The government on Friday confirmed new applications by third-country nationals for cab driving and food courier work permits were being turned down because the market had "reached saturation".
In a statement, the Home Affairs Ministry said this applied to people abroad seeking a job here and those already in Malta who needed to change their employer.
On Thursday, Times of Malta reported that hundreds of TCNs were having their work permit applications refused. Government sources confirmed that non-EU applicants had been refused by Identità in recent days as part of a crackdown on employers it regarded "abusive".
Most TCNs who live in Malta need a work permit to reside here because they are not from within the EU. That permit, which usually needs to be renewed every year, is directly tied to an employer.
Earlier this month, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri warned in parliament that companies accused of exploiting food couriers would be barred from hiring workers until investigations into exploitation claims were carried out.
Prime Minister Robert Abela also recently said that only workers needed for the economy would be allowed into the Maltese labour market.
On Friday, the government said that the so-called single permit - which combined residence and work authorisation - has undergone a "rigorous assessment" process by Jobsplus.
"This process includes comprehensive labour market testing to ensure alignment with current employment needs. Such testing evaluates the availability of local workers for the positions, assesses the suitability of the applicants, and verifies the legitimacy of the prospective employers.
"Jobsplus’ evaluations have indicated that the labour market for cab drivers and food couriers has reached saturation," the statement read.
Consequently, Jobsplus recommended the refusal of "a number of" new applications, including those from individuals still abroad and those seeking a change of employer.
"This decision is based on an extensive review of the labour market, including analysing unemployment registers and employer vacancies.
"It is important to note that this measure does not affect current workers in these sectors. Applications for renewals of existing employees will continue to be processed without interruption, ensuring that these measures do not displace current employees. The aim is to support the stability and continuity of employment for those already in these roles," the ministry added.
It said that together with Jobsplus, it was committed to ensuring that TCNs working in Malta were protected from abuse by their employers.