Malta’s plan to regulate foreign workers, curb abuse

While the short online course is a welcome requirement, I don’t feel this is enough. When you go to Germany, Spain, France, Italy, etc. and interact with foreign workers (waiters, bus drivers, shop attendants, etc.) they all speak the local language (and, from my experience, some of them tend to have a good command of it).

I feel that, with Malta being such a small country, we should make an effort to ensure that foreign workers learn Maltese and are capable of speaking it when interacting with Maltese people. I’ve come across a few who make the effort and you can see that the conversations between these people and locals are more meaningful or fruitful.

Something must be done to preserve the Maltese language. One in seven or eight people in Malta is foreign and the majority don’t bother with the language at all. They see the country as an easy way to get into Europe only or a cash cow.

I think that, as long as English is recognised as an official language in Malta, we’ll never see some serious change in this regard. We should be able to communicate in English; it is one of the most spoken languages in the world after all but we shouldn’t give it precedence over the Maltese language. If they plan to live here, work here and be part of the Maltese society, then the first thing these foreign workers should do is learn how to communicate effectively in Maltese (no matter how hard the language may be to learn). This applies to all foreign workers not just TCNs. – Joe Borg

Government has launched a policy on foreign workers. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

We all know this won’t be enforced! Nothing is. – Peter Jones

Too late, Labour. You have ruined our islands with the overpopulation. You still have to pay for this by booting you out. Let’s get rid of Labour. – J. Busuttil

I’ll believe it when I see it! Those employers who employ TCNs on low pay will be up in arms if they are forced to pay decent wages and employ Maltese instead of TCNs. Why do you think they prefer to employ foreign workers? – Victor Pulis

Doubling the application fee for new hires while halving permit renewal fees? Sounds good until you realise this penalises small businesses and start-ups trying to expand. Big corporations can absorb costs but smaller players will struggle. – Daniel Grech

And what about setting a specific limit on hiring foreign workers? That would be better but does Labour not think it is already too late for everything? – Eliza Delia

I read this article multiple times, as well as the comments section. According to the government, the workers must be paid by bank transfer. I am a third-country national (married to an EU citizen). There is no way in hell that any bank here would ever open an account for me. I know, and have tried every bank. So, just how is this supposed to work? – Alan Zelt

Sounds not bad but, of course, is it going to be enforced? We have laws but our people have difficulties to abide by them. I.m sure the PL’s friends are going to find some loopholes to avoid these rules. – Matthias Vella