More foreigners coming from non-EU countries have working permits than foreigners coming from EU countries, Education Minister Louis Galea told Joseph Cassar.

In total, 6,682 foreigners have a working permit, the minister said: 2,759 from EU countries and 3,923 from non-EU countries.

The four countries from where most of the foreigners come from are: UK (431), Serbia Montenegro (353), China (236) and Bulgaria (169).

More projects approved

While in 2005 Malta Enterprise approved 69 projects (including expansions and Maltese-owned enterprises) involving an investment of Lm28.7 million which would create 912 full-time jobs by the third year of operation, by November 2006, Malta Enterprise had approved 87 projects involving an investment of Lm36.6 million and employing 2,612 persons by the third year of operation, Investment Minister Austin Gatt told Anton Refalo.

As for Gozo, there is an inverse tendency to observe: while in 2005 six projects were approved, involving an investment of Lm1.4 million and providing for the employment of 160 employees by the third year of operation, during 2006, the seven projects approved involve an investment of just Lm289,000 and will create just 31 jobs by the third year of operation.