Malta registered the largest population growth out of all EU member states, at 36.8 per 1,000 residents, with one in every seven people in Malta being a foreigner.

Jobsplus, the government's employment agency, received around 16,000 work applications from people outside the European Union in the first five months of 2019 alone.

Jobsplus CEO Clyde Caruana said that between January and May the number of applications for work permits reached 12,185, while the number of applications for employment licences reached 3,572.

He highlighted the difference between employment licences and single residence work permits, with the former being valid for up to six months while the latter is valid for a year and may be renewed annually.

Compared with 2018, Jobsplus received a total of 13,388 applications from foreign nationals intending to work in Malta, with 10,162 being for work permits and 3,226 for employment licences.