University students working in summer in the tourist industry are concerned about the low wages, unusual working hours and volatility of employment.

These concerns emerged from a study carried out by the Christian Democrat Students’ Organisation (SDM) which was presented to Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech yesterday as part of the association’s electoral campaign for the University Students’ Council.

SDM president Keith Galea explained that 400 students responded to a survey which was distributed to 1,000 university students. The students, the majority of whom work with English language schools, said they enjoyed meeting new people and making friends with foreign people.

Mr Galea said students also worked as barmen, waiters and pool boys. The biggest worries, he said, was that they were employed during the high season and laid off as soon as the tourist influx waned. Students referred also to the red tape involved in the extension of visas.

The survey provided a number of recommendations on how the industry could be improved. Students suggested that certain localities were not safe for unaccompanied girls while other suggestions were easing of travel taxes, better public cleaning and better public transport. Dr Zammit Dimech praised SDM for taking an interest in an industry which made up a quarter of the Maltese economy. The minister referred to the English language schools sector as a flourishing segment of the industry. In 2004, 55,578 students came to Malta, while in 2005, they increased to over 61,607 and last year’s figures showed an influx of 67,000 students.

The sector, said the minister, relied heavily on host families. They were being helped by a reduction in National Insurance, while the level of service given was guaranteed by inspections, said the minister. He assured SDM that the ministry would analyse with interest the results of the survey.