While the certain foreign nurses were employed straight away on arrival to Malta, the Maltese nurses who have recently successful passed their re-sits were left to register for work and no immediate employment was offered, the MUMN said in a statement.

While there is a shortage of around 600 nurses in Malta and Gozo, the lengthy bureaucratic process which local nurses are made to endure is senseless, it added.

Currently there are a small number of nurses still waiting several approvals from the PSC, PAHRO, PACBU for their employment rendering the Health Division helpless.

Exchange of emails forwarded to MUMN from Health Division state while the Health Division is willingly to employ the available nurses, such employment cannot take place since the necessary approval has not been granted by such entities.