Registered full-time employment in Malta reached 309,854 in May 2026, up 4.8 per cent on the same month a year earlier, according to figures published by the National Statistics Office.

Part-time jobs held as a primary occupation grew faster, rising 7.3 per cent to 37,516. The office said the private sector drove most of the full-time gain, adding 12,412 workers over the year to reach 253,894, a rise of 5.1 per cent. Public sector full-time employment climbed 3.2 per cent, or 1,730 posts, to 55,960.

Two industries accounted for much of the increase. Administrative and support service activities added 1,831 full-time jobs against May 2025, while accommodation and food service activities added 1,541. The number of people registered as full-time employees rose by 13,283, and the full-time self-employed grew by 859.

Over the year, full-time employment grew by 4.9 per cent among men and 4.6 per cent among women.

Administrative data from Jobsplus showed that labour supply, excluding part-timers, rose 4.9 per cent over the year to 311,250. The office put this down mainly to the 14,142 increase in full-time registered employment, alongside a smaller rise of 346 in registered unemployment.

Registered part-time employment overall climbed 10.2 per cent against May 2025. Transportation and storage contributed most to that rise, adding 2,006 part-time posts, followed by accommodation and food service activities with 1,204. Part-timers who also held a full-time job numbered 52,125, up 12.3 per cent year on year.

Total public sector employment for May 2026 stood at 55,960, with the full-time equivalent figure calculated at 52,606.