a teenager.

“So, I look fondly on those memories. When I saw the opportunity, it was a no brainer.”

“Being separated from my family and friends for a lengthy period is going to be a challenge,” he admits.

“It might be an unpopular opinion but I find great joy in the nature of ‘everyone knowing everyone’ in Malta.”

Keane confesses that he loves the fact that, in Malta, everything is close by and friends and family are just a phone call away.

Malta is the only country that has felt like home so far but he is open to new experiences and to settling down in his new home. He will know soon enough.

‘Living here is a struggle’

Stephen and Lesley Ann Baldacchino moved to Ireland with their son Beppe, who is now eight years old.

The couple had long been dreaming of leaving Malta but could not do so for several years due to family circumstances.

In October 2020, friends told them they were moving to Ireland. Intrigued, they did some research, put their house on the market and made the move in March 2021.

“The decision to move was mostly based on the future of our son. Malta has become too busy, overpopulated, house prices are sky high, education is crazy, building a career is based on the connections… living in Malta became a struggle,” Lesley Ann, 33, says.

Life in Malta can be too materialistic, she adds.

“Everyone wants the largest garden, largest pool, nicest house, branded furniture, luxurious cars, boats.” 

After a year in Ireland, they set up their own business – a coffee truck.

They love the family-friendly approach in Ireland where “children are allowed time to be children”.

“Kids are brought up surrounded by nature and basic values which in Malta we have lost.”

They miss their family, friends and the food but what they don’t miss is “the traffic, heat, political stress, pollution, noise pollution… educational stress, no family-friendly measures on the place of work and the cost of living.”