MigrantoMaltese Diaspora
43.9K Maltese live abroad — the #167 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 96% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Australia | 34451 |
| Canada | 5795 |
| Italy | 2127 |
| Luxembourg | 282 |
| Bulgaria | 227 |
| Hungary | 188 |
| South Africa | 174 |
| Denmark | 174 |
| Norway | 117 |
| Greece | 95 |
| Finland | 62 |
| Portugal | 53 |
| Slovakia | 49 |
| Cyprus | 33 |
| Dominican Republic | 27 |
| Latvia | 21 |
| Lithuania | 20 |
| Estonia | 14 |
| Iceland | 14 |
| Slovenia | 8 |
| Bolivia | 6 |
| Liechtenstein | 3 |
By destination region
Oceania is the leading destination region at 78%
34.5K
5.8K
3.5K
174
33
33
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Malta.
Australia is the primary destination for emigrants
Australia attracts 78% of all emigrants from Malta, while the second-largest destination receives just 13%.
A significant share of the population lives abroad
1 in 13 residents of Malta has emigrated — 43.9K out of 568.8K, representing 7.7% of the population.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 66353 |
| 1995 | 67484 |
| 2000 | 64124 |
| 2005 | 61981 |
| 2010 | 58858 |
| 2015 | 54505 |
| 2020 | 49061 |
| 2024 | 43940 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Australia | Canada | Italy | Luxembourg | Bulgaria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 54087 | 10278 | 1318 | 13 | 1 |
| 1995 | 55588 | 9858 | 1442 | 12 | 9 |
| 2000 | 52561 | 9475 | 1532 | 12 | 16 |
| 2005 | 51360 | 8365 | 1575 | 93 | 25 |
| 2010 | 48650 | 7620 | 1731 | 177 | 33 |
| 2015 | 44062 | 7588 | 1765 | 270 | 63 |
| 2020 | 39249 | 6505 | 1941 | 244 | 165 |
| 2024 | 34451 | 5795 | 2127 | 282 | 227 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Maltese move to?
Most Maltese have moved to Australia, Canada and Italy — these three countries account for about 96% of all Maltese living abroad.
How many Maltese live abroad?
Around 43.9K Maltese live abroad, making it the #167-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Malta lives abroad?
About 8% of the population of Malta lives abroad — that's 43.9K out of a total population of 568.8K.
How has emigration from Malta changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Malta has fallen from 54.5K to 43.9K people, a decline of about 19%.
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