Jobsplus, in partnership with the European Social Fund, the Maltese Government, and employers are co-financing a scheme which incentivizes employers to recruit disadvantaged persons and/or people with disabilities into their work force.
Employer Eligibility
In order to benefit from this scheme, the applicant must satisfy all the eligibility requirements. Any employer can apply for this scheme regardless of their legal structure, except for public entities, government departments, and entities where the government holds a majority share.
Employers who apply for the A2E Scheme and are deemed eligible will receive a weekly subsidy of €110.93 (full-time) or €55.47 (part-time) per new recruit hired. This subsidy will be provided for a duration of either 52 weeks or 104 weeks, depending on the target group.
For registered disabled individuals, a weekly subsidy of €166.40 (full-time) or €83.20 (part-time) will be granted for a maximum period of 156 weeks.
The subsidy rates will be adjusted annually to account for the increase in the cost of living.
Employee Eligibility
Disadvantaged Persons: 52 weeks of assistance.
- Individuals aged 24 and over who have been unemployed or inactive for the preceding six months.
- Unemployed individuals between the ages of 15 and 24 who have previously participated in and successfully completed the Jobsplus Scheme and are being hired for the first time after completing such scheme.
- Single adults with one or more dependents, who are not employed full-time.
- Individuals aged 24 and over who have not obtained an upper secondary educational or vocational qualification (ISCED 3) and are currently
- Individuals over 50 years of age who are currently unemployed.
Severely Disadvantaged Persons: 104 weeks of assistance.
- Individuals who have been unemployed or inactive for the past 12 months and are part of one of the disadvantaged target groups (3 to 5 mentioned earlier).
- Individuals aged 24 and over who have been unemployed or inactive for the past 24 months.
Persons with Disability: 156 weeks of assistance.
- Individuals registered as disabled people under national law.
Application Process
The deadline for submitting complete applications and carrying out recruitment is end of December 2027. However, if the budget is fully allocated, Jobsplus reserves the right to close the scheme before the deadline without prior public notification.
Payment Timeframes
Regarding payment timeframes:
- Beneficiaries can claim the subsidy after every 13- or 26-week period.
- If the grant agreement is terminated prematurely, the beneficiary can claim the subsidy until the date of termination of employment.
Claims for reimbursement are expected to be processed by Jobsplus within three months from the receipt of complete reimbursement documentation and any necessary clarifications.
For more information about this scheme, read more here.
Disclaimer: This article is purely informational and does not replace the formal guidelines enforced by the authorities.