89% of all Maltese citizens in Malta have never lived abroad for a period of at least one year, according to national data.
Meanwhile, a little under one in five of those who spent at least a year abroad are now aged between 70 and 79.
This was revealed by census data published by the National Statistics Office last week. The data does not include people who have lived abroad for a period under 12 months.
In total, fewer than 50,000 Maltese citizens currently residing in Malta have lived abroad at some point in their life. Of these, over 18,000, or 40%, are aged over 60.
94% of people in their 20s said they never lived abroad while under 12% of Maltese between the ages of 20 and 40 have done so.
In total, there are more people over the age of 60 who have lived abroad than those between the ages of 20 and 50.
Maltese returning to Malta
The census provides new insight into the numbers of Maltese who have returned to Malta in recent years.
One in five Maltese residents who lived abroad said they returned to Malta after 2015, with over 3,000 people saying they moved to Malta in 2020 or later. The vast majority, just under three quarters, moved to Malta before 2010.
The data suggests that many people who previously resided abroad are from the Northern parts of the island. A little under a third now live in the Northern Harbour region, with a further 20% in the Northern region.
What do these trends show?
Speaking to Times of Malta, demography expert Maya Miljanic Brinkworth said Malta experienced three major waves of emigration, all taking place between the 1950s and 1970s.
"The last of those who emigrated in their youth during the last wave in the 1970s are now in their 70s, and they may be choosing to return to Malta in their later years. The rest of those who lived abroad are part of the emigration that happened afterwards and the census data may be reflecting these trends," she said.
Miljanic Brinkworth described migration as a “highly volatile” process that is often difficult to predict.
“We may see more young people become environmental migrants in the future”, she said.
“I believe today’s youths are more eager than previous generations to make choices based on non-materialistic ideals, and we may see an increase in young people who choose to emigrate in search of what they hope will be higher levels of wellbeing, equality, inclusivity and respect for civil norms."
Asked about the low rate of youths having lived abroad, the Malta Sociological Association (MSA) said the figures seemed to indicate there was no culture of the gap year among the Maltese.
A spokesperson for the association pointed to several possible factors, most prominently strong attachments with family members and friends, and the need to take on financial responsibilities such as owning a vehicle and investing in property.
MSA added that the rate of Maltese returning to their homeland suggested that although “space and time are being compressed through physical and digital interaction, the local remains an important source of identity”.