The Philippine government information agency PIA announced that Malta is looking to hire Filipino caregivers, seafarers and service industry workers.

“Labour and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz recently revealed that employers in Malta, have expressed (a) desire to hire Filipino caregivers, seafarers, and service industry workers”, PIA reported yesterday.

Citing a report of Nasser S. Mustaffa, the Philippine labour attache stationed in Tripoli, Libya, Baldoz said Maltese nationals want the services of Filipino caregivers primarily because of their efficiency and love of work.

Mustaffa reported that he had travelled to Valletta to meet with the 1,000-strong Filipino community and assess the prospects of deploying more workers there. His assessment was positive, Baldoz declared.

“In his report, Mr Mustaffa said Filipino caregivers he had spoken to in Malta, expressed a preference to stay and work in this prime tourist destination in the Mediterranean because of high salaries,” PIA said.

“Malta’s minimum wage is €620 and Filipino workers there receive not less than this minimum wage amount. Besides, Filipino workers in Malta are allowed to do part-time jobs after eight hours of regular work,” she said.

Baldoz, however, urged jobseekers desiring to work in Malta to check their prospective employers, as well as their recruitment agencies, with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to ensure that the job adverts were genuine and legal.

There is no Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) in Malta. Prospective applicants for jobs in Malta were told to apply to the Philippine POLO in Libya, under whom Libya falls.

“It is our POLO in Tripoli which will verify employment contracts for Malta,” Baldoz said.