One of the great injustices that workers, who are or would like to be legally employed, encounter is the continuous rotating influx of non-EU workers visiting the country, making good money and then leaving. Here, I am not referring to people of mostly African origin who leave all behind and risk life and limb to make the dangerous sea crossing. They deserve another discussion, as the issues, agenda and circumstances are different.

I am referring mostly to those who take a plane and come to Malta, knowing that their visa would expire in a few weeks’ time, earn as much cash as possible, overstay and then leave. Usually their passport is rubber-stamped by Immigration as having overstayed when they leave Malta and they will not be allowed to enter the country again for five years (and of years expire there is no guarantee that they will be allowed in the country). There are cases that when they return to their own country, some of them go as far as changing their identity to become different persons and return under a false passport. There is indeed a loophole in the law as there is no fingerprint identification to check any identity/passport falsification and this should be seriously addressed.

These workers have become part of what is known as the invisible population who come to these islands, work extremely hard by taking two or even three jobs to earn as much liquid cash as possible to take or send back to their country and live as comfortably. They come with the hopes and dreams of making enough money to support their families back home, feed themselves, purchase land and a home like many others who came before them. I am not in any way blaming them because they indeed come from economically depressed countries and one should sympathise with them, but it is not fair for the Maltese unemployed who truly wish to be legally employed. Some Maltese go as far as saying that these workers are more efficient, honest and hard working than the Maltese. And so it is! They have to be hard working and efficient to impress their employer and work for whatever wage and under certain conditions precisely because they are illegally employed and have overstayed. They have no insurance or health cover and any accident at work will have to be borne by them or else they will have to return back to their country.  There were cases when such workers even lost their life with their families in their home country receiving nothing. These people will also avoid any criminal litigation at all costs such as quarrels that would involve the police because when investigated, their illegality would be immediately and they will be sent back on the first plane home to their country.

There are many young Maltese prospective workers who would love to work in say, catering or construction, but due to this gross injustice cannot because these honest and hard-working non-EU citizens are ‘better’ than them.

Does the government have any idea or statistics on the number of such people coming to Malta and stealing our youngsters’ jobs? Surely statistics of unemployed people exist. But what about this hidden employment? Does the government (irrespective of party) have the moral will to change this situation? Or perhaps most politicians are helpless because most of the top brass in politics and industry enjoy it themselves because they benefit from this illegal situation personally?  And then the ‘naïve and ignorant’ man in the street argues: “Maltese workers, especially teenagers are inefficient and do not want to work…that is why we employ foreigners. The girls want to be single parents and get a free ride from social services.” These are some of the reasons one hears on the Maltese grapevine. This is a very unfair and offensive statement that can be also demoralising for the Maltese worker. 

Why decrease the Maltese manpower potential and favour illegalities when it comes to employment? Why is it that only money talks in this country? It is hoped that bold and effective action is taken by the government to rectify this situation irrespective of which party is carrying the burden of responsibility of this country. Some sort of commission would surely have to be set up to study the situation, make recommendations and put some legislative structure in place to hit the nail on its head.  When bold and radical changes are introduced the government would lose some popularity but this is the only way that change takes place − when someone decides to draw a line.

Anthony Zarb Dimech

BIRKIRKARA