Malta’s demographic composition is experiencing a massive change not only with low fertility rates and an ageing population, but even more so with the sudden influx of numerous economic migrants who are joining the local labour force. Indeed, a quarter of Malta’s workforce are currently foreign nationals, having shot up from 9,500 in 2009 to around 96,970 in 2022 (Times of Malta, Lovin Malta, Jobsplus).
These workers, who reach our island in the hope of making a better future for themselves and their families have become indispensable for our burgeoning economy, as they take fill numerous job vacancies which the local employers struggle to fill in Yet, such drastic population changes, over such a short period of time has its challenges, which are faced by both Maltese and migrants alike.
‘Merħba Bik? Malta: Experiences of contemporary migration’ was the first-in person seminar organised by the Platform for Migration of the University of Malta, on the 10 November 2023, at the Aula Prima at the Valletta Campus. It posed the question of whether these migrant workers are truly being welcomed in Malta or whether they are simply being treated as another factor of production.
Prof. Andrew Azzopardi, Chairperson of the Platform for Migration and Dean of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing gave an opening speech outlining the rationale behind the Platform and the growing need of such a space whereby academics from different faculties can meet to discuss such a topical issue.
Ms Graziella Cauchi, from Jobsplus presented the most recent data with regards to foreign workers in the local labour market, thereby setting the scene for the subsequent interventions.
Mr Alex Tortell from the Human Rights’ Directorate presented the government’s stance on integration policies and efforts currently being made to ensure that the migrants are welcomed and can integrate in the local society, also in light of the second integration strategy soon to be launched by the government. This was followed by Dr David E. Zammit from the Faculty of Law at the University of Malta who presented ideas with regards to how certain policies are acting as disintegration tools both in Malta and in Europe. The event was concluded with a panel discussion composed of migrants, workers’ unions, the employers’ association as well as the HRD, whereby the discussion was shifted away from theory and towards the true lived experience of migrants in Malta. The discussion revolved around which measures are working for migrants’ inclusion in work, but also tackled the concerning issues of workers’ exploitation, importation of workers through scam programmes which strikingly liken ‘human trafficking’ realities as well as the added complexity in the employer-employee relationship which has been developed due to the introduction of third parties and intermediaries in the form of temp contractors, work agencies and contractors. The panelists also touched upon the fact that the current 10-days allowed to find another job in the eventuality of losing one’s current occupation, is not only realistically too short, but it also creates a sense of uncertainty throughout one’s stay in Malta, which in itself undermines the ethos of inclusion and sense of belonging to the local community.
During the event, Prof. Helen Grech, Chief Editor of the Mediterranean Journal for Migration, also announced that the publication of the first issue of the Mediterranean Journal for Migration will be due this month, being an attempt to create a dialogical space where experts from different fields can also work towards the understanding of an evolving matter such as migration within the Mediterranean region. Coordinator of the Platform for Migration, Prof. Rose Marie Azzopardi, made her concluding remarks, which zeroed in on the importance of a continuous open dialogue between all stakeholders to ensure everyone can achieve their goals.
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