A Labour government will partially cover salaries for women aged over 40 joining the workforce for the first time, and offer tax credits to businesses with women in leadership roles, the prime minister said on Monday. 

Robert Abela said the government wanted women over 40 to be able to enter the workforce. To this end, a Labour government would cover 30% of their salaries, up to €6,000 for three years.

A Labour government would also offer up to €50,000 in tax credits to businesses with a certain amount of women in senior management roles. 

Abela said more details on the pledges for women will be given on International Women’s Day on Tuesday. 

He was speaking during a Labour political gathering in Marsaxlokk. 

Labour 'partly to blame' for greylisting

Earlier during the event, Abela conceded that Labour was partly to blame for Malta being placed on the so-called grey list of untrustworthy financial jurisdictions. 

Malta was greylisted by an international anti-money laundering body in June 2021. 

While he said that past Nationalist administrations had never taken the prospect of greylisting seriously, this had also been the case “with some after 2013”.

“This was the result of years of inaction. For too long, problems had been pushed under the rug and this was also the case with some after 2013 too,” he said. 

Abela then transitioned to referring to electoral pledges that would help facilitate the ease of doing business on the island. 

The measures were unveiled on Monday morning.