VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese Government unveiled radical reforms that would exclude companies from hiring third-country workers in case of a series of indiscriminate dismissals.
This measure represents one of 32 recommendations included in a consultation document on labour migration policy to balance economic needs with growing public concerns about foreign worker exploitation and social cohesion. The public consultation is open until 9 February, with implementation targeted by the end of this year-end, as confirmed in a press conference addressed by the Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela.
While presenting the reforms, Home Affairs and Employment Minister Byron Camilleri, announced that small firms with termination rates exceeding 50% would fail the Labour Market Needs Test, effectively prohibiting them from recruiting non-EU workers.
Third-country nationals earn an average of 18,443 annually, significantly below the 22,912 earned by Maltese residents and 25,319 by EU nationals.
According to the new policy, foreign workers who lose their jobs will be granted an extended grace period of 60 days, up from the current month, to secure new employment. The recruitment practices will be regulated, mandating job advertisements on the European Union’s EURES platform.
In a bid to encourage workforce stability, the policy introduces a fee structure for work permits. First-time applications will cost 600, while renewal fees will be reduced to 150 annually. High-skilled workers under specific initiatives will benefit from automatic three-year permit renewals, while others engaging in training or integration efforts will see their renewal periods extended from one to two years.
From this year, all salary payments to third-country nationals must be made via bank transfers to ensure transparency and contract compliance. Employers must now provide detailed evidence of candidates’ qualifications, experience, and language skills. The policy introduces workforce application limits, restricting the number of third-country nationals companies can hire based on a fixed percentage of their current workforce.
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