Close to 2,000 workers, mostly foreigners, were found to be illegally employed during inspections carried out by state agency Jobsplus in the first five months of 2020.

Data tabled in parliament on Tuesday shows a significant change in illegal employment trends in recent years.

The data was tabled by Employment Minister Owen Bonnici in reply to a question from Opposition MP Ivan Bartolo.

It shows that the influx of foreign workers registered since 2013 coincided with a sharp decline in the number of cases of illegal employment involving Maltese nationals.

On the other hand, during the corresponding period, the trend with respect to foreign workers has been reversed.

While in 2013 there were 1,811 cases involving Maltese nationals and 611 foreigners, in the first five months of 2020, cases of illegal Maltese workers totalled just 301 while the respective figure for foreigners had risen to 1,609. The is nearly equal to the overall figure for 2019.

According to law, in such cases, employers are liable to prosecution unless the worker in question is doing a job while claiming the unemployment benefit.

Apart from third-country nationals not having a work permit or not being registered with Jobs Plus, infringements also include the recruitment of underage workers. 

From the reply, it transpired that so far this year, Jobsplus took action against 128 employers. During the period under review, this number hovered between 334 and 600.

Apart from court action, enforcement may also take the form of an administrative fine. A total 641 fines have already been imposed this year, more than treble the total for 2019.