Nineteen people have been arraigned since 2018 for employing workers without a permit, police data show.

No figures were provided about how many people were investigated for working without a work permit as questions sent to Jobsplus produced no replies.

Times of Malta sought the data following inspections by the police, detention service officers and Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) officials at construction sites in St Paul’s Bay last month.

Thirteen people had been found illegally residing and working in Malta and taken to police headquarters to start the deportation process.

Asked about action taken against people engaging these 13, a police spokesperson said investigations with other authorities over the matter were ongoing.

As to figures spanning 2018 to 2022, the spokesperson said 19 people were “arraigned in connection with illegal employment (engaging people without a work permit)”.

Three were arraigned in 2018 and another three in 2019 while the number increased to five in 2020. Another three were arraigned in 2021.

The number of people arraigned until October 22 this year stood at five.

The police spokesperson noted that working without a work permit was not an arrestable offence. Times of Malta was directed to Jobsplus, which, from its end, said its inspectors do not have the power to arrest people.

Follow-up emails asking for data on how many people were charged or faced any action by Jobsplus for working without a work permit or engaging people without a permit remained unanswered.