The employment experiences of migrants : a study of the hospitality sector in Malta

Abstract

In today's economy, it is evident that there has been a great influx of European Union nationals who have migrated to Malta in order to obtain employment within the Maltese labour market. This study is aimed at exploring the employment experiences of European Union nationals within the hospitality sector in Malta, and their experience of seeking, taking up and retaining their job. The study focuses on freedom of movement within the European Union, within the context of the Maltese labour market. The data for this study were gathered through semi-structured interviews, in which the participants provided their own personal experiences of the hospitality sector in Malta. The ten participants of this study are European Union nationals who are in legal active gainful employment within the hospitality sector. Research findings shed light on the most common job search channels utilised by labour migrants, the recruitment process used by employers and the quality of employment. The participants' accounts highlight that Malta attracted them due to the warm climate and the widespread use of the English language. Findings show that word-of-mouth is the most common channel for job search and that through this channel their desired employment was obtained. It is evident that individuals find it beneficial to move together with one or more other persons as this facilitates burden sharing, such as living expenses. The findings were then discussed in relation to the aims of the study as well as the literature review. It is hoped that these findings will pave the way for future research that extends and deepens this study into the employment experiences of migrants in other sectors of the labour market.