Commute over cash? Maltese recruiters say traffic becoming a deal-breaker for job seekers 

It’s not just about salaries, bonuses and career progression. Local recruiters say that traffic and commute times have become a decisive factor for candidates when choosing whether to accept a job offer. 

After talent acquisition specialist Martin Smith said that more prospective employees ask him about traffic bottlenecks than work bonuses, MaltaCEOs.mt spoke to some other recruiters about their own experiences. 

Marco Lia from Castille Resources said that Mr Smith’s comments reflect what he has been seeing for a while.

“Commute time has become a key decision factor for candidates in Malta and is often raised even before salary,” he pointed out. 

He said that Gozitan candidates tend to prioritise roles based in or close to Valletta due to the fast-ferry access, while many Malta-based candidates are increasingly turning down opportunities that require long daily commutes. 

“The time cost of travel (sometimes up to two hours a day) is no longer seen as justified by salary alone,” he said. 

Mr Lia said that candidates have started factoring their commute time into compensation expectations, and that when flexibility isn’t available, they are increasingly requesting higher salaries to offset the time and energy lost commuting.

“Another point is that this isn’t limited to senior roles or parents. We’re seeing this across all seniority levels, as people (particularly post-Covid) are placing greater value on how and where they spend their time,” he said.”

“From my perspective, the growing acceptance of remote and hybrid work has only amplified this shift, as candidates now have clearer benchmarks for what flexibility can realistically look like.”

GCS Malta Recruitment Director Emanuel Zammit said that he has encountered candidates who turned down job opportunities in traffic hotspots like Valletta, Sliema and St Julian’s. 

However, he noted that job candidates have grown increasingly attracted to hybrid working models.

“If a good work-from-home/hybrid option is offered, I believe that candidates would be more open minded about this [accepting jobs in traffic red zones],” he said.

Pursue Consultancy Founder Francesca Ellul said that while candidates have long been asking questions about job locations and its impact of commuting, she has noticed the issue coming up more frequently.

She said that such questions tend to be asked by local candidates, “who have always had more of an issue with commuting than foreign ones, who are accustomed to travelling longer distances”.

“I've had candidates consider taking a pay cut in instances where location was more favourable, and a significant pay cut when the role is remote – sometimes €5-€10k which is no joke.”

Joelle Borg from Alpha Talent Solutions said that from her experience in both recruitment and career consultancy, commuting time has become a major decision factor for candidates in Malta.

“I regularly speak with candidates at all levels, from junior to senior, who have had to decline strong offers simply because the role was fully onsite, with no flexibility or remote options,” she said. 

“In most cases, this isn’t about working from home as a luxury, but a practical necessity. Long commutes of 1–2 hours significantly impact candidates’ wellbeing, family responsibilities (such as caring for young children or elderly relatives), and overall work–life balance.”

Ms Borg said that she has actually turned down office-based opportunities herself as they would have required commuting from Gozo to Malta, “an extra layer of complexity and time”.

“This makes the issue even more pronounced for Gozitans who choose to continue living in Gozo, as rigid onsite requirements often force them to refuse career opportunities in Malta altogether,” she warned.

“Ultimately, employers who insist on fully onsite work without flexibility risk losing strong talent, not because of compensation or role fit, but simply because the commute has become unsustainable.”