The part that gets operators fined

EU and EEA nationals have the right to work in Malta under free movement. The check is nationality, evidenced by a passport or national identity card, recorded before the first shift.

Third country nationals are a different matter entirely, and this is where most problems begin. They cannot start work on the strength of a job offer, a visa, or an intention to apply. They need a valid permit in hand.

A third country national working in Malta requires a Single Permit, which combines residence and work authorisation into one document issued per employer and per role.

Because it is tied to the employer and the role, it does not transfer. A worker who moves between operators needs a new application, and the lead time is real. We manage the application, track its progress and confirm the permit is in hand before a start date is committed.

Before a third country national can be engaged, the vacancy must be advertised through Jobsplus and on the European EURES portal for the full statutory period.

If a Maltese or EU national applies during that window, the employer has to give Jobsplus a documented justification explaining why that candidate was not suitable. The process cannot continue until that justification is accepted.

This is why our shortlists record who was considered and why. Rebuilding that reasoning after the fact is difficult and unconvincing. Capturing it as you go is simply administration.

Crew placed on cruise vessels and yachts are engaged under seafarer employment agreements written to maritime labour convention standards, not ordinary contracts of employment.

That carries specific obligations: minimum hours of rest, medical fitness certification, repatriation cover and defined terms of engagement. We verify certification is valid and in date before travel is booked.

Recruitment generates a large amount of personal data, much of it sensitive. Passport scans, medical certificates, criminal record documents and employment histories all sit under GDPR.

Candidate data is held on a lawful basis, retained only for the period the law requires, and erased on request where no overriding obligation applies. We can tell you what we hold on any individual and why.

Every check, document and decision is recorded against the placement and retrievable. If an inspector asks how a particular worker came to be on your site, the answer exists.

This is the quiet reason clients stay. The staffing is replaceable. The evidence trail is not.