JobsPlus CEO Clyde Caruana warned that Malta’s challenge to attract foreign talent was becoming ever more difficult, as a number of other European countries were seeing their economies recovering.
In recent years, Malta, which successfully weathered the financial crisis which rocked the world a decade ago, has benefitted from the influx of migrants from countries where unemployment is high, who have come to the island seeking employment and found plenty.
However, many of these countries’ economies have turned the corner, which could reduce the much-needed flow of foreign workers to a trickle.
During a meeting of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD), Mr Caruana urged Government and other social partners to open their doors to foreign workers, if Malta wanted to stay competitive.
Mr Caruana gave a presentation about Malta’s labour force, indicating that there had been a significant leap in the number of people in paid employment in the past few years. The increase was noted across all ages and gender demographics.
Yet, he stated that despite the improvement registered, Malta’s rapid economic growth meant that demand continued to exceed supply when it came to skilled workers.