|
<< Back to Pack Yack
 Malta
Working abroad legally always means jumping through some red-tape hoops, but one working traveller found there were more barriers than bargained for in Malta.
I felt I had to write about what a number of Australians (including me) have encountered when travelling to Malta on an official Working Holiday Visa.
On arrival, we found that despite already having the paperwork completed
from the Australian end, we still needed a prospective employer to apply
for a work permit, which can take over three months to get!
For many positions, especially jobs in the hospitality industry where
an immediate start is important, an employer is not prepared to go through
the hassle of applying for a permit and waiting for it to come through,
before you start work.
You also are not supposed to be able to open a bank account without a
work permit. Catch-22 when you need money sent over because you have to
hang around three months without work.
Also, the permit is valid for only one employer. Should you decide to
move, the new employer must reapply. It defeats the whole concept of working
legally in a country.
There are some cash based jobs available, but they are low paying, and
it's always better to be legal as checks on the island are fairly frequent.
Another cultural difficulty encountered was a relatively low staff turnover
on the island. You are expected to work for a number of years for more
professional jobs, and the temping industry is virtually non-existent.
For teaching English, all teachers are supposed to be registered (another
time-consuming process) and there are inspectors who visit schools to
ensure that everything is in order.
Malta is a lovely place, and there are ways and means of getting by,
but I would like people to be more aware of the difficulties they may
face if they come over looking for a working holiday. None of the difficulties
I had were explained when applying for the visa, and I don't know if the
representatives in Australia are fully aware of the situation.
Author: Annonymous
[ Back to Top ]
<< Back to Pack Yack
|
