Malta has one of the highest economic growth rates but also the lowest fertility rate in Europe. We simply do not have enough Maltese to sustain this economic growth. In 2013, we had 9.9% of non-Maltese nationals in local employment, a percentage that shot up sharply to 36.5% by 2023.

By 2050, “Foreign workers are expected to outnumber Maltese nationals in the workplace. Out of 462K people employed in 2050, 139K will be Maltese while 323K will be foreigners. Generally speaking, one out of every three workers will be Maltese” (‘Malta 2050, Konnekt’s Perspective on Malta’s Labour Migration Policy Consultation Document January 2025’).

Konnekt, a recruitment agency, warns: “This stark demographic transformation will not only impact the labour market but also have a profound impact on Malta’s broader social and cultural identity… A comprehensive response must prepare all residents of the Maltese islands for the changes ahead, fostering resilience and shared understanding across the different segments of the population. Shielding the public from these realities risks creating a dangerous mismatch between expectations and outcomes, potentially fuelling unrest and polarisation.”

Even if we manage to sustain our social and public services with a lower economic growth and so require less workers from overseas than that projected by Konnekt, we will still need migrant workers both in terms of quantity and quality. Our national skills development and talent policy needs to be intertwined with our migration policy.

Konnekt recommends bipartisanship to shape inclusive and equitable policies to address “the needs of all people, including non-Maltese nationals residing in Malta… inclusion will be crucial for social cohesion and economic sustainability”.

“We urge political parties to rise above short-term interests and unite on this matter of national importance, avoiding the temptation to politicise it for fleeting gains. Delaying action or deferring responsibility to future legislatures risks irreversible consequences when so much is at stake.”

American author James Freeman Clarke says: “A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman of the next generation. A politician looks for the success of his party; a statesman for that of his country. The statesman wishes to steer, while the politician is satisfied to drift.”

The political conduct of both main parties is dictated by the very short term of the electoral cycle. National elections are due in 2027. It is not realistic to expect our politicians to change into statesmen at any (but, especially, at this late) stage of the electoral cycle. We will pay a heavy price for our shortsightedness.

Konnekt says: “Through our daily engagement with third- country nationals (TCNs), we want to highlight the significant challenges they face while working in Malta. For many, the system fosters an environment of uncertainty, indignity, and hardship, adding to the everyday struggles of balancing work and family. From their perspective, the system often feels insurmountably stacked against them.”

By 2025, ‘foreign workers are expected to outnumber Maltese nationals in the workplace’- Evarist Bartolo

The report on ‘Third-Country Nationals in Malta’, published by the Justice and Peace Commission last December, confirms this perspective: “Average basic salaries by citizenship in 2023 reveals distinct discrepancies between TCNs, Maltese residents, and EU nationals. In 2023, the average basic salary for Maltese residents was €22,912, which is 3% above the overall average salary of €22,054.

“On the other hand, EU nationals, benefit from a more substantial premium, with an average basic salary of €25,319 (14% above the overall average). In contrast, TCNs earn an average basic salary of €18,443, which is 17% below the average wage in Malta… Historical salary data indicates that from 2014 to 2023… TCNs are not keeping up pace, leading to a growing divide in earnings.”

The majority of local and foreign workers in the private sector are not unionised and too weak to look after their rights and to get a fairer share of the wealth they are creating. In research yet to be published, Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino finds that trade union membership has not kept pace with the doubling of Malta’s labour force. Only around 36% of all workers in the active labour supply are members of a trade union, mostly in the public sector. Collective agreements protect 98-99% of all workers in the public sector. Only 13% of workers in the private sector are covered by a collective agreement.

Baldacchino explains: “There are over 100,000 migrants in the Malta labour market, from well-paid Northern European executives in the gaming sector to Sub-Saharan African garbage collectors. What they share is a reticence to join trade unions: perhaps out of a cocky disposition to negotiate their own working conditions; a general deference and submission to managerial authority; as well as a fear and hesitation to not join trade unions in order not to incur the wrath and displeasure of their boss (in spite of constitutional guarantees in favour of the freedom of association).”

Low unionisation creates a situation in which each person must take care of himself or herself at work.

The Central Bank report ‘Wealth distribution among Maltese Households – 2024’ reveals: “The wealthiest 10% of households have seen a substantial increase in their share of total wealth, while the bottom half of households have experienced a relative decline, even though in absolute terms their net wealth nearly doubled. Housing remains the most critical asset for Maltese households, though its distribution is uneven. Debt levels, particularly among the lower half of the wealth distribution, have also risen significantly.”

‘Upstairs and downstairs’ are living in a richer house but they are also living in worlds apart. A more equitable society is indispensable for our future.

In 2029, Baldacchino had said: “With migrant workers becoming the ‘new normal’ in Malta, the future of local trade unions may increasingly depend on their [trade unions] ability to appeal to such an occupational category.” That applies to Malta’s future prosperity and well-being.

It is delusional as well as immoral to treat local and vulnerable foreign workers as worlds apart in terms of living conditions, income and social integration, thinking that we can get away with treating them badly without ultimately hurting ourselves.

Evarist Bartolo is a former Labour foreign and education minister.